Really odd spawning behavior from A. Nubilus

Q&A about Lake Victoria Cichlids

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dvs7310
Posts: 3
Joined: Sun Feb 27, 2005 12:39 am

Really odd spawning behavior from A. Nubilus

Post by dvs7310 »

Is is normal for Astatotilapia Nubilus to do paternal mouthbrooding? I have spawned this pair before and the female did the mouthbrooding. I had them the pair together for a few weeks trying to spawn them with no luck. I would look at the female daily to see if she was holding eggs. I didn't know they had recently spawned and the other day I pulled the female out to try to condition her again for a later spawn. The day after I found a few fry swimming about. I pulled those, put them in a fry tank and then there were more the next day. This time I pulled those, moved them into the fry tank, but also noticed the male having a bulge in his throat like a brooding female. I put him in a net and he spit some fry into my net. I then opened his mouth like I do to strip females and he spit about 40 more. I have never heard of this behavior in this species and can't find anyone else talking about it on the internet, but this male seems to have carried this brood the full term rather than the female.

Have you experienced this?

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Pam Chin
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Post by Pam Chin »

Hi dvs,

I have not heard of any observations of Victorian cichlid males holding. You might want to contact the Hill Country Cichlid Club, there are several members there that are really in to Victorian Cichlids, and may have some explanation for what you have experienced. Here is their website:

http://www.xdeleon.com/hccc/index.php
Cichlid Power!
Pam

Cichlid Room Companion
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http://www.cichlidae.com
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