# want to breed red head tapajos



## michael l (Aug 16, 2009)

hi all, have a few red head tapajos ranging in size from about 4 1/2" down to about 2 1/2" and would like to set them up for breeding. right now i enjoy watching them in a 75 gal tank with some plecos and angels. what do i need to do to start them breeding? i'm using silica sand as a substrate, there is a bunch of manzanita sticks and the water is fairly neutral at about 7.2 ph, now what?


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## blue acara (Aug 8, 2006)

How many tapajos have you got, you say a few so I presume 3. They enjoy being in a group so I would add a few more then you are more likely to get them spawning. 2 1/2 inches is pretty small so they may just need a little time to mature. I have 8 in a 125 gallon tank and they spawn regularly. Only other advice is to keep the water quality good by keeping up with your water changes, 50% weekly is my minimum.


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## michael l (Aug 16, 2009)

thanks blue, i guess i have more than a few, probably closer to 10, 4 are in that 4 1/2" range, the rest are smaller. do you think having the angels with them would affect their breeding or are they just too young?


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## blue acara (Aug 8, 2006)

10 is more than a few  . 4 1/2 inch is big enough for them to be spawning I cant see that the problem is there. In my 125 gallon with orangeheads I have 8 wild angelfish so I doubt your angelfish are worrying them. Give them plenty of food- mine love brineshrimp and mussels. If your plecs discover the eggs they will eat them ( depending on size of plec I guess), I have a green phantom plec in with mine and if it finds eggs it will eat them no matter what the parents do.


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## michael l (Aug 16, 2009)

do you think that i too many, they don't seem to be pairing off, just kind of cruising around looking for food, they are getting nls and the occasional frozen brine. any other suggestions?


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## CrypticLifeStyle (Dec 14, 2009)

michael l said:


> do you think that i too many, they don't seem to be pairing off, just kind of cruising around looking for food, they are getting nls and the occasional frozen brine. any other suggestions?


When it's time, it's time...Be patient. Took me at least 6 try's before my first pair spawned successfully. If the female doesn't want to she simply wont, or she will, then eat the egg's days later & cause a soap opera to go down between the pair. But try adding baking soda to the water next time you do a water change. i put about 1-2 teaspoons per 50 gallons in warmer then tank water. Works for me almost every time & a routine of frozen food, pref brine shrimp or bloodworms. A steady diet of that seems to work well as well from my experience.


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## DeadFishFloating (Oct 9, 2007)

Mmmmm I don't like the idea of the baking soda. I don't see the point of it.


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## CrypticLifeStyle (Dec 14, 2009)

DeadFishFloating said:


> Mmmmm I don't like the idea of the baking soda. I don't see the point of it.


It wont hurt the fish if dosed properly. People have been doing it forever as a PH booster. Raising PH levels helps get fish into a spawning mood


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## DeadFishFloating (Oct 9, 2007)

Depends which type of SA cichlids you are keeping. Most of the dwarf SA cichlids I keep won't breed unless the PH is lowered down to 6 or below. You have to remember many SA cichlids we keep come from the Amazon river basin, and they breed when the river is in flood throughout the forest. There is little to no mineral content in these flooded rivers, and they certainly don't recieve a PH boost.


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## CrypticLifeStyle (Dec 14, 2009)

DeadFishFloating said:


> Depends which type of SA cichlids you are keeping. Most of the dwarf SA cichlids I keep won't breed unless the PH is lowered down to 6 or below. You have to remember many SA cichlids we keep come from the Amazon river basin, and they breed when the river is in flood throughout the forest. There is little to no mineral content in these flooded rivers, and they certainly don't recieve a PH boost.


True, but he's only asking about the Orange Heads & yes them too do best in lower PH level's, Just passing along my personal experience with using baking soda & breeding of my Geo's  Anytime i've done a water change with baking soda in the water they Male always get hyped up in the mood within the first hour & maintains it for days after. The drama period i like to call it. )


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## michael l (Aug 16, 2009)

have you taken readings on the changes in your ph. right now i'm getting about 7.2 out of the tap. i know about dwarf cichlid requirements, is it applicable to geos also?


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## CrypticLifeStyle (Dec 14, 2009)

michael l said:


> have you taken readings on the changes in your ph. right now i'm getting about 7.2 out of the tap. i know about dwarf cichlid requirements, is it applicable to geos also?


Honestly i dont...I haven't checked direct out of the tap in a year or so, But if i remember correctly it was around a even 7.0 and highest i ever recall in the past was around 7.3 . We have really good water in the Boston area fortunately...I'll do one today if i can (slipped a disk & pinched my sciatic nerve this week at the same time lol, so hard to move around ) all while which a 2 year old 55 gallon tank i had for my convicts grow out tank the bottom blew out same morning lol


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## michael l (Aug 16, 2009)

thanks, guess i'm just not being patient enough


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