My experience Breeding Aulonacara Jacobfreibergi

Hi all, I just thought I would post details of my experience breeding these stunning Cichlids. About 3 months ago I purchased (from a certain breeder who posts here) A male Jacobfreibergi \"Eureka\" and 2 Female Jacobfreibergi one of which was also of the \"Eureka\" complex.

I had been preparing my tank for only 10 days, using water from a friends tank and by transferring Biological filter media to my new filter. The tank itself was a 195 litre Homemade tank. For filtration I used a Fluval 4 underwater filter and a mini fluval 1 for aeration. After adding the fish, the Jacobfreibergi and also the would be fry eating tankmates Sciaenochromis Fryeri I left the lights out for 2 days. Fish we're very shy at first but came around after about 1 week. I am in an unusual position as a fish keeper in Dublin because my water usually comes out of my tap at PH 6.5. Great for New world cichlids and tetra but not so good for the Malawi's. Substrate consisted of a medium grade black gravel, after doing some research I added a layer of coral sand over the top of this. All rockery consisted of Natural red \"howth\" rock I bought from the quarry, I'm not a geologist so don't ask me which type!

Anyway all was well water hardness was increasing but not enough. I did something I rarely do, tinker with water chemistry altering products. I went out and bought some African cichlid water conditioner and added it to the tank over the next 2 days, raised the temp to 28 degrees and increase the airflow.

By the second day I had two mouth brooding Jacobfreibergi almost as soon as the changes took effect. I let them brood for about 2 weeks then removed the younger \"eureka\" mother from the tank into a homemade birthing chamber. she spat in the net but I managed to get her and all the fry into the chamber. I left her alone with the lights out for about 4 hours and kept an eye on her but She did not regather the free swimming fry, who still had their yolk sacs.

Being a young mother I thought I better take her out before she looses her maternal instinct and starts to get hungry, so I stripped the remaining fry and was shocked by the amount! at least 45 tiny fry complete with yolk sac!

I must point out that I believe in allowing mothers to brood their fry for the full term, very little is known about genetic imprinting but I believe that at this stage the fry are in what psychology calls a critical period where behaviors are learned and imprinted.


The next day I did the same to the older mother who yielded less eggs, around 35. I was concerned that the fry still had their yolk sacs having no experience breeding mouthbrooders before. I read up on egg tumbling but decided I didn't need to tumble because the fry, although clumsy, we're moving about just enough to avoid becoming a target for fungus.

They stayed in their chambers for a week and the mothers we're returned to the main tank where I embarked on a heavier feeding routine to help regain their strength.

I purchased an Orca TL-450/MT50 56 litre tank and found this an excellent tank for raising fry, being one of the most heavily filtered and well lit tanks of it's class on the market (And air conditioned!). I used a fine black \"glass\" gravel that has no sharp edges. I chose black so the fry would not feel overly exposed. The only decor was half a clay flower pot so the fry could get a break from the current.

I now have about 60 fry who survived and are a good half an inch long, regular partial water changes to reduce nitrites as this stunts fish growth. I feed them a mixture of ocean nutrition Spirulina, ocean nutrition Cichlid omni flake, TetraPro Colour and Small live foods such as cyclops, daphnia and brine shrimp. They are fed 6 times a day in very small amounts. Every two days I feed just 3 times to ensure they don't get bloated. There is also a fine carpet of algae growing on the back of the tank which the fry love to graze upon.

Unfortunately I had a disaster a month later with the mothers, I was upgrading my tank to a 6 inch taller tank and both mothers where mouth brooding again. I lost all but 4 fry. (but I have a feeling there is some in the main tank hiding out in nooks and crannies, just hope the Alhi doesn't eat them all as is his habit!).

After witnessing some fighting between the females the older mother was removed from the tank and taken in by a friend of mine to a cichlid tank containing just yellow Labs. Unfortunately she died a few weeks later, having looked very thin before hand. I believe her time with the young male took everything she had left to give, and the harassment received from the younger female pushed her over the edge.

The rest of the fish are doing great, When I bought the fish from the breeder I could not believe the colours in the \"Eurika\" strain, and now it's evident that my own husbandry techniques have worked wonders as well, with even the dull female showing stunning orange trimming on all her fins. The male \"eureka\" really is my prize fish and I am excited to see how the fry turn out when the males colour up, which they will in about a month and a half.

I now keep in my 210 litre tank the two remaining \"Eurika\" Who are at it like rabbits! The \"Alhi\" Pair which have yet to breed, ( this I feel is because the tank is in the living room, where their is too much disruption) an adopted male yellow lab who's awaiting a high quality female, and 4 Beautiful Frontosa who I am raising to breed hopefully next year. Oh and the temperature is returned to 25 degrees, I still use the African Cichlid conditioner and attribute it's water hardening and mineral enriching effects to the stunning colours the fish have developed.

Some important lessons I learned about breeding Malawi mouth brooders:

* Give the females a break after each brood is released and feed well. removing the male is the easy way to do this
* Don't remove the mother too early
* Avoid stripping if possible, although with spitting fish that won't regather the fry it is difficult
* Hard, alkaline and mineral rich water works wonders!
* Plenty of caves, good current, raised temp and increased oxygen supply seems to stimulate breeding behavior in the Jacobfreibergi.
* Spirulina is an excellent dietary supplement
and most importantly,
* as with all fish keeping matters, Patience and good water quality is key.

Anyone interested in some High quality Aulonocara Jacobfreibergi \"Eureka\" give me a shout.

Oh and thanks for all your help Derek! Much appreciated.

Nice article and its good to see people writing about events they have experienced first hand. If its OK with you can I add this to the Wiki section of the forum and I will credit your work?

That was a pleasure to read jimkel.
Fair play to you for taking the time to write this up and sharing your experience with everyone.

excellent article thanks for sharing

tanks_alot wrote:

Nice article and its good to see people writing about events they have experienced first hand. If its OK with you can I add this to the Wiki section of the forum and I will credit your work?

Of course you can, And thanks for reading through it, I was afraid It was gonna bore you all to tears.

Thanks guys