Breeding cichlids: the secrets to successful mating

Sept. 29, 2011 - PRLog -- There is always a golden rule to everything and when it comes to breeding animals, there are always rules and techniques to follow so the process will become a success. And it’s not different when it comes to breeding cichlids.

Many people are having cichlids in their aquarium because we cannot deny the fact that cichlids are very pretty and colourful. They can mostly bring beauty to anyone’s aquarium and to anyone’s home. With the varieties of colors and shapes that cichlids have, it is no longer a question as to why people love to breed them.

And in order for one to breed them, he must first understand the behaviour of such specie before he decides to pair them up and allow the spawning to take its course. When you decide once and for all, you must bear in mind also that cichlids are mouthbrooders. It means that the eggs are being brooded in one of the parent’s mouth. And usually it is the female cichlid that broods the eggs inside her mouth until the fry are ready to swim on their own.

Breeding cichlids is very interesting – but you must remember it is not an easy task to do. First you have to make sure that you have two healthy cichlids. And you also need to protect your female cichlid when it is brooding her fry inside her mouth. When the fry gets out, it is also your responsibility to make sure no one preys on them too.

When it comes to breeding cichlids – you must go for the breeding colony because it is so hard to obtain one female and one male in the cichlid world. So having a harem of cichlids is what is recommended. The thing with having a pair only, the male may get too aggressive towards the female and this could lead to stress and potential death.

So when you have a breeding colony, it is a must that you provide them with an ideal environment. Setting is very important for a fish – for cichlids, you need to have caves, rocks, crevices and shelves to keep your cichlids happy. Don’t bother having aquarium plants because the cichlids will only remove them because they are very industrious so they love to move things around at all times.

To get your breeding cichlids in the mood, you also need to feed them well. Spirulina flakes is an excellent quality food and occasional earthworms would also give your cichlids in good health.

When your breeding cichlids are ready to do their thing, you would notice that the male chases the female and they usually are dancing with each other with the male
shimmying in front of the female. The female will then drop the eggs and then would pick them up with its mouth. The male cichlid will fertilize them and the eggs, and that’s when the usually small, round and yellowish, called the egg spots found on the male’s anal fin usually comes into play.

This process will be repeated numerous of times.

For more information, visit us at:  http://www.CichlidFish-Center.com/cichlid-breeding.html