Article From SubmitYOURArticle.com: 10 Essential Tips for Successful Cichlid Breeding

Personally, i reproduce lots of cichlids in
addition to being a devoted aquarium tank lover i
know that this is very rewarding to me each
mentally and financially. Quite often friends
consult me for assistance with the propagation of
their fish. For this reason Ive put together this
informative article about Cichlid Breeding. If
you follow these guidelines and you'll 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. To summarize this step it would be like you
on a date , setting the mood with some Barry
White.

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. If your wondering what the small fry should be
fed on, well once the natural yolk cycle is over
then its ok to start giving them flakes or brine
shrimp.

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 ;)

----------------------------------------------------
Ive Written a much more extensive guide about
http://www.cichlidssite.com/cichlid-breeding/ ?
Which you can grab FREE on my website
http://www.cichlidssite.com for current tips and
turorials on purchasing, feeding, care for,
types, aquarium setup & maintenance, and how to
breed Cichlid fish.

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