Breeding Discus Cichlids

Breeding Discus Cichlids

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Personally, i reproduce a lot of cichlid fish in addition to being a devoted aquarium lover i know that this is extremely satisfying in my opinion both mentally as well as financially. Frequently close friends ask me for help with the breeding of their fish. This is why Ive come up with this article about Cichlid Breeding. Follow these suggestions and you will certainly be a parent before you realize it ;)

As you venture into the hobby of cichlids, you will soon be thinking about cichlid breeding. Cichlids usually display a wide variety of fantastic colorizations and markings and if your fish are dulling in color then it can be a sign of sickness. Trying to breed ill fish is a recipe for disaster so be aware. Cichlids are tropical fresh water fish which are wonderful to keep and breed provided they have the right environment, once they get this they will settle in to their new home and breeding will soon follow.

It's essential to know what type of breeders you have, mouth brooders, cave brooders or open brooders so as to be able to setup any extra shelter.

Once successful you have the opportunity to watch them raise their young firsthand. You will discover it fascinating to know that in lots of ways cichlids are as protecting as people, however in other cases they can also be detached and even aggressive parents. But thats Mother Nature.

1. The most important factor when it comes to breeding your cichlids is their condition. If you properly look after the water condition, temperature and feed them a well balanced diet they will be much more inclined to do the do!

2. Many female cichlids tend to starve themselves during the incubation period, which can last anywhere up to 4 weeks. If your females have been neglected then they will perish.

3. A very good idea is to try and have 2-3 females for every 1 male that you have as this will reduce any weaker females being bullied around and will also reduce the stress in the tank. To summarize this step it would be like you on a date , setting the mood with some Barry White.

4. Rocks and plants or even timber should be used to give them hiding places. Mouth brooders need more than usual protection when they are egg-laden so it will pay to give them places to stay.

5. There are known cases of cichlids not breeding due to being fed to much? Hunger brings out the aggressive side to these fish, so its much more likely they will mate.

6. The best method to get your younglings to survive is to separate the mother and kiddies from the rest of the tank, even if it means a separate tank. Or the other adults may eat the fry. Once separate she must be monitored as well because cichlid females have been known to eat their young.

7. If your wondering what the small fry should be fed on, well once the natural yolk cycle is over then its ok to start giving them flakes or brine shrimp.

8. Quite often the first time pregnancy fails. So if this is both yours and there first attempts then dont be to put off if things go bad. Female cichlids will learn from a poor first attempt and get it right on the next one.

9. The females cichlids ability to breed will depend on her health, species and age. If you want quality small fry then it really comes down to breeding good stock in the first place.

10. Water quality and temperature are also key factors in successful breeding. Water temperature ideally should be between 25 to 28 degrees Celsius and the pH should be slightly alkaline.

And like stated earlier i can not stress enough the importance of have plenty of hiding places in your aquarium , your success levels will go up when their stress levels go down.

Oh, and if worst comes to worst chuck on some Barry White ;)

About the Author:
Grab my FREE Guide about Breeding Cichlids from my article database at www.Cichlidssite.Com where you will find all sorts of informative articles about Cichlids.



Article Originally Published On: http://www.articlesnatch.com


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