Kribensis questions

[Gamegurl564]

Heya gang,
I cant remember if Kribs are new world or the other so I post here.
I have a female Krib who has had two previous spawnings with a male who turned on her.
Fast forward, a couple months ago I got her a new bo.
They are happy as little clams digging up the entire tank, they are in a 20 long.
As if a few days ago mom is constantly in her cave, her huge boyfriend crams in there with her but mostly sits outside guarding.
I am holding iff taking a peek in her cave.
I just wonder if they did the deed and are guarding eggs.
Any thoughts??
Thanks
GG

 

[GaryE]

They are from Nigeria, and slightly into Cameroon. If the male goes in, there are no eggs yet. Once he starts guarding, and you don't see her outside, the deed is done.
Don't look. That could end the broodcare. Patience...

 

[Gamegurl564]

They are from Nigeria, and slightly into Cameroon. If the male goes in, there are no eggs yet. Once he starts guarding, and you don't see her outside, the deed is done.
Don't look. That could end the broodcare. Patience...

Thanks, I figured as much.
The previous pairing was so quick I was wondering if the male way to young.
He's matched with a mature female.
They are such great parents.

 

[Gamegurl564]

Update, both were out and about.
No eggs yet, but happy little couple.
Now I have to get plants they cant dig up
More anubias and maybe a couple pots.
They have really tore up the tank..lol

 

[Colin_T]

You can use plastic plants with lead weights on the bottom.

 

[anewbie]

You can use plastic plants with lead weights on the bottom.

real plants work a lot better; esp with kribs as they eat a lot of plant matter.

 

[CaptainBarnicles]

real plants work a lot better; esp with kribs as they eat a lot of plant matter.

Kribs are more into eating the algae than the actual plants I'd say, plastic plants are fine but the babies will appreciate the microbugs which come with having live plants

 

[anewbie]

Kribs are more into eating the algae than the actual plants I'd say, plastic plants are fine but the babies will appreciate the microbugs which come with having live plants

They don't eat plants per sey at least mine never did. I'll admit a bit of bias as i just hate plastic plants personally

 

[Gamegurl564]

Yeah, I am all in on live plants

 

[GaryE]

You can direct krib digging. In general, they are doing it to create nests, so setting up nest areas that need to be dug out will channel the behaviour. Take a coconut shell, cut it in half, notch a 2cm by 2 cm door in it and place it on the sand, and they'll go to work improving it.

They are actually classed as detritivores - eaters of dead leaves, mud, mulm, algae and all the micro-organisms that live in them.

I have found they don't damage well rooted plants like Cryptocorynes, as well as attached plants like java ferns, mosses, Anubias spp., and Bolbitis heudelotti. Well established Vallisneria also resists their digging well. New stem plants don't fare well.

 

[Gamegurl564]

You can direct krib digging. In general, they are doing it to create nests, so setting up nest areas that need to be dug out will channel the behaviour. Take a coconut shell, cut it in half, notch a 2cm by 2 cm door in it and place it on the sand, and they'll go to work improving it.

They are actually classed as detritivores - eaters of dead leaves, mud, mulm, algae and all the micro-organisms that live in them.

I have found they don't damage well rooted plants like Cryptocorynes, as well as attached plants like java ferns, mosses, Anubias spp., and Bolbitis heudelotti. Well established Vallisneria also resists their digging well. New stem plants don't fare well.

Thanks
They have two caves in the tank and yes, most of the digging is around those two places.
I am going to split my African water fern as soon as I get a chunk of wood for it and will add more Anubias and Buce.

 

[Back in the fold]

Now I have to get plants they cant dig up

Good luck with that but what @GaryE said about directing the digging makes sense to me . That’s good advice .

 

[anewbie]

I'll be honest my kribs never dug up my plants but they did dig this lovely nest under a piece of drift wood:

One of the advantages of having decently deep substrate

 

[Gamegurl564]

I'll be honest my kribs never dug up my plants but they did dig this lovely nest under a piece of drift wood:
View attachment 352367

One of the advantages of having decently deep substrate

Heh..
Substrate was/is at least 2 inches deep
My Corymbosa and Tiger Lilly were destroyed
But thats ok, more wood and rocks.
All the Anubias and Buce are fine
Think I will set up the middle with some slate

 

[fishorama]

IME females are more attentive to fry. Both will guard eggs, but males soon get bored with fry moving. They "forget" to spit them out so the female will be ready to breed again sooner. She likely will send him off for a while, say 2 weeks until she's ready to breed again.

Ours liked a smooth rock or wood to lay eggs on & a defensible cave-like place. Plants or anything in the chosen area will be moved or removed if they can. Plus some more open areas to move the fry to a few times. Then, the now ignored fry will need some plant-y hiding places until they grow enough.

Our males were mostly wimps compared to females, except when he was more ready to breed than she was. I think an older experienced female & a younger male...well, he better get the right idea with her breeding program or he may get beaten up until he understands...or a better male comes along.

It did get old after a while, some fry always survived. They often breed every 4 weeks or less. Kribs also seem to have more of 1 gender of fry based on temp & maybe GH.

I miss ours in some ways, but finding homes for even a small number of fry was hard after a few batches.