Breeding control and inbreeding

[Mikaa]

Hi everybody.
One of the main reasons I never keep cichlids is because I'm worried about the breeding control :
How do you manage the number of fry ? When you have 10, 20, 60 fishes how do you handle the number ?
Is a problem to sell/give a pair of fishes that are brother/sister ?
I'm afraid to have a lot of new individuals to give away but can't find new keepers.
I'd be really happy to see how you handle your breedings and the number of fry.
FRiendly

 

[MacZ]

How do you manage the number of fry ? When you have 10, 20, 60 fishes how do you handle the number ?

IF I'm breeding any fish I prepare a grow-out tank for a higher number of individuals, depending on what to expect from the species in question. So e.g. in case of average Apistogramma a 100 liter tank. When I used to breed Malawis it was usually a 200 liter tank.

Is a problem to sell/give a pair of fishes that are brother/sister ?

For most buyers: No. Many don't care. In case of overbred strains (= domestic strains like most A. cacatuoides or Mikrogeophagus ramirezi) this has led to general problems like malformed fish, bad health and low life expectancy. I would not even think of breeding (or keeping) those.
If you have wild fish or one of the first 5-6 generations in captivity the problem is not as severe.

I'm afraid to have a lot of new individuals to give away but can't find new keepers.
I'd be really happy to see how you handle your breedings and the number of fry.

And at this point I only have one advise: Only let fish breed if you can handle the offspring and know where to rehome them.
Means: Ask your local fish store in advance if they take the fry. (I know in Europe this is not easy, plus usually they only take 4cm+ individuals) and otherwise there's Ebay Classifieds and national/regional aquarium forums.

Otherwise if breeding is not your goal but a display tank: Don't buy pairs/trios/harems but stick to males. Either a single one or a group in an odd number, depending on the tank size and the species (3 in 120cm, 5 in 150cm and so forth...).

Fry predators like tetras may keep numbers low, but then still often a handful of fry survive to adulthood.

 

[Mikaa]

Thank you so much for your really complete answer !
Well I'm always attached to breed the species I keep, but like you said it's important to know what to do with the next fishes to come cause they are really prolific !
I like apistogramma hongsloi, borelli and mikrogeophagus ramirezi by the way
I will see with my local fishstore cause I recently have a breeding of ancistrus and they are also really prolific.

 

[MacZ]

I recently have a breeding of ancistrus and they are also really prolific.

And that's why you should only keep them single or females only. Here in Germany you can't get rid of them anymore.

 

[Mike Wise]

In the past I had Muggsy, a 16"/40cm electric catfish' who was happy to accept any over-abundance of fry. Sadly he passed away several years ago.