Breeding

[Paul76]

Just wanted to know if you have different spiecies in one tank will two different species breed or will they stick to their own kind

[Josh]

There are species you can keep to minimize the risk, i say minimize because anything is possible.

[TimB]

From my experience, as long as the two species look different and there are plenty of girls from each species, you should be fine.

[intangcity]

im sure any given chance something will x if the right species eg mbuna to mbuna hap to hap.tropheus will cross as do bristlenose as we all know.americans cross.best thing to do is mayb for an eg is red jewels in a tank with peacocks.peacocks is another thatll cross

[Buccal]

Josh would be right in using the term minimize,,,, do what you can to minimize risk and still be happy what your keeping.

In my old breeding room when I use to keep some species together these following species crossed:

Otopharynx auromarginatus crossed with Protomelus taeniolatus.

Nimbochromis venustus crossed with white night electric blue.

Other people I know of have had crosses with completely different species together breeding.:

Like electric yellow x electric blue,,,,, he kept the offspring for himself and my god,,,,,, they were stunning.

Have multiple arenas and territories for fish species to have space and depict as their own if more than one variety of specie decides to breed at same time.

Large tanks lessen possibility also.

But be responsible and should you get fry, grow them big enough to ensure a correct/easy identification check before selling.

Breeding to supply is always best in single species tanks and this protects species purity.

As identification quite often is not thorough enough by breeders, shops and suppliers.

[intangcity]

wow gd mix ups there i have seen some yellows crossed with e blues that are stunning as well

[Buccal]

Sunburnt orange and green.

[intangcity]

havnt seen them like that

[Azedenkae]

Depending on the species of cichlids in question, the ease of breeding may be more or less. In general individuals of one species will try to breed with one of the same species, but don't forget that it is living beings we're talking about here - they are programmed to do a number of things, amongst that is to pass on their DNA onto the next generation. So if they have no choice, or perceives that there is no choice (for whatever reason) besides mating with an individual from a different species, they'll do it.

I know Africans can easily hybridize when they're closely related, but I don't really know which one with which ones. Americans are even more prone to hybridization - many of them will readily hybridize, no matter the shape or color or pattern or size. That's how we get Flowerhorns and such.

[FullyYellow]

Just have to make sure there is lots of room for territories of the species you are interested in breeding if not already breeding. Then make sure the species are all different. Peacocks x with electric blues are probably a cross to be noted. Also many within the mbuna species. You can mix one species of mbuna and another hap species which will have extremely small chances of hybridizing.

[rosco]

I have had a 6x2x18 that had yellows, afra cobue, maingano and auloncara baenschi benga colonies with no cross breeding. But what I did find was as the fish got bigger the most dominant fish (namely the afras and the maingano) ended up breeding the most to the point that the yellows might get one mouthful to the maingano's four. I even witnessed the maingano stealing the Benga's eggs before the girl could pick them up. so ever since then I only kept two species together at most when I was breeding them.

Hth

Rosco