Pelvicachromis subocellatus

[Mol_PMB]

Being fairly new to this game, I'm interested in the difference in behaviour between my two sets of cichlid parents. The Moanda parents share the duties of looking after the babies (pictured with Dad above) but with the Dicrossus it's definitely Mum who looks after the brood and she chases Dad away if he comes too close.

 

[gerald]

Bi-Parental care is the usual behavior for all the Pelvicachromis (and I think most other West African cichlids that are not mouth-brooders ??). In Dicrossus and Nannacara it's definitely the mother who stays closest to the young, and Apistogramma can go either way. From what I've seen small males and species with less distinct sexual difference seem more inclined to stay near and help lead the fry around, while larger males tend to guard the periphery but not interact much with the fry. Or maybe females are just more tolerant of small males near their fry.

 

[Captain Jim]

I agree..percentage of good caretakers is the female, but it seems the males "spell" the mom to eat and rest a little. When mom comes back, usually he is quick to leave, or will hang with her. Both are very protective.

 

[Jason82]

I have a pair of "matadi" kribs and the female has been in her cave for 2 days now. Comes out every now and then for a couple of seconds, but only to chase the gardneri killifish away (dither).
Here is a video I uplodaed yesterday:

Hope to have fry soon

 

[Jason82]

And now they have babies:

I hope you don't mind me posting in your thread

 

[Jason82]

my fry are now about 1.5cm to 2cm long. Should I keep them in the tank with their parents? Or should I syphon them in to their own tank?

 

[gerald]

At some point the parents will decide the kids should leave, and will start attacking them. This varies based on many factors, but 2 cm is getting rather big for fry to still be hanging around the parents territory. IME, young parents are often in more of a hurry to start breeding again (attacking their older fry) than older parents. Moving 2 fish (the pair) is usually easier than moving 50+ fry.

 

[Mol_PMB]

My parents ended up having a second brood while I still had the 1.5cm juveniles in the tank (my fault). Lots of chasing - juveniles wanting to eat fry, and parents attacking juveniles. I only had 4 juveniles (it's a community tank) but have now moved them to a separate tank, and the parents to another one...

 

[Jason82]

I've got 12 juvies in the tank with the parents. The parents are still protecting the juvies, as there is a female gardneri killifish in there as well as a dither fish. I'm considering moving the dither and keeping the rest in the tank, just for a little bit longer.

 

[Captain Jim]

Still have "Matadi" young? Would you consider trading a pair of yours for pair of mine? I have P. Tanaetus Molowie young. Trying to put together different African drarves. In seperate tanks. Also looking for A. Borelli.

 

[Jason82]

Who me? If so, I live in Western Australia.

 

[Mol_PMB]

My Moandas have just produced their third brood. They're in a tank of their own now, so hopefully there will be a better survival rate.

 

[Mol_PMB]

Here they are - please excuse the picture quality as the tank is very gloomy at this time of day.