Breeding Discus Cichlids

Personally, i reproduce a lot of cichlids and as an avid aquarium lover i know that this is very satisfying to me both mentally and in financial terms. Quite often close friends ask me for assistance with the propagation of their fish. For this reason I have come up with this informative article on Cichlid Breeding. Stick to these guidelines and you will certainly be a parent before you know it ;)

As you venture into the hobby of cichlids, you will soon be thinking about cichlid breeding. Cichlids usually display a wide variety of fantastic colorizations and markings and if your fish are dulling in color then it can be a sign of sickness. Trying to breed ill fish is a recipe for disaster so be aware. Cichlids are tropical fresh water fish which are wonderful to keep and breed provided they have the right environment, once they get this they will settle in to their new home and breeding will soon follow.

It's essential to know what type of breeders you have, mouth brooders, cave brooders or open brooders so as to be able to setup any extra shelter.

Once successful you have the opportunity to watch them raise their young firsthand. You will discover it fascinating to know that in lots of ways cichlids are as protecting as people, however in other cases they can also be detached and even aggressive parents. But that's Mother Nature.

1. The most important factor when it comes to breeding your cichlids is their condition. Keep a close eye on the condition of the water, the water temperature and the types of food you feed them, a happy Cichlid is a Breeding Cichlid!

2. Many female cichlids tend to starve themselves during the incubation period, which can last anywhere up to 4 weeks. Now if your girls are weak and under nourished then they could die.

3. A very good idea is to try and have 2-3 females for every 1 male that you have as this will reduce any weaker females being bullied around and will also reduce the stress in the tank. Think of this step as you putting some Barry White and lighting some scented candles.

4. Rocks and plants or even timber should be used to give them hiding places. Mouth brooders need more than usual protection when they are egg-laden so it will pay to give them places to stay.

5. There are known cases of cichlids not breeding due to being fed to much? Hunger brings out the aggressive side to these fish, so it's much more likely they will mate.

6. The best method to get your younglings to survive is to separate the mother and kiddies from the rest of the tank, even if it means a separate tank. Or the other adults may eat the fry. Once separate she must be monitored as well because cichlid females have been known to eat their young.

7. The small fry will slowly be absorbing their egg sacs and when done it is OK to start feeding them on flakes and brine shrimp (yep, good old sea monkeys).

8. Quite often the first time pregnancy fails. So if this is both yours and there first attempts then don't be to put off if things go bad. Female cichlids will learn from a poor first attempt and get it right on the next one.

9. The females' cichlids ability to breed will depend on her health, species and age. If you want quality small fry then it really comes down to breeding good stock in the first place.

10. Water quality and temperature are also key factors in successful breeding. Water temperature ideally should be between 25 to 28 degrees Celsius and the pH should be slightly alkaline.

And like stated earlier i can not stress enough the importance of have plenty of hiding places in your aquarium , your success levels will go up when their stress levels go down.

Oh, and if worst comes to worst chuck on some Barry White ;)