# My breeding set-up! *tips/input?*



## Splak (May 1, 2013)

Well, I have bred a number of fish before, betta's, BN Plecos and angelfish, so, I have decided to try my luck with cichlids.

My set-up consist of:

1x 20 gal hang-on filter
1x 20 gallon LONG tank (3 feet long)
Blue gravel substrate (I think it makes my fishes color pop)
a few pieces of slate rock shaped to be slanted. 
1 anubias plant (plan to ad 4-5 more, input?)
1 clamp on lamp, 70watt halogen bulb. (i get 12hours of light, 12 off, set on a timer)
a 20gal heater keeping my tank at about 78-79f


Fish:

3 yellow labs: (about 2-3" in size)
1 female, 1 male and 1 to small to vent to be sure.

2 red finned albino zebra cichlids. (3-4" in size)
1 female and I can't tell with the second, but I think it is a male.

2 assasin snails.

All fed on topfin cichlid pellets daily 
frozen thawed blood worms 2-3 times a week.


I would like to say, I understand I should have 1 male and 3-4 females per kind of fish. But I went to every damned fishstore in a 25mile radius and these where the biggest I could find. I will be working on finding some more females.





I am wondering if you guys/gals think I will have luck with my set-up or if there are things to change, add, takeout.

I heard that labs and zebras can cross bread, so thats why I added 2 zebra's.
At the petstore I also wittness one of the zebras wiggling/shaking near another zebra, so I thought they may be trying to spawn.

Thanks for the input everyone! Here are the pics, mention if you need anymore info from me!


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## Philip.Chan.92 (Apr 25, 2010)

Hey, glad you've taken an interest in africans, they are some of my favourite freshwater fish. As for your setup, the zebras and labs will definitely cross breed leaving you with pretty much worthless fry, the offpsring are from what I've seen duller in colour and a ton more aggressive. I would definitely not mix zebras and labs if your intent is breeding, especially if you plan to sell them (I've yet to meet someone who purposely bought lab/zebra hybrid fry). To save yourself the headache of trying to discern which fry are pure or hybrid, I would keep one or the other, not both.

Also a 20 gallon is way too small for either species, I strongly agree with the minimum 55 gallon rule for most african mbunas. The only Malawi cichlids you can really keep in a 20 is limited to Pseudotropheus Saulosi. 

Bottom line: don't keep zebras and labs together if you plan to breed and you need a bigger tank with your current stock. Hope this helps and lemme know if you got any other questions 

Cheers,

Philip


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## Splak (May 1, 2013)

Thanks a ton!, I have a 50gal long tank I will switch them too once it cycles.

I will get rid of my zebras since I don't want next to worthless fry. =p

Thanks for the input!


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## Rob- (Jun 8, 2013)

With africans figure out if your going to breed them naturally or strip them. If your going to strip them let them breed atleast a few times before starting to strip. If your going to do it naturally I would personally use a sponge filter. 

If your ever in the yonge/steeles areas come to the big als there always plenty of africans usually large ones in.


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## Philip.Chan.92 (Apr 25, 2010)

You should check out KGTropicals on youtube, he is a pretty successful african cichlid breeder and I learned a lot from him sharing his experiences. He has 8 short episodes covering the basics.


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## AngelHughes (Jun 6, 2013)

Splak said:


> Well, I have bred a number of fish before, betta's, BN Plecos and angelfish, so, I have decided to try my luck with cichlids.
> 
> My set-up consist of:
> 
> ...


Really very nice set up.. Loved those pics... i think I will try to make the same setup but surely it will take lots of effort.. Thanks again


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