# Venustus breeding question.



## Elliot Style! (Mar 12, 2009)

I have a 75 gallon with zebras, labs, auratus,bumblebees and 2 5-6 inch venustus. Until now I assumed they were both female but one is now holding eggs. Can a male breed before getting his colors? Could she have cross bred or could she be holding infertile eggs? Any help would be great! thanks.


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## xalow (May 10, 2007)

Two females can and do breed with another, you can easily tell if this is what happened though as a female will not usually carry unfertilized eggs for as long as she would fertilized ones. I think unfertilized eggs rot and the female is somehow aware of this?


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## dreday (Oct 12, 2007)

well they wont hatch after a couple of days. they wont wiggle. and yes she could have breed with another species. the fish can cross breed with any fish from lake malawi. not in the wild but in a tank, they sure do.


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## BRANT13 (Feb 18, 2009)

agreed with all the answers abouve....also i think u may want to considering returning the venustus....they grow quite large for a 75G and u only have two so it may be stressfull....u could bump up the number of ure mbuna and call it a day...what is ure complete stocking if u dont mind me asking?


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## Elliot Style! (Mar 12, 2009)

Brant13- I currently have 4 Labs{2 male, 2 female} 3 OB zebra{2males, 1 female} 2 Red Zebra{1male 1female} 2 auratus {1 male 1 female} 2 Venustus females, 2 male Bumblebee's, 1 that is a Metriaclima but I can't remember the species and can't find where I wrote it down! 2 Synodontis cats, a 4 line pictus and a pleco. I also have at least a 9 OB Zebra babies, 2 Lab babies and an unknown # of Red zebra babies plus a Lab and OB Zebra holding eggs. 
I know what you are saying about the Venustus. I worked in pet stores about 15 years ago but had been out of the hobby until my wife got me this 75 for my b-day. I forgot alot since then and am relearning. Most of my fish I bought because I liked how they looked. I did put a TON of slate and other structure in it so there are plenty of hiding places and aggression is minimal. I thought about getting rid of the auratus and venustus because of aggresion and size but right now everything is going fine. When the venustus get too big, I'll trade them in. Right now they are 4-5 inches.
I'll probably get flak about the possibilty of hybrids too but I'm not looking to sell babies and whoever wants to breed in my tank is ok by me. It's just an expensive stress reliever and I don't worry about the little stuff. :thumb:


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## Elliot Style! (Mar 12, 2009)

She spit them out. thanks for the info. :thumb:


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## BRANT13 (Feb 18, 2009)

she spit the eggs or fry?


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## Elliot Style! (Mar 12, 2009)

Apparently the eggs were unfertilzed. No babies that I have seen but I've got a TON of Lab and Zebra babies! I LOVE African Cichlids!!!!!!!!! :fish:


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