My troubles with breeding my Ikola!

[Chris Derrick]

Guys I had it so easy with my Chilanga seems I put them in the tank and in a months time they were spitting fry about 10 per spit! This was my first Troph's tank and I thought it was easy to get em to breed! I then got the bug year later to move the Chilanga to new 75gallon from there 125 so I could put my new 15 Ikola in the 125! Well the Chilanga stopped breeding at this time and for the next 6 months no fry. My Ikola would T-position up allot but I never saw eggs and only had one female spit 1fry in those 6 months! I got frustrated with the two tanks and no breeding and put both groups together for 4.5 months and no breeding still! Now I have sold the Chilanga, and purchased 26 more wild caught Ikola to go with my Previous group to bring total up to 40 Ikola in 125 I may have a few holding but not sure and never see fry. I look back at my Chilanga and how easy they were I had 3 emperror 400 and an FX5 for filtration. Now I have added a WD 300 from Eshopps back a year ago also. Does other tropheus keepers have these problems also? I have not changed a thing, still do two large water changes a week, still feed NLS, Kens Flakes, same lighting same rocks. My Ikola do there T-position mating at both ends all day long aggression has gotten lots better all fish are eating where am I going wrong or did I just get lucky with the Chilanga the first try? Happy ThanksGiving everyone! Chris

p.s. I have tried two large rock piles, three rock piles, river rock, holey rock etc........ I guess I have had the new 26 for just less then a month now also. Thanks All. CD

[geoff_tropheus]

When you first get some colonies together and get their numbers up, it takes time. My Ujiji colony took about 5 months, and then the river flow'd...

[myjohnson]

Just do your water changes and give them time.

But I also think some colony just breed well and some don't. Picky females man. You know how it can be.

There is also a difference between recently WC fish and WC fish that's been in a tank for a while. It's going to take time for the recently WC fish to get back in breeding condition. Some colonies take 3 months to settle in and really breed while others can take longer.

My namansi group came in really bad shape. Had the sunken in belly and head look. Had them on a power feeding program for 5 months before I saw my first fry. And I know other females are still not in breeding condition yet.

[TaTeR ToT]

+1, my old colony of 19 maswas which were almost 4", took nearly 5 months just to start t-positioning.

i soon lost the colony do to some unforseen electrical problem in my house.

the power had to be shut off for 5 days and i wasnt prepared for it:(

i lost all but 2 fish.

anywho, take the advice given, it can and probably will take time.
who knows, they may start breeding today, or it may be 4 months.
just keep up on everything and give them time.

[imagirlgeek]

I bought a colony in Dec. '07 that JUST started breeding a couple of months ago. But I have other colonies that all it took was adding water and rock piles. I just try to enjoy them for being awesome Trophs, and not stress about whether they are getting it on, or not. It'll happen eventually.

[myjohnson]

Wow, that's 2 years of settle down Traci!

Is this one of the colonies you got from Mike?

I have to agree that a person should "try to enjoy them for being awesome Trophs, and not stress about whether they are getting it on, or not."

[imagirlgeek]

Yeah, my Nkonde. i finally just decided to not worry about them breeding...and then they did. hehe

[tbui1178]

+1 to Traci's comment. My RR took almost a year before they started breeding. Just enjoy them.

[Glass Onion]

My moops took a couple of months, and my Ilangi took four months. I had given up on the Ilangi, as a matter of fact and purchased 21 juvies to grow out and enjoy and hopefully see some action. Like Traci, once I resigned myself to acceptance, they started going to town. Now I have 5 holding females...and these are big honkin' girls.

Just be patient. And quit screwing around with the aquascaping! It unsettles them every time you get your paws in there to rearrange it.

Another thing I've learned is don't mess with a good thang. If your colony is breeding and thriving don't move it or add "outsiders" to it. If you want to flesh it out, keep the fry and grow them up. No fuss, no muss.

All the best.

Jenney.

[Chris Derrick]

Very good points from all of you! I think I have two holding now but last two times I had female spit it was 1 fry each spit. I had one dissapear and one is doing fine about 7months old now. Thanks CD

[ddaquaria]

I can't remember how long I've had my red rainbows before they started breeding. They were several years old before I go them, and the first brood was usually about 2 to 4 fry every 6 to 9 months. Then I moved them to another tank, and they just went crazy. There are more fry in there now then in the last 3 years.

[Chris Derrick]

what size tank were your red rainbows in, how many were there minus fry to start with? What size did you go to that they started breeding big time in? Thanks CD

[ddaquaria]

These guys are 4 to 5" now. They did not breed well for the breeder that originally had them. I think he may have given me about 15 fish then I tried to add to the group, but was not entirely successful. A dominant male made sure of that. At my last count, there were about 20 to 25 fish before they really took off. I bet there are at least 25 to 30 fry in the tank now.

Tank size - everyone knows that one - it's in my signature