# how old do they have to get to breed?



## morzan280

just wondering how old [ or big] my cichlids have to be to start makin me some fry :thumb:


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## SnakeEyes03

My peacocks didn't start to spawn until a little after a year old.


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## renegade545

It depends on the species of the fish, what species are you dealing with?


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## morzan280

im hoping to start breeding my kenyi just cause i want to start with common and easy fish...i have 1 male with 2 females in a malawi tank


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## morzan280

I no my fish arent big enought for spawning but i wana know what kind of things i need in my tank to get them to spawn... rocks, plants, etc... oh and when at my LFS how do i sex them.. i want a couple more orange zebra's and a couple yellow labs.. the fish i want to spawn are kenyi and if i find more zebras and labs i wana spawn them too


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## DNK

http://www.cichlidforum.com/articles/breeding_list.php


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## Timkat4867

If you have a big enough tank, add plenty of rocks to form caves, do regular water changes to keep the water quality high and thus your fish will be healthy, feed a good quality food, and whatever species your keeping make sure they are compatible, and will not cross breed, keep them in groups of 1 male to at least 3 females. If you give your fish good care, they will breed. 
and one more thing.

Be patient.

Of course look up the article that was suggested, and others can give you advice here as well.


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## cichlidaholic

What size tank is this?

Yellow labs and red zebras will hybridize (crossbreed), kenyi will need a 75G tank.


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## morzan280

the tank i have is a 50 gallon... i no i should have a bigger tank but when i did get my kenyi's i dident no much about cichlid keeping and at my LFS they dont let you return fish after 30 days. [there still big babys... bout 2 and a half inches] . my tank gets plenty of maintanance and is over filtered.. plus theres tones of caves and rocks to hide in. :thumb:


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## cichlidaholic

What are the dimensions of the tank? Is it 36 inches long?

The problem is that your fish aren't sexually mature yet, but they will be soon. If the tank is a 3 footer, I'd go ahead and try to find homes for them (you can post an ad in the trading post, although kenyi may be hard to rehome since they are a dime a dozen and all over the place) and find fish more suitable long term for your tank size.

Some of the dwarf mbuna will work, as will the Yellow labs, but red zebras will be a problem in that tank size, as well.


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## morzan280

my tank is 47 1/2l long, 17 high and 13 wide


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## The Gil'$

cichlidaholic said:


> What size tank is this?
> 
> Yellow labs and red zebras will hybridize (crossbreed), kenyi will need a 75G tank.


I had to frontosas in a 30 wide and a couple other fish that were getting bullied and I had to fish holding at the same time. Once I put crushed coral in my tank it seemed to simulate my fish. I've had peacocks breeding like crazy not sure if it's just a coincidence that they started spawning. I have a 2-2 1/2 inch peacock holding right now. Crazy


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## The Gil'$

morzan280 said:


> just wondering how old [ or big] my cichlids have to be to start makin me some fry :thumb:


 Try planting pots brake the bottom out and crushed coral. See if that works. It's been a game changer in my tanks. I got tired of stripping my fishes. I got box nets for the mom's but when the fry are in there they settle to the bottom and the other fish peck at the net and kill some of them


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## Colzilla090

Great advice already, *** found majority of mbuna start trying to mate from 2" onwards just the female isnt 'conditioned' enough for the soon to be on hunger strike position the mother has to do..
So fatten them up, nice and healthy.
Blood worm not to often once a week..
Good (stable) water parameters is a must. 
Sounds like a lie but i currently have most of my females holding..im a little suprised to be honest its like 9-10 in mega prego mode! 
In a month....oh my...mbuna sandwich anyone?


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## Colzilla090

The Gil'$ said:


> Try planting pots brake the bottom out and crushed coral. See if that works. It's been a game changer in my tanks. I got tired of stripping my fishes. I got box nets for the mom's but when the fry are in there they settle to the bottom and the other fish peck at the net and kill some of them


Plastic take away trays work awesome! Once one has fry away from mum!
*** got one of them net boxes, great but exactly as u described..peck peck..not for fry!


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## DJRansome

This thread is from 2008...Gil'$ resurrected it.


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## Colzilla090

Haha whoops


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