Texas Cichlids

[MalawiCichlidBreeder]

A pair of mine apparently spawned and I didnt notice the eggs until today.. they were in the wriggler stage. I didn't think that americans could spawn at 1" but I suppose I was wrong. There were about 100 or so babies in the tank a few hours ago, now I noticed there are about 15 or so and they were hidden under a rock. I presume one of them is eating them or both. The male stays very far away and looks like the female was stressing him out. Anyone have any ideas if male/female should be removed after conception or is it just inexperience?

J

[crazyred]

Are these the regular Texas cichlids or the Green Texas Cichlids? I might be interested in these babies. :D

[lloyd berg]

both male and female will destroy their fry,especially if they are ready to repeat the spawn again. this usually occurs about 2 weeks after fry stage. it's best to remove the fry (easier to catch, less disruption of spawning cycles) and place them in another tank. they should respond to crushed flakes or baby brine shrimp right away.
you can loose fry into your filter intake if it's not covered with a mesh,but your type of young will stay in their nest to avoid mom and dad's dining habits, so it's not a likely problem for you until they are free ranging in a safer environment.
good luck...

[oscarbartoni]

If the tank is large enough to have "dither fish in it the parents will try to protect the eggs and babies from the "dither fishe" some good dither fish would be fish like the giant danios. Do not keep plecos in a tank with parents that have just spawned because plecos love fresh cavier and they will eat it at night when they are most active. Once you get a pair going it will usually only take between ten days and two weeks to have another spawn going. You can get too many babies to handle if you try to keep alal of them alive. Best to try to find a home for them and that is easier than with convicts cichlids. But not everyone wants a cichlid ( or any other fish that get to be over 8 inches long).

[MalawiCichlidBreeder]

The Texans are the silver variety. By green are you talking about the 'false texas cichlids' ? A friend of mine had about 3000 of those a month ago and I bet he has a few kicking around for private sale.

I just looked in the aquarium and saw that all the babies were gone I think unless they are hidden under the rock there parents hang around.

Question for OB: The babies were eaten before the free swimming stage. I know that the mother frees the baby from the egg by lightly chewing on it so it doesn't sound like a good idea to seperate the parents so quickly. However it seems like they will keep eating them. Anyone else see this as a problem?

Lol.

:confused:

[lloyd berg]

could be inexperience(the fish's,not yours,of course). i've lost a load of eggs/fry before my angels finally got it right.
almost always stess related if they change good habits to canabalism.
i'm interested in hearing a moderator's experience...

[crazyred]

So, yours are the Rio Grande Cichlids? Those are cool. How big is the tank that you have them in, and what else do you have in there with them? This is for future reference for me. If I can get my hands on a larger tank and find somewhere to put it :rolleyes: I want to do a Texas cichlid tank. I like both the silver one (like you're talking about the true Texas cichlid) but I also like the Green Texas (also called pearlscale---or I guess false Texas). Just info gathering right now. May have to get rid of some furniture (nah we don't need that bed) to get a bigger tank in my house, but dadgummit, I want some Texas fishies!!!

[MalawiCichlidBreeder]

Each of my pairs are by themselves in a 35g tank each. These tanks are connected to a larger system putting about 300g of water through each tank per hour. It seems any fish I put in these tanks wants to breed immediately because of the condition they are kept.

If you are very keen on texans I will suggest a fish that I like a bit more (personality and beauty wise). They are Nicaraguan Cichlids ( http://fishtanksandponds.net/live-stock/fishprofiles/nicaragua.htm) Mine are actually a ton better looking than the ones on that link but its a place to start. These fish are the original 'Parrot Cichlids' because they look like birds unlike those genetically modified oddballs.

Oh and in response to OB and the excessive amounts of fry, I distribute fish to 10 different pet stores in the Toronto area so getting rid of them is no problem. My problem is tank space to get them to 1.5" at the moment.

[oscarbartoni]

The green "Texas cichlid" is the carpintis cichlid and is a lot like the true Texas cichlid except that the green(on the carpintis) on the scales is larger than the blue spots on the true Texas. I was breeding many American cichlids in a cintral filtration systenm composed of 33 twenty gallon long tanks with one central filter. No gravel in any of them but a sponge filter in each to help with feeding the young infusoria for the first few days along with baby brine shrinmo and the flake foods that the parents would chew and spit out to the young.

[crazyred]

That sounds so cool oscar, I was at my LPS yesterday getting some platies and they had a tankful of little (2") true Texas cichlids!!! I had to restrain myself!!! Hubby asked why I didn't get some, I said "honey, my tank isn't big enough, they up to a foot in length---HINT, HINT ;) " Well, I'll wait until I can get a good deal on a large tank (and find somewhere to put it in my casa!!)

Oh and Malawi--I love that fishy you posted the link on, he's beautiful, what could you put in with it? Some more CA cichlids I assume?

[aquak]

That Nicaraguan Cichlids sits says they get to be 10" and need 100 gallons.

[crazyred]

:SW

Guess I won't be gettin that one. I'll be lucky if I can ever get a 55 for a Texas. :(

[oscarbartoni]

There is anoter ichlid called the parrot cichlid and I am not refering to the hybred cichlid that is sold in may stores but is a South American full species cichlid. I have heard of the Hypsophrys nicaraguensis being called the Macaw cichlid and I think tht is a better common name. The macaw cichlid lives in the same water as does the wolf cichlid and the Netroplus cichlidsin Central Amedrica. The Neets are fish taht when they spawn the young will stay and help protedt the breeding area. There might be several broods of yooung from one greeding pair protecting that breeding area, which is the area that the macaw cichlid perfers to spawn in. The wolf cichlid (which can grow to 2 foot or larger, it is one of the worlds largest cichlids) will eat any neet cichlid that it can but the macaw cichlid will take the young of the wolf cichlid in it's care somewhat adopting the young. In retur4n it , the macaw cichlid receives protection frome th neets and hopefully more breeding area,