Another large group of egg-laying fish is the family Cichlidae. These are characterized by having only a single nostril opening on either side of their heads, between the eye and mouth. The nostrils in most other fish are U-shaped tubes, with two openings to the exterior. (In neither the cichlids nor most other fish do the nostrils communicate with the mouth or throat, being employed only in smelling and not breathing.)
The cichlids vary so, both in appearance and in habits, that they would seem not to belong to the same family. Anyone who has seen the angelfish and the Egyptian mouthbrooder will realize how different cichlids may look, and anyone who has bred these species knows how diverse are their breeding habits.
The cichlid is the largest type of fish that is normally kept in the home aquarium, but because of its size and temperament it is not too desirable for the community tank; its other characteristics more than make up for this temperament, however.
Breeding pairs of cichlids are very hard to buy satisfactorily. Not only are the fish difficult to mate, but even should a mated pair be purchased from a reputable dealer there is no guarantee that they will breed again in strange surroundings. The best way to breed cichlids is to plan your breeding in advance and prepare your own breeders. Most cichlids are very inexpensive and readily available before they reach sizes over 2 inches. It is wise to purchase six to ten small cichlids and place them in a large community tank to mature. When maturation has been reached, the fish will tend to pair off, one fish (usually the male) chasing after another particular fish (usually the female).
When such is the case, it is easy to separate the two fish into a 10-gallon tank of their own and prepare to breed them. This method is probably the best way to breed a certain species of fish but may be unsatisfactory owing to the time wasted in the maturation process. Most people contend that they would rather spend ten dollars for a mated pair of cichlids than spend ten dollars on the live food necessary to bring the fish to a rapid maturation and seasoning. This is fine, except that after you have spent the money for the mated pair there is no reward for you if the fish will not reproduce, and you are stuck with a pair of vicious fish that are valueless for your original purpose. So, if possible, try to obtain a group of small cichlids and bring them to sexual maturation in your own tank. The thrill of knowing that you are entirely responsible for the brood, as well as the fact that you are not gambling with nature, more than makes up for the time consumed in maturation.
The selection of the mate is a serious process. Just as other types of living creatures have definite patterns of mating, so do fish. Birds sometimes fight over a mate, and the male often may attack and damage the female in trying to force his attentions upon her. A male pigeon, for instance, may peck a female's head until it is bloody in his attempt to "win" her. A similar occurrence is to be found with this most intelligent fish, the cichlid. The male cichlid will attack the female cichlid much in the manner that the betta will attack his mate. Plants will be torn up by the roots, and any small ornament is sure to be displaced as the battle between male and female persists. As it is not infrequent that the two fish will lock their strong jaws and roll over and over on the bottom of the tank, it is not advisable to have any sharp rocks or decorations on the floor of the aquarium.
With some types of fish this may continue for a few days, but others usually stop after six or eight hours. If the fish have been properly seasoned for this encounter by being separated by a glass partition and being fed live food for a week or so before the mating, they usually proceed to mate and spawn with no trouble. But, should one be in better condition than the other, and should this superiority show in the love duel, then death is sure to be the reward of the weaker one. This may be nature's test for parenthood, but it is always wisest to prevent this mating fight, as the weaker fish invariably loses its life if it is allowed to occur. As is easily seen, then, it is usually best to have the fish of approximately the same size, though cichlids differing by an inch or more in length have been successfully bred.
Should this marriage test fail, that is, should one of five days, the parents take them into their mouths and move them to one of the depressions they have dug in the sand. During the many trips that may be needed to carry them all, one of the parents is always awaiting the arrival of the other at one of the destinations, to make sure that they never lose all their young at one time. After a day or so, the young seem to be moved continually from one hole to the next, in the same careful way, always being guarded by their parents. Should any other fish venture near their hole, the parents either eat their young or fight the aggressor.
So far as can be determined, this daily moving is to provide the young, when they are old enough to eat, with fresh feeding grounds. The holes also provide good protection against possible enemies and are an easy way for the parents to keep their brood concentrated in one small area. Any too venturesome young fish straying beyond the confines of its "nursery" is quickly snapped up by one of the parents and spat back into the hole.
Cichlids, as a hole, are very good parents, and many of them may be left with their growing young. It may be wise, however, to remove the parents as soon as the young are free-swimming, since they are not essential to their young after they reach this size, and one never knows when a temperamental fish will start to eat its own offspring.
Among average aquarists, cichlids are usually unpopular for their size and because they eat small fish with no concern at all. Some of these cichlids get to be very nasty, and for that reason may require a separate tank for themselves. The famed oscar, Astronotus ocellatus, which gets to be very large (close to a foot long), must be fed live food constantly in the form of small fish (such as guppies, mollies, etc.), earthworms, chunks of meat, or pieces of shrimp. There are few, if any, small tropical fish that may be kept safely in the sifted daphnia or brine shrimp must be supplied. Microworms may also be used.
During this entire breeding process, the older fish must constantly be fed live food. This holds true of all the cichlids except the mouthbrooders.
The parents may be left with their young as long as you wish. During the first few days the young are definitely dependent on their parents, but after a week or so the parents may be moved—at the esthetic expense of not being able to be watched swimming with their brood.
