# Advice Needed - Pelvic. Pulcher & Pelvic. Taeniatus



## monisaab (Jan 12, 2011)

After nearly a year in trying, I was finally able to get these two...

I know the basics about keeping them but am looking for advice from experienced keepers...


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## jkcichlid (Mar 15, 2012)

Keep them seperate as they will crossbreed
Give them a cave (flower pot or coconut) with only one entrance so they will feel it is a safe place for eggs and fry

Good luck, they are both prolific spawners if the conditions are right


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## monisaab (Jan 12, 2011)

thanks...

what is the minimum tank size for each pair???


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## jkcichlid (Mar 15, 2012)

10 or 15 G should be fine if they are on there own. If you have them in with other fish, a long tank is better as they will try to take over as much of the tank as possible


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## monisaab (Jan 12, 2011)

I plan to keep them on their own...


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## monisaab (Jan 12, 2011)

any advice about the substrate and tank decor???


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## BillD (May 17, 2005)

While this may not apply specifically to Pelvicachromis, dwarf cichlids, in general, like a darker substrate and some surface cover such as floating plants. This is according to Dr. Paul Loiselle, and is reflective of the types of habitat many of the dwarf varieties come from.


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## monisaab (Jan 12, 2011)

thanks BillD...

I've got plants in the tanks plus driftwood and some leaves as well...


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## jkcichlid (Mar 15, 2012)

I had them breeding in neutral pH, semi-planted with dark substrate, driftwood and a few round rocks. The fry like to graze on the algae and what ever else grows on the rocks


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## monisaab (Jan 12, 2011)

thanks jkcichlid...


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## monisaab (Jan 12, 2011)

What about the WC regimen???

should I follow the sme 50% WC per week schedule that I use for my Mbuna tank???


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## jkcichlid (Mar 15, 2012)

2 fish this size in a 10 or 15G is not too high of a bioload so a 20 - 30% change per week should be adequate. My taeniatus seemed to like the water parameters to remain consistent so smaller changes with aged water seemed good. Keeping the parameters consistent for a period of time and then doing a large waterchange with slightly cooler water seemed to trigger mine to spawn


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## Sparrk (Oct 11, 2010)

mine love to breed in my cichlid stones, I have them in a semi-well planted tank, driftwood, lots of decor that can serve as cave (kribs love their caves) Black substrate mixed with a little bit of crushed coral because I use Co2 so it keeps my Ph stable! They breed all the time also lol... :roll: fry coming out my ears!!


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## monisaab (Jan 12, 2011)

thanks jkcichlid for the insights...

WOW Sparrk... wanna post some fry to me :wink: :wink: :wink:


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## Sparrk (Oct 11, 2010)

:lol: Pakistan is a bit far  and you will see, when they start, they dont stop, you will have fry comming out your ears soon enough :wink:


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## Ptyochromis (Mar 23, 2012)

jkcichlid said:


> 10 or 15 G should be fine if they are on there own. If you have them in with other fish, a long tank is better as they will try to take over as much of the tank as possible


In my experience you don;t want to go any smaller than a 20g long


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## Sparrk (Oct 11, 2010)

true! they need room, mine are in a 55gal 4foot, had 2 pairs and even in a 4" tank one female managed to kill a male, they can become really nasty when their eggs or fry disapear


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## monisaab (Jan 12, 2011)

but if it is only the pair then how can the eggs/fry disappear???


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## Sparrk (Oct 11, 2010)

one of the parents eat them, and the other one is pissed off and beat up the fry eater, it is exactly what happen to my poor male, I isolated the pair and their fry with a separator, pretty sure the male ate them and the female killed him after that


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## monisaab (Jan 12, 2011)

WOW and I though the Mbuna were feisty...


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## monisaab (Jan 12, 2011)

It has been a couple of weeks since they arrived after a 7 day shipment and they are getting more and more settles every day...


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## Sparrk (Oct 11, 2010)

good to hear!! Mine were so pale when I first bought them but now they are gorgeous!! have some pics!
parents protecting fry
























protecting their eggs in the cichlid stone


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## monisaab (Jan 12, 2011)

mine were pale too (after 7 days packed in a small package who wouldn't) but they are showing the colors now...

Will try and get a few pics during the weekend...


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## monisaab (Jan 12, 2011)

A couple of pics, pardon the dirty glass... Is this a pair???


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## Sparrk (Oct 11, 2010)

looks like a pair to me, they still look a bit young


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## monisaab (Jan 12, 2011)

thanks Sparrk...

keeping my fingers crossed...

Aprox. how long before they breed??? a couple of months???


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## Sparrk (Oct 11, 2010)

cant know for sure, but when they will be ready, their bellies will turn to a bright pink-purple color!! This is how I know mine are going to breed soon!


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## monisaab (Jan 12, 2011)

IC...

thanks Sparrk...


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## Ptyochromis (Mar 23, 2012)

It generally take 2-5 tries for the parents to realize that the eggs are not food. Sometimes the parents will eat the eggs if they feel they won't make it because of some environmental condition (fish are strange).

You will know when they have spawned because you prolly wont see the female and or male for a few days.

Also it will be easier to tell if they are a pair or not if you post a video


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## monisaab (Jan 12, 2011)

ok will try and get a video...

I asked coz I have 4 fish and these 2 hang together all the time...


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## samaki (Oct 25, 2002)

Hi then yu have good chances to see some spawn  .
xris


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## monisaab (Jan 12, 2011)

thanks Xris...

I am already looking forward to it...


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