Breeding Tropheus

Q&A about Tropheus and Petrochromis

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buntbarsch
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Joined: Mon Sep 13, 2004 3:04 pm
Location: Ajax, Ontario
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Breeding Tropheus

Post by buntbarsch »

I just read Ata's cry for help about her Doboisi not breeding. Having a group of 5 males and 19 females is just a beautiful set-up and I would not disturb them. I keep Tropheus since the mid 1970's and made the same experience over and over. There is nothing wrong with the food or with the fish, they are simply too young. Sometimes you are lucky and will get a spawn when they are only 18 month old but most of the time they are just practicing. It even happens sometimes when you move a group into a new tank with different decorations that it will take a couple of month until they spawn again. Removing some of the males is in my opinion not the answer since you will have a hell of time to re-introduce them again. I believe that having more males in a group is an advantage because the agression is directed more against the other males and that will give the poor females a break. Anyway, I could not stop myself from giving my opinion on this matter but I also know how frustrating Tropheus can be sometimes. So Ata, if you should read this, please don't get discuraged and let mother nature take it's turn. Let them breed and let the females carry their term. Remove the females after about 3.5 weeks and set them in a little 10 gal tank. Leave them together for about a week. That will give the fry a chance to learn about mouth breeding and it gives the mothers a break to recover again.
Sorry Pam that I just jump in here since it is your forum, but as I sad, I just could not help myself.
Good luck Ata.
Klaus (Buntbarsch) Steinhaus
Pam Chin
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Post by Pam Chin »

Hi Klaus,

Thank you for your comments! Tropheus can be so much fun, yet so frustrating at the same time! There is no perfect way to keep them, it can be trial and error, but sharing what has worked for you and what hasn't is part of a Tropheus comradery between Tropheus keepers. And sometimes it just helps knowing that maybe you aren't going crazy. That it is time to take a deep breath, and just let them be Tropheus!

Thanks for sharing!
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Pam

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