Cichlids may be bred again six weeks after they are removed from their brood, though breeding them too often is not advisable, as they tend to lose interest in their successive broods.
Find more poplar aquarium fish here: https://aquariumfishcity.com
The cichlids vary so, both in appearance and in habits, that they would seem not to belong to the same family. Anyone who has seen the angelfish and the Egyptian mouthbrooder will realize how different cichlids may look, and anyone who has bred these species knows how diverse are their breeding habits.
The cichlid is the largest type of fish that is normally kept in the home aquarium, but because of its size and temperament it is not too desirable for the community tank; its other characteristics more than make up for this temperament, however.
Breeding pairs of cichlids are very hard to buy satisfactorily. Not only are the fish difficult to mate, but even should a mated pair be purchased from a reputable dealer there is no guarantee that they will breed again in strange surroundings. The best way to breed cichlids is to plan your breeding in advance and prepare your own breeders. Most cichlids are very inexpensive and readily available before they reach sizes over 2 inches. It is wise to purchase six to ten small cichlids and place them in a large community tank to mature. When maturation has been reached, the fish will tend to pair off, one fish (usually the male) chasing after another particular fish (usually the female).
When such is the case, it is easy to separate the two fish into a 10-gallon tank of their own and prepare to breed them. This method is probably the best way to breed a certain species of fish but may be unsatisfactory owing to the time wasted in the maturation process. Most people contend that they would rather spend ten dollars for a mated pair of cichlids than spend ten dollars on the live food necessary to bring the fish to a rapid maturation and seasoning. This is fine, except that after you have spent the money for the mated pair there is no reward for you if the fish will not reproduce, and you are stuck with a pair of vicious fish that are valueless for your original purpose. So, if possible, try to obtain a group of small cichlids and bring them to sexual maturation in your own tank. The thrill of knowing that you are entirely responsible for the brood, as well as the fact that you are not gambling with nature, more than makes up for the time consumed in maturation.
The selection of the mate is a serious process. Just as other types of living creatures have definite patterns of mating, so do fish. Birds sometimes fight over a mate, and the male often may attack and damage the female in trying to force his attentions upon her. A male pigeon, for instance, may peck a female's head until it is bloody in his attempt to "win" her. A similar occurrence is to be found with this most intelligent fish, the cichlid. The male cichlid will attack the female cichlid much in the manner that the betta will attack his mate. Plants will be torn up by the roots, and any small ornament is sure to be displaced as the battle between male and female persists. As it is not infrequent that the two fish will lock their strong jaws and roll over and over on the bottom of the tank, it is not advisable to have any sharp rocks or decorations on the floor of the aquarium.
With some types of fish this may continue for a few days, but others usually stop after six or eight hours. If the fish have been properly seasoned for this encounter by being separated by a glass partition and being fed live food for a week or so before the mating, they usually proceed to mate and spawn with no trouble. But, should one be in better condition than the other, and should this superiority show in the love duel, then death is sure to be the reward of the weaker one. This may be nature's test for parenthood, but it is always wisest to prevent this mating fight, as the weaker fish invariably loses its life if it is allowed to occur. As is easily seen, then, it is usually best to have the fish of approximately the same size, though cichlids differing by an inch or more in length have been successfully bred.
Should this marriage test fail, that is, should one of five days, the parents take them into their mouths and move them to one of the depressions they have dug in the sand. During the many trips that may be needed to carry them all, one of the parents is always awaiting the arrival of the other at one of the destinations, to make sure that they never lose all their young at one time. After a day or so, the young seem to be moved continually from one hole to the next, in the same careful way, always being guarded by their parents. Should any other fish venture near their hole, the parents either eat their young or fight the aggressor.
So far as can be determined, this daily moving is to provide the young, when they are old enough to eat, with fresh feeding grounds. The holes also provide good protection against possible enemies and are an easy way for the parents to keep their brood concentrated in one small area. Any too venturesome young fish straying beyond the confines of its "nursery" is quickly snapped up by one of the parents and spat back into the hole.
Cichlids, as a hole, are very good parents, and many of them may be left with their growing young. It may be wise, however, to remove the parents as soon as the young are free-swimming, since they are not essential to their young after they reach this size, and one never knows when a temperamental fish will start to eat its own offspring.
Among average aquarists, cichlids are usually unpopular for their size and because they eat small fish with no concern at all. Some of these cichlids get to be very nasty, and for that reason may require a separate tank for themselves. The famed oscar, Astronotus ocellatus, which gets to be very large (close to a foot long), must be fed live food constantly in the form of small fish (such as guppies, mollies, etc.), earthworms, chunks of meat, or pieces of shrimp. There are few, if any, small tropical fish that may be kept safely in the sifted daphnia or brine shrimp must be supplied. Microworms may also be used.
During this entire breeding process, the older fish must constantly be fed live food. This holds true of all the cichlids except the mouthbrooders.
The parents may be left with their young as long as you wish. During the first few days the young are definitely dependent on their parents, but after a week or so the parents may be moved—at the esthetic expense of not being able to be watched swimming with their brood.
Cichlids may be bred again six weeks after they are removed from their brood, though breeding them too often is not advisable, as they tend to lose interest in their successive broods.
Find more poplar aquarium fish here: https://aquariumfishcity.com