Substrate spawner: lays eggs on rocks or leaves and guards them.
Raise 6 juveniles together and let a pair form, then remove the rest or provide a very large tank.
A 60 L tank with a sponge or gentle filter, flat stones, clay caves or flowerpots, and a sand bed.
Strong conditioning on frozen and live food plus a large water change with slightly warmer water.
20-40 eggs on a cave or flat rock
Both parents guard the brood; feed fry newly hatched brine shrimp and finely crushed flake.
One breeding tank for the checkerboard cichlid, drawn to scale from the breeding guide.
Water: 27–30 °C · pH 4.5–6.5 · sand bottom
A plan from the breeding guide and an adult size of 3.8 cm. Tank shape is a standard 2 : 1 : 1.2 box, at least 6 adult lengths long. Check each step in the guide above.
A 120 cm rack for breeding the checkerboard cichlid in numbers.
In total: 3 tanks, about 300 L of water. A litre of water weighs about 1 kg, so check that the floor and rack can take the weight.
Sizes are worked out from the breeding tank in the guide. Tanks fit a standard 120 cm rack when they can; bigger tanks go on their own stands.
Males are slightly larger and have a lyre-shaped tail; females are smaller and less colourful, with a rounded tail.
Typical for cave spawners
Give one cave per pair or female, plus a varied diet.
Eggs are laid inside the cave and guarded, usually by the male.
Eggs hatch in 3–7 days depending on the species and temperature.
Feed baby brine shrimp and crushed food. Plecos need wood and vegetables.
Fry grow on in their own tank.
A general guide for this breeding type. Days change with temperature and species.
Give one cave per pair or female, plus a varied diet.
Set up a virtual breeding tank and see what would likely happen.
An educational estimate from the breeding rules, not a promise.