Help Breeding Geophagus Tapajos

[malfunction]

So, I've been keeping an assortment of geo's for about 18months, and it looks like I finally have a breeding pair of tapajos. Based on the male's mating dance, I think they'll spawn within the next few days. Although I've spawned a number of other cichlids and rainbowfish, my experience with spawning geos is sadly lacking. So, I could do with a few tips...anything I can do to increase their chances of success?

They're currently in my community tank, but that doesn't seems to be affecting their urges. If I can help it, I'd prefer leave them in their current tank, but I understand that a community tank isn't the ideal breeding setup for them. Has anyone successfully bred these fish in community tank? Ideally, I'd like to leave the parents and any fry in their current tank until the fry become wrigglers, at which point I'd transfer them to their own tank.

 

[sawickib]

There is a member on here that has bred a lot of geo winemilleri, HERE , maybe go through her journals and see if you can learn anything new?
 
I wish i could help but mine arent old enough to breed.

 

[malfunction]

Thanks for the link, saw. I subscribed to her posts a while back and have been using it to compare notes with my own set up. I was hoping for specific info on tapajos breeding in community tanks, but it seems no one on here does that guess I'll just have to experiment and see how they get on.

Thanks anyway.

 

[snowflake311]

They will spawn in a community tank but the fry will not live. The other fish will slowly pick the fry off one by one as soon as they start swimming. If you really want to raise the fry you will need a breeding tank to raise the fry in. 

 

[Ianfrom Scotland]

I have a pair who bred about 3 weeks ago, took them out of the community tank with the fry in their mouths. They are great parents, the fry are growing quickly. At this stage I can go into the tank, without them swallowing up the fry. It’s great to watch, as they eat up the fry and move them around the tank. I moved them to a 64 litre tank, and they seem very happy. I change 50% of the water every 3-4 days