# No00b to Breeding



## SICK-lids9087 (Oct 4, 2009)

I have had a breeding pair ( according to LFS ) of Dragon Blood Peacock Cichlids. I know I don't have a good breeding ratio but here me out.
The female is holding. This would be her 3 rd batch. The first batch she swallowed after 3 days. The second I stripped as eggs ( i was told that was ok =S) so the eggs died.
This is her third batch hopefully sucessful.
She has been holding for almost 2 weeks but she is still holding eggs. is it possible she is not interested in the male? Picky? wouldn't she have swallowed the eggs if she felt water conditions were bad? i have her in a 86 gallon custom tank. Loaded with hiding places for her and she is mixed with other African Cich, as well as some mbuna ( labs?).
The only thing i see from them too when they are together is when the male nips at females stomache and she swims away.
is this normal?


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## chris777 (Jun 27, 2008)

You refering to the Dragon Blood Peacock hybirds/man made fish?

You can only strip them as eggs if you have a tumbler. I'm not to sure on what there holding period would be for them but my guess like most cichlids which is around 18-21 days. I've only had a female of any cichlid swallow there eggs once and it was cause it was her first time holding.


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## SICK-lids9087 (Oct 4, 2009)

:-? Hybrid could be, i would have to know where they actually came from but it was LFS so who knows.

Ya i had a DIY egg tumbler. Didn't work, so i wanted to let nature take its course.

Have yu ever seen behavior like this when they are breeding tho? Female is away from the male 90% of the time. The other 10% shes being chased around by him or I am not home.

Are fish picky like size of male or anything?


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## chris777 (Jun 27, 2008)

Yes. I belive they are a man made fish/hybird if i'm thinking of the right fish lol.

I'm kind of tired so not totaly sure if i understand your question. Your wanting to know is it normal for a male to chase a female that is holding? If so Yes. Most cichlid males will chase the female regardless if they are holding or not from.


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## chris777 (Jun 27, 2008)

MalawiLover said:


> Since the Sunburst, dragons blood and the other red/gold type peacocks are man made hybrids, they are bound have a great variation in the colors they express.
> 
> http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=1315


From another thread this was posted about them.


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## SICK-lids9087 (Oct 4, 2009)

chris777 said:


> Yes. I belive they are a man made fish/hybird if i'm thinking of the right fish lol.
> 
> I'm kind of tired so not totaly sure if i understand your question. Your wanting to know is it normal for a male to chase a female that is holding? If so Yes. Most cichlid males will chase the female regardless if they are holding or not from.


ya basically the chasing thing. again im new to this. i am mainly concearned that the eggs she is holding may not be fertilized because of all the hiding and chasing but im shure they can fit in a quicky or two lol  :wink: Haha.


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## chris777 (Jun 27, 2008)

If they where going to be fertilized they would of been when she had the eggs.


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## GoofBoy (Jul 3, 2007)

If she is holding after two weeks the eggs are fertile.

If you want fry - wait until 3 weeks and:

1) Catch her and strip her and put her back in the main tank.

2) Catch her and put her in a holding tank - the tank the fry will stay in. Once she spits the fry, remove everything from the main tank, put her in, clean it and put everything back differently so there are new territories. Best option to avoid her getting picked on when re-introduced.

Choice is yours.

BTW, females can hold up to a month.

The aggression is normal - he needs 3 or more girls - this is why, you seem to half understand the ratio idea, well this is why the 1M:3F ratio, and the aggression could be far, far worse, consider yourself lucky this is all you are seeing.

Good Luck.


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## Dewdrop (Nov 20, 2007)

I agree with Goofboy. Peacocks aren't pairing fish. They are harem breeders. You should have at least 3-4 females for a male so all his attention/aggression isn't focused on just one female. He could end up killing her or bothering her so much that she gets sick and dies.


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## SICK-lids9087 (Oct 4, 2009)

Well- They have successfully had 69 babies. All have been in egg tumbler for 1 week. YAY only lost one baby. All is well though. Thanks for info guys.
:thumb:


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