Original Krib Question

[georgedv]

I hope this forum has no limits to the number of questions one can ask!

I have a male P. Pulcher and I kept him with a bunch of male rainbows (various) in a 55 gal for 2 months. I would drop food on the opposit side from where the krib was to attract all the rainbows and then fed him. The tank was dark w/lots of wood and one amazon plant.

Any ways I eventually got a female and put them both in a 20gal. I have the tank filled half with gravel (this end is well planted w/ 3 flat stones over other stones to form caves. The other half of the tank is sand w/an over turned flower pot (with one entrance). I also have 4 female platies that have had many babies.

Both of them stay in that pot. Both have their caudals slightly torn. Both feed together without fighting each other for food. It's been 3 weeks, no fry.

Water is ph 7.0 slightly soft. I make 20% water changes every other day.

Now the female has all her colors...very beautifull. The male is pale with typical krib markings in black. No other color whats so ever. Why would he not have any colors? He is about 3inches she's close to 2inches. Could he be past his prime?

g

 

[ste12000]

Has he ever shown any great colouration?? It is sadly very common to see washed out inbred Pulcher these days. I have seen kribs in the shops time and time again with hardly any colouration and am reluctant to breed from these.
If you think about it Kribs are one of the most common homebred fish even for beginners and i know my local shops get offered them almost weekly, they then offer them in the same tank and someone buys a pair, this is then a brother sister cross and it goes on from there....
I am on the lookout for some wild caught or at least f1 or even f2 fish to start a breeding project and inject some decent fish back into the hobby.
If your fish are not yet breeding then they should really be out of their cave and exploring their surroundings, what has ripped their fins?? If the male is not on top form then they are unlikely to breed or show their best colours, is the female ready and bullying the male?
I would suggest plenty of cover, bogwood and a selection of coconut caves with cover near the entrance. I usually use upto 10 coconut caves so the fish can pick and choose also they do not have to swim in open water and can flit from one entrance to another, get the habitat spot on and the breeding should come naturally. Good luck.

 

[georgedv]

When I had him with the rainbows he had his colors but they were pale. Considering the company and the low light I figured when he met his gal he would blossom. He has put on weight since moving to the 20gal tank and he is very active with the female. She swims like mad around him exposing her side (picture a U on its side) and he trembles his fins. I am not sure if this is good or bad for I have never seen their mating ritual.

g

 

[tjudy]

What they probably need is time. Though I have seen kribs pair off and spawn within a week of being put together, a pair bond usually takes longer. A stronger pair bond can be induced with the addition of another female to the tank. If another female is not available, placing a small mirror at one end of the tank (in the tank) can work too.

The torn fins may have come from them beating on each other prior to settling down as a pair, or by other fish in teh tank. Sometimes rainbows can be rough. If the tank is very bright they will be less comfortable. I layer of floating plants would help.

As to spawning caves... 90% of the time a Pelvicachromis sp. pair will choose a spawning cave that has a roomy interior and a small opening. Coconut caves with a single 1" hole work well, but so will any ceramic cave with an intrance small enough for the female to block with her head, but still permits the male to get inside. Two or three caves will give them a choice, and places to move the brood to after they hatch. Another trick to induce spawning behavior is to fill the caves with sand/gravel every now and then (so long as you know there are not eggs/larvae in the cave). THe cleaning out of the cave is one of the pre-spawn behaviors shared by the pair.

 

[georgedv]

They have cleaned under the flower pot like mad maids. The sand from there is all over the tank. I believe patience is key here. I think I will try the mirror trick.

 

[ste12000]

I bet the mirror works, it does with mine everytime.