Open substrate spawner; after courtship (gill flaring, lunging) the pair spawns and both parents guard the brood. Fry hatch about a week later and the parents become extremely aggressive, attacking tankmates and the keeper's hands.
Grow out 6 juveniles and let a pair form; separate the pair if others are harassed.
A 450 L tank with a sponge or gentle filter, flat slate or rocks as spawning surfaces and a tight lid.
Warm, clean water, frequent water changes and protein-rich food.
Up to 2000 eggs from fully grown parents
Parents move the wrigglers to pits and guard the free-swimming fry; feed newly hatched brine shrimp and crushed flake.
One breeding tank for the motaguense cichlid, drawn to scale from the breeding guide.
Water: 22–28 °C · pH 6–8
A plan from the breeding guide and an adult size of 30.5 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 row of tanks on their own stands for breeding the motaguense cichlid in numbers.
In total: 3 tanks, about 2,250 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 paler and slightly greener in colour than females.
Typical for open substrate spawners
Grow up a group and let a pair choose each other. Give them a flat stone or broad leaf.
The pair cleans the stone and lays rows of eggs. Both guard them.
Wrigglers hatch in 2–4 days and are moved to pits by the parents.
Feed baby brine shrimp several times a day. Parents often herd the fry.
Move fry to a grow-out tank before the parents spawn again.
A general guide for this breeding type. Days change with temperature and species.
Grow up a group and let a pair choose each other. Give them a flat stone or broad leaf.
Set up a virtual breeding tank and see what would likely happen.
An educational estimate from the breeding rules, not a promise.