How to Breed African Cichlids

In our chaotic lives, we all look for ways to refocus and relax. And it is no secret that having the right forms of relaxation has measurable benefits for your health. Ever wonder why the dentist’s office usually has an aquarium? This is because, according to the scientific reports, watching an aquarium reduces anxiety.

If you are new to building an aquatic life right at home, it’s not as easy as it looks, especially if you are a cichlid lover. Here’s the good news, with little effort on your part, breeding these cichlids is simple.

Without further ado, let’s get to know everything that you need to know before you jump into the world of cichlid breeding.

How to Breed African Cichlids

The African cichlids have two breeding systems; the first is mouthbrooding, and the second is substrate spawning. Fish that are mouth brooders can certainly be fascinating.

During mouthbrooding, the female incubates her eggs in her mouth. Later, she releases them, and the male fertilizes them. She then gathers it again in her mouth. Till they are ready to hatch, the female fish keeps them in her mouth.

How to spot a brooding female?

The real question is, how would you know if your African cichlids are brooding? The answer is simple. Look for a bulge underneath her mouth. And a few behavior changes. The fish is likely to become anti-social and will eat less or nothing at all.

Stock the ideal mix of males and females

In general, the male cichlids do better when there are more females. It is because males become less aggressive towards one another. The advance of females creates a peaceful environment.

How would you know if your African cichlids are spawning?

To know if your African cichlids are spawning, read the mating patterns mentioned below.

• The male cichlid makes a nest for the female cichlids and lures by a fin shaking dance.
• She lays her eggs while the male cichlids fertilize them.
• Later, the female cichlid picks up the eggs, puts them back in her mouth, and counts to carry them inside her mouth till they are ready to hatch.

Rating a fry

After the eggs are hatched, the mouth breeders take care of their fry for several days. For the first five days, the cichlid fry needs a safe environment to spend the initial days. Later, after 5 to 7 days of hatching, they shouldn’t be fed as they use the left of their yolk sac as food. As they mature, they are all set to be moved to a nursery or a rearing tank.

The Golden rules of Cichlid breeding

• Always keep a spare tank ready to separate feuding pairs.
• Start thinking about What you are going to do with hundreds of adult cichlids before the breeding starts.
• Make sure to protect aggressive parent fish from other fish.

Be Patient When Breeding Cichlid Fish

In a nutshell, breeding African cichlids and raising the them will give you a rewarding feeling if you are an aquarium hobbyist. Even though it takes a lot of time and energy, it’s all worth it in the end.