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Breeding / Mouthbrooders
Makobe red-fin
Mouthbrooders · Easy

Breeding the makobe red-fin

Maternal mouthbrooder; the female carries the eggs for around 3 weeks.

Full species page

Step by step

Pairing

One male with 3-5 females in a sandy tank; males defend a cave or a cleared sand patch.

Breeding tank

200-300 L tank with sand, caves and flat stones, hard alkaline water (pH 7.8-8.5), strong filtration and a moderate group of females.

What starts it

Good condition on varied protein foods, warm stable water and a dominant male displaying at a sand scrape or cave.

Eggs and young

The female holds the eggs for around 3 weeks. No egg count found in the sources checked.

Raising the fry

The female releases fry after 3-4 weeks. Feed crushed flake and newly hatched brine shrimp; fry grow steadily in clean, warm water.

Common mistakes
  • Keeping several males in a small tank
  • Mixing with similar peacocks and creating hybrids
  • Overfeeding rich food and fouling the water
Setup blueprint

Home setup

One breeding tank for the makobe red-fin, drawn to scale from the breeding guide.

85 cm long · 45 cm deep50 cm12345
  1. 1
    Breeding tank: 200 L · about 85 × 45 × 50 cm, 200–300 L from the breeding guide
  2. 2
    Sponge filter and air pump · gentle and safe for eggs and fry
  3. 3
    Heater, 23–27 °C · this species' normal range
  4. 4
    Slate or flat stone · named in the guide
  5. 5
    Cave · named in the guide

Water: 23–27 °C · pH 7.8–8.5 · hard water · sand bottom

A plan from the breeding guide and an adult size of 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.

Setup blueprint

Business setup

A 120 cm rack for breeding the makobe red-fin in numbers.

12234120 cm rack, 3 shelves
  1. 1
    1 breeding tank, 200 L · about 85 × 45 × 50 cm, set up like the home tank
  2. 2
    2 grow-out tanks, 400 L each · about 110 × 55 × 65 cm; twice the breeding tank, never smaller than this species' smallest tank
  3. 3
    Shared air pump and air line · one line along each shelf feeds a sponge filter in every tank
  4. 4
    Heat the room or each tank · 23–27 °C

In total: 3 tanks, about 1,000 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.

Male or female

Males grow larger and are much more colourful than females.

Can I breed it in my tank?

  • Good for a first breeding project.

Day-by-day plan

Typical for mouthbrooders

  1. 21 days beforeGroup and condition

    Usually one male with several females. Feed high-quality food.

  2. Day 0Spawning

    The female takes the eggs into her mouth and stops eating.

  3. Day 21Release

    After about 3 weeks the female releases fully formed fry. Many breeders move her to a quiet tank first.

  4. Day 21First food

    Fry eat crushed flake and baby brine shrimp straight away.

  5. Day 90Grow-out

    Fry are a few centimetres long after about 3 months.

A general guide for this breeding type. Days change with temperature and species.

Simulator: guided

Stage 1 of 5Group and condition

Usually one male with several females. Feed high-quality food.

Simulator: try it yourself

Set up a virtual breeding tank and see what would likely happen.

No spawning
  • Without live or frozen food the parents aren't in breeding condition.

An educational estimate from the breeding rules, not a promise.