# Encouraging breeding



## Firecracker (Aug 3, 2007)

I was told by someone at my LFS that if you don't feed for a few days, do a major water change, then feed brine shrimp it will encourage breeding. Is that true? Isn't it bad to not feed for a few days? Seems mean...


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## herny (Nov 30, 2007)

well waht are you trying to get to breed???


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## joker1857 (Apr 3, 2004)

IMO not feeding for a few days isnt mean. if you think about it, there isnt someone feeding the lake everyday. fish are opportunistic eaters. they eat when they can but that doesnt mean they eat everyday. just my 2 cents.


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## Multies (Mar 9, 2007)

joker is right. in the wild, the fish dont eat everyday. 
missing a few days doesnt really affect the fish. 
but your LFS worker is right. i do it to my shellies. not feeding and skipping a water change and then giving all sorts of treats and a big water change seems to make them happy enough to breed(sometimes)


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## Voodoo Chilli (Jun 29, 2004)

I wouldn't skip a water change but doing a much larger than normal change stimulates many species into spawning. Learned that trick from an old angel and Apisto breeder; worked on my multies as well.


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## herny (Nov 30, 2007)

well the water change thing i didnt do one for a long time then yesterday i did a big one and boom they went at it


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## lloyd (Aug 24, 2005)

joker1857 said:


> fish are opportunistic eaters.


 i believe fish do eat everyday, and the quality of their intake decreases dramatically, when the tank is not fed regularly.


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## Firecracker (Aug 3, 2007)

I am trying to get my neolamp. pulcher (daffodils) to breed. (Funny, I know - not usually a difficult task.) Are you ready for the whole story? Here goes....
I bought a beautiful breeding/mated pair. The male freaked out about being transported - as soon as I put him in to the tank he went behind the rocks and never returned - found dead the next morning. The female never skipped a beat & is doing very well. About 2 days after, I bought 2 new males (much younger than her & her previous male) and put them into the tank. Eventually the one male decided it was time for the other to leave. I rescued him from the tank & gave him to the LFS. The female accepted the male... as a friend but apparently not a mate, after SEVERAL months (I want to say 9?) they have still not mated. Yesterday I got a nice male about the same size as my female and put him in there hoping she will mate with him. However, she believes she is THE BOSS of the tank & is already busy flexing on him to keep him in his place. She's only nipped at him a couple times, but she swims at him & he backs down to her. Sometimes she will just hang out with him & not bother him, though. I have already moved things in the tank around 3 times, lol. Is this normal for the getting to know you period, or is she just not going to accept him? Oh, the younger male is still in there & the new male is not bothered by him. Also, I fed them just a little while ago & he ate good.


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## Firecracker (Aug 3, 2007)




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## Firecracker (Aug 3, 2007)

http://s114.photobucket.com/albums/n242 ... V07865.flv

I moved this pot, so he's not hiding behind it anymore. He's out swimming around & under rocks now. 
Yes, that is my FEMALE on the right (she looks like a male because her tailfins are so long, but I am 100% positive she's a female).
As I watch them now, they are being a little more soial with each other. The male is breathing a little heavy, though, like he's still a little freaked. (Did a 20% water change last night after the lights went out.)


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## herny (Nov 30, 2007)

i say dont do a water change for like a while at least a month but if the tank needs more water in it put more in then after the month or how ever long you want to wait do a like a 70% 80% water change that mite do it and do it a lil warmer then the tank water


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## Firecracker (Aug 3, 2007)

Should I add some more smaller ones (no other large ones available) - more new fish may keep her from focusing only on the one new guy? ...Or do you think they will be okay if I just leave them alone for a month & do a big water change? Maybe the "pecking order" is just being established??


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## herny (Nov 30, 2007)

yea i would leave him but if he starts to look like he is almost :thumb: dead then yea take him out


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## herny (Nov 30, 2007)

yea i would leave him but if he starts to look like he is almost :thumb: dead then yea take him out


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## herny (Nov 30, 2007)

yea i would leave him but if he starts to look like he is almost :thumb: dead then yea take him out


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## Firecracker (Aug 3, 2007)

Okay, I'll give it a whirl. He still looks good so far. opcorn: He came to me with nipped tail-fins from being in a tank with other males struggling for dominancy. She hasn't done any damage like that yet... nipped his side a few times, but no marks. She mostly just intimidates him with her strong presence swimming at him. I'm not a patient person, so this should be a l-o-n-g month.
:zz:

Thanks for the advise guys!


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## Firecracker (Aug 3, 2007)

I bought 4 small ones today (all I could find - not sure if m/fm) and put them in there too. She's assertive with everyone, but I figured it may give the large male some "down time" from her while she's busy bothering the new ones. She doesn't bother that male that was in there with her originally, they are acting like partners... but she never mated with him all this time. Oh, he is being assertive toward the new ones, but not really with that large male. If nothing else, maybe this will encourage them to breed if they truly do want to be a pair. I am just hoping there is not a massacre tonight... 
What are your thoughts? "Pecking order" being established... or in for a massacre? Wil what I did be helpful, or did I do wrong?


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## fairdeal (Nov 2, 2005)

I have found in my experience that once the brichardis have mated or at least paired up that if they are seperated for a period of time or if one dies the remaining one will not pair up or mate with another one again. I have 4 brichardis swimming around in my 210G that have all lost mates and they have no interest whatsoever in the others as far as mating goes. They do however make great babysitters for other pairs. 
I've found that buying 6 or 7 and letting them sort things out works the best and I have tried many different things over the years. You then remove all the others so there is no fighting or killing.
Your female may have lost her partner and just isn't interested in anything else. It happens.


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## Firecracker (Aug 3, 2007)

Oh, no! That's definately not what I wanted to hear... she is such a beautiful female, with fins as long as most males. I really wanted to mate her up again. No chance?? Has anyone out there had one re-mate with another male after losing one???
She is busy digging a cave under some rocks now for her and that little male... like always, lol.


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## Firecracker (Aug 3, 2007)

It seemed like she clamed that smaller male, though. It was like her & him teamed up when I had that larger male in there. Would she get along with another large female if I put one in there, or would she be violent with her like she was the large male? She seems to be doing okay with the little ones in there (don't know what they are).


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