www.aquariumoverload.com
Over the years I have breed a variety of different fish. I have focused on Malawian African cichlids and bristlenose plecos. I have breed over 25 species of African cichlids, bristlenose plecos and synodontis multipunctatus.
Picture of a female Cynotilapia White Top Hara female holding eggs. Most Malawian
cichlids are mouth brooders. Females will hold eggs for 14-
Mouth brooding African Cichlids
Cynotilapia White Top Hara male. Male African cichlids are typically are more colorful and aggressive then the females. The females a usually gray or brown.
Mouth brooding cichlids typically like to breed on flat rocks. A male will perform
a colorful display to attract a female. He will become extremely aggressive during
this time. If the female is ready to breed she will follow him to the rock. See
will drop an egg on the rock the male fertilizes it and the female picks up the egg
with her mouth. This will repeat typically for 15 minutes to an hour. A female can
hold a couple of eggs to 50+ eggs depending on her size. Typical spawns for me have
been 10-
Stripping of a holding fish consists of netting the female and putting her in a small container. You will pick up the fish in your hands and open the fishes mouth. You then dunk her in the container with her mouth open and the fry will come out. I usually wait until I can tell the eggs have hatched in her mouth and then strip them from her. Some people like to take the eggs and tumble them but I prefer to let the female do her job. Once I have all the fry I put the female back in her tank and put the fry in a 10 gallon tank. I feed the fry crushed flakes or pellets.
