# Red Empress WONT BREED!?



## FlamboyantlyDiscus (Jan 18, 2017)

So I have a 55 gal tank with 3-4 males, and about 9-10 females. They are all full grown, get along well, have a good amount of hiding spots, have a well spread out diet, temp is now at 80, (to increase breeding) and well nothing is happening .
I'm so lost as to why they aren't breeding? Any help would be great!


----------



## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

How long have they been in this tank like this? Can you post a picture of them? How big are they?


----------



## FlamboyantlyDiscus (Jan 18, 2017)

Been in the tank for about 3 weeks to a month now. Each fish is over 4inches. But I've had another breeding pair of dragon bloods and OB peacocks on the same system that have been in there tank for over 2 months. I'm using this on my IPhone haven't found out how to post a pic yet. If u can help with that also I can post a pic easy.


----------



## FlamboyantlyDiscus (Jan 18, 2017)

Not breeding pair but breeding group. One male dragon blood, one male OB with about 7 female


----------



## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

Check out the Posting Pics link in my signature for instructions.


----------



## tanker3 (May 18, 2015)

1) Give them some time. 3 weeks is not enough for them to settle in. 
2) Higher temp will not induce faster breeding, they are not new world cichlids.
3) It maybe that you have too many males, and they maybe spending all their time trying to dominate each other.


----------



## FlamboyantlyDiscus (Jan 18, 2017)

Ok I'll see if leaving two males, and some time does the trick. Thanks for the help


----------



## FlamboyantlyDiscus (Jan 18, 2017)




----------



## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

Well, I don't think these things are Red Empress for one thing, not that being something else should stop them from breeding of course... I'm not sure how large they are, but none of the fish in your pictures show a dominant male in colour, which usually is a requirement for them to start breeding.


----------



## noki (Jun 13, 2003)

The females need to be healthy and unstressed to grow eggs... they can't breed unless they have grown eggs ready to lay, no matter how much the males want to get busy. You just need to wait and do regular water changes. If healthy, you can't keep them from breeding. If they are not breeding, the females are not ready yet or healthy enough.

You could have save one male, the one with the best characteristics, or keep 3-4 males unless they fight too much.


----------



## Eugooglizer (Oct 30, 2012)

I agree with Fogel, the males look too young and/or not colored up enough to breed.


----------



## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

Absolutely not pure red empress. Looks like they've been mixed with Lethrinops sp, "Intermedius".


----------



## FlamboyantlyDiscus (Jan 18, 2017)

Ok, so they are a mix of the two then? Well that sucks, kinda. On another note, I took all the males out besides one, his colors came out a lot, and that bar went away, was chasing females for a little bit then stopped. And then went back to the color you see in the pic I posted. Kinda lost on what that means. Lol thanks again everyone for your help, means a lot. Within the time I've posted and gotten answers, my dragon blood has breed two times.


----------



## noki (Jun 13, 2003)

FlamboyantlyDiscus said:


> Ok, so they are a mix of the two then? Well that sucks, kinda. On another note, I took all the males out besides one, his colors came out a lot, and that bar went away, was chasing females for a little bit then stopped. And then went back to the color you see in the pic I posted. Kinda lost on what that means. Lol thanks again everyone for your help, means a lot. Within the time I've posted and gotten answers, my dragon blood has breed two times.


The more dominant a male is, especially when trying to breed... the dark markings will change or disappear while the colors will intensify. Then when the male settles down the base markings will return. It varies with the species.

As said, these fish appear to be hybrids, a mix of two or more species so if you get fry they will be variable and unknown.

The male probably is willing to breed, he just needs to find a female that is ready to drop eggs.


----------

