#RED ZEBRA CICHLID BREEDING HOW TO#
#RED ZEBRA CICHLID BREEDING FULL#

You should be quick to note an aggressive cichlid and take it out. An aggressive fish will make it hard for the cichlids to spawn.

#RED ZEBRA CICHLID BREEDING FULL#

Provide more food to them to prepare them health-wise and full sexual maturity.

You should begin by preparing them for the breeding season. Most of them mature sexually at 3 inches. You will have to first identify the sexually mature cichlids. Breedingīreeding the red zebra cichlids is considered an easy task. However, most feeding takes two minutes only.

Most people would prefer to feed the cichlids twice a day. The feeding schedule is not that defined.

Small pellets for the juveniles and larger pellets for the adults.

An example includes a Mysis shrimp but in small amounts as too many proteins cause complications. The meaty matter should be given occasionally as a treat. If the green matter is not enough, the red zebra cichlids will develop Malawi Bloat and other complications. You can also feed them blanched vegetables, commercial algae wafers, or spirulina flakes.

The green matter should make most of the diet. Red zebra cichlids are primarily herbivores but can take up a variety of foods. Remember to provide filters and oxygenation machines. You will just need a standard LED light to provide enough light. The lighting requirements for the tank are moderate to normal lighting. The rocks should be at the bottom, not on the substrate, as they like digging up. Such will help reduce aggression in the tank as each cichlid will have a place of its own. There should be lots of passageways and caves with a pile of rocks. You should therefore make regular water changes to keep the cichlids healthy.ĭo not provide too many rocks as some open space is appreciated. An alternative is gravel however, crushed coal and sand tend to dissolve faster. Sand or Crushed Coal are used in the tanks to keep the pH levels high. You should be careful and provide high-quality and smooth substrates to avoid injury. They use their mouth as a tool most of the time. The cichlids will often arrange the pebbles at their preferred ‘home’ to mark territory. Caves are good hiding spots and also decorations for your tank. Red zebra cichlids also like rocky substrates and pebbles. Therefore, it is advised not to undo what they have arranged as they will just come back and do the same. They are known to arrange most things in the way they desire. Water plants will help mimic their natural environment as well as clean the toxic wastes by absorbing them. The general degree of hardness of the water should be between 6⁰ to 10⁰. The pH levels of between 7.8 to 8.8 are the best for the red zebra cichlid. Water temperatures should range between 73⁰F to 82⁰F. A recommended filter to use is the Bio-Wheel Filter. Using an airstone or a heavy circulation system will help keep the oxygen levels high in the water. There should be efficient water filtration and oxygenation. The water current should be moderate, just like in the lake. However, they can do fine in freshwater provided there are few or no toxins. The water should be alkaline, mimicking their former natural environment, which is Lake Malawi. Each red zebra cichlid will need at least 5 gallons of water. You should put one male and many females for balance. Just like the other cichlids, they will do well in a community. The minimum tank size required is a 55 gallons’ tank with a length of 48 inches. Below, I will take you through the important facts on aquarium care.

#RED ZEBRA CICHLID BREEDING HOW TO#

You need information on how to take care of red zebra cichlids as they deteriorate in poor care conditions. The nostrils on each side are used to ‘smell’ water. The red zebra cichlids have one set of nostrils as compared to other fish that have two. The fins’ front parts are perfect and soft for effortless movement in the water. They are located on the back parts to discourage predators. You will see spiny rays on the dorsal, pelvic, pectoral, and anal fins. You will find 0-3 egg spots on the anal fin in both strains.Īll cichlids have a well-defined pharyngeal set of teeth along the throat with the regular teeth.

A female red zebra cichlid can be orange with dark mottling or yellow-orange.

Yes, there is an albino of the red zebra cichlid. This happens on the fins and throughout the body. They will look like the females until they reach 2.5 inches, where they develop a light blue shade. Males of this strain will have orange/red coloring when young with no vertical bars. Females are pale pink while males are dark brown. It is easy to tell the juveniles of this strain apart. You will also find 4-7 egg spots spread on the anal fin. Their body is light blue with faint bars running vertically.

Red zebra cichlid breeding