Convincing Jewel cichlids to spawn again

[Arrhae]

I've got three jewel cichlids, two of which I've had nearly a year and are
in the rather big and ugly phase of life, one who's a bit smaller and newer
that I got back in the winter. The first two have spawned three times, but
the only one with surviving fry was last october, they did it twice more a
couple times apart but the eggs/fry must have been eaten, and they haven't
spawned since. Are they past breeding age? Are they too used to each
other? Is there anything I can do to revive the romance between the two of
them, or one of them and the third? They don't do much anymore other than
lurk in corners... :-( Better food? Temperature change? Vacation?

[Jim Brown]

Arrhae > wrote in message
...
> I've got three jewel cichlids, two of which I've had nearly a year and are
> in the rather big and ugly phase of life, one who's a bit smaller and
newer
> that I got back in the winter. The first two have spawned three times,
but
> the only one with surviving fry was last october, they did it twice more a
> couple times apart but the eggs/fry must have been eaten, and they haven't
> spawned since. Are they past breeding age? Are they too used to each
> other? Is there anything I can do to revive the romance between the two
of
> them, or one of them and the third? They don't do much anymore other than
> lurk in corners... :-( Better food? Temperature change? Vacation?
>

Your jewels are not too old to spawn. Perhaps a separation of the proven
breeders, with the best foods will restore the urge. Check reference
material to ensure your water and tank parameters are adequate.

Jim

[Cam]

Just to add to Jim,

I find with my Jewels the spawning happens at erratic intervals. But usually
when I do a large water change with aged water it sparks them off. I don't
have a special diet for them, they do just fine on normal flakes & pellets.
Just keep your water quality good. Oh and also they seem to like a strong
current in the tank. HTH

Regards
Cameron

[Arrhae]

On 8/5/03 3:54 AM, in article , "Cam"
> wrote:

> I find with my Jewels the spawning happens at erratic intervals. But usually
> when I do a large water change with aged water it sparks them off. I don't
> have a special diet for them, they do just fine on normal flakes & pellets.
> Just keep your water quality good. Oh and also they seem to like a strong
> current in the tank. HTH

I did a large water change yesterday and fed them some frozen brine shrimp
last night...today one of the fish was looking a little more reddish than
normal and was lip fighting with another...either my flowerpot to cichlid
ratio is insufficient, or just *maybe* there was some chemistry there, at
least a little?

[Arrhae]

On 8/5/03 11:23 PM, in article , "Arrhae"
> wrote:

>> I find with my Jewels the spawning happens at erratic intervals. But usually
>> when I do a large water change with aged water it sparks them off. I don't
>> have a special diet for them, they do just fine on normal flakes & pellets.
>> Just keep your water quality good. Oh and also they seem to like a strong
>> current in the tank. HTH
>
> I did a large water change yesterday and fed them some frozen brine shrimp
> last night...today one of the fish was looking a little more reddish than
> normal and was lip fighting with another...either my flowerpot to cichlid
> ratio is insufficient, or just *maybe* there was some chemistry there, at
> least a little?


I don't think anything good came of it, now one's dead, one's claimed the
flowerpot, and the other's in the opposite corner.