# Breeding Acei



## danhoy (Feb 10, 2008)

I have 2 to 4 inch Acei's about 10 in my 55 gallon tank. They don't breeding, do they have to be larger or is there something special I need to do? My demasoni and yellow labs in this tank are both breeding prolifically but nothing yet from the Acei.


----------



## why_spyder (Mar 2, 2006)

It may be that you don't have a good male to female ratio - or they just don't feel comfortable enough to spawn.

How often do you feed your fish, and how often do you do waterchanges?


----------



## danhoy (Feb 10, 2008)

I do water changes 2 times weekly and all parameters are near perfect. I feed 2 times daily using 1mm NLS. I feed slightly heavier then probably should, but figure I'm ok since I do bi weekly 25 % water changes.


----------



## DNK (Jun 8, 2007)

Do you actually know 100% that they are a M and F? It would help it they were


----------



## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Mine did not spawn until they were larger in a tank with Demasoni, and even now after 2 years I have only gotten the occasional Acei fry. My Zebras, Socolofi, Demasoni and Labs all produce(d) fry regularly. Cynos are too new to tank, they've held but not successfully as yet.

Cichlidaholic and I have a theory that Acei may slow or stop producing when in an aggressive tank.


----------



## walleye (Aug 20, 2007)

You need to watch to see if they are trying to spawn. When I first got my acei I had a batch right away, then nothing for 5 months. Everytime they tried to spawn, the zebras would chase them away. They spawned within 2 days of the zebras leaving and they haven't quit. I always have 1 or 2 females holding at any given time.


----------



## why_spyder (Mar 2, 2006)

danhoy said:


> I do water changes 2 times weekly and all parameters are near perfect. I feed 2 times daily using 1mm NLS. I feed slightly heavier then probably should, but figure I'm ok since I do bi weekly 25 % water changes.


I would try what I found to help with getting spawns. I would fast the fish for a couple days, and continue (or possibly increase) your waterchanges. Some fish will get too preoccupied with the continuous feeding to not focus on spawning. The fasting for a couple days may bring them into spawning mode.

Here's what I did to get one of my stubborn spawners to finally do the deed.
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/phpBB/view ... highlight=


----------



## Gibbs (Apr 21, 2008)

Hey why_spyder.

Just an update on that topic you posted. I just stripped my 2 Elongatus for a total of 60 fry  .
1 of the girls was holding about 40. God knows were she was keeping them but they just kept on coming.
Anyway I'm glad i saw that post , sorry to hijack this 1 :lol:


----------



## why_spyder (Mar 2, 2006)

Gibbs, that's great news! 40 fry is pretty dang good!


----------



## danhoy (Feb 10, 2008)

I think I'll put about 6 of them in my 29L which is empty for awhile with just the Acei and see what happens. Maybe that will help. They seem to try and spawn but are always getting bothered by the dems.
Dan

PS If it works I'll let ya know, I'll also keep a small group to breed and move the rest once grown out in with the others


----------



## why_spyder (Mar 2, 2006)

Keep us posted. :thumb:


----------



## danhoy (Feb 10, 2008)

I've moved 6 of my Acei to a 29 gallon tank by themselves. Its been about 1 week and I already have one holding. Thanks


----------



## sheeshshe (Apr 11, 2006)

mine arent holding etiher. the labs and the socolofi spawn but not the acei's... you think the socolofis are too aggressive for them to spawn?


----------



## Dewdrop (Nov 20, 2007)

My acei haven't successfully breed yet either. Once I saw one of the females drop eggs from up high in the tank. Another one, that I think is male, gobbled them up before they hit the ground.  I think mine are just young and dumb yet but maybe more aggressive mbuna do keep them from breeding. That's what it's sounding like in this thread anyway.


----------



## spotmonster (Nov 23, 2006)

I've had the same experience with Acei. I had one holding almost every 2 weeks. recently I added quite a few fish to the mix temporarily until my 180 is complete. Since adding more fish in the same tank they stopped. I think it's because it's too crowded.


----------



## danhoy (Feb 10, 2008)

Not sure how it will pan out, but I moved 6 of my Acei to a 29 gallon tank with no other fish. About 1 week later I noticed 1 is holding. I'm waiting about 2 weeks then will move to a holding to to spit if still holding. Will move any others at the same time if I get more. Crossing my fingers as I already have about 50 demasoni fry and 25 yellow lab. Will keep undated on this as it goes. 
Dan


----------



## Dewdrop (Nov 20, 2007)

Yep Sheeshshe,
Socolofi are pretty aggressive and I bet that's keeping your acei from breeding. If you want them to breed, I'd get another tank for them to do it in then once you had one holding, put the others back in the main tank :wink: . Once she spits put her back too and you have a nice grow out tank. I'm good at finding reasons for more tanks :lol:


----------



## BigJagLover (Oct 25, 2006)

I would wait till the last week to move the female to a brooding tank. Mine have breed three times and as soon as i noticed i moved the female to her brooding tank and with in 3 days she spit and eat the eggs. So hold out tikll the last possible moment. I geuss you could use a divider and just section her off from the others. I haven't tried it but I might. Good luck.


----------



## danhoy (Feb 10, 2008)

I'm confused, today all the Acei are eating. Thought the momma had ate her eggs at first then, I spotted a yellow lab fry swimming by the rocks. Unsure how it got there, I transferred from another tank about 2 weeks ago. It had yellows and one of the holding yellows spit into the net when I moved her. Now I'm wondering if the yellow was small enough I accidently missed it and put into the Acei tank. WOuld the Acei female pick up and hold a yellow lab fry??

Only other question is what coloring should I expect from Acei fry?? I pretty sure the fry in a lab but still confused.


----------

