How do i breed my african cichlids productivly?

Question

i have 9 african cichlids in my tank of witch i am no sure the s*x

i think i have 2 males and the rest females due to 2 of them being the most agrisive

4 of the fish = lake malwii 2 male possibly 3

1 = cross breed convict +not sure

2 of the fish =red zebras

1 of the fish= Livingstoni

the last 1 is light blue with slightly darker blue stripes going virticaly from top to bottom. there are 6 of these stripes

could any one posibly help me to breed these fish by giving me some tips

Answer 1

I had 7 that turned into 28 quickly.  There has to be places for them to lay eggs and hide.  Also, they'll get  REAL territorial when they have the eggs.

Answer 2

To successfully breed your cichlids:

Keep the water VERY clean

Try covering the tank for a while with something OR keeping it in a quiet room.

Remove fish that can cross breed

Choose the fish that are easy breeders ( the zebras are good for this)

Use the best quality food and feed sparingly (over feeding reduces drive to reproduce)

Consider a breeding tank- Let the happy couple have some alone time!

A breeding tank is also good for the female-fewer young will be eaten when she delivers

I hope this is helpful

D

Answer 3

african cichlids are the most aggressive ones out of the cichlid family.  

to breed them, you wont have to do anything special - they kinda do their own thing.  be aware that if and when one becomes pregnant, you will have to remove it and put it in a "nursery" tank until she gives birth.  many reasons to do this but the most important is to keep the other fish from eating the eggs/young.  you will want to keep her in there for about two weeks after birth then you can put her back in the normal tank, keeping the young in the "nursery" tank.

there is also no sure fire way to tell the s*x of cichlids, though some say that if they have a black spot on the underside fin, near the back then it is a female.  some also say that if they have a slight belly then they are female; all speculation though.

i have many cichlids and love them all - great temperament.

if you have any additional questions or want more clarification - just email me.