African cichlid question

[Maleika]

My African cichlid is about 2 inches long. I’m not sure what these two dots are on it’s bottom fin. He seems fine, doesn’t look sick, just swims a lot and eats a lot . Is this a medical problem I should be worried about? He is in a 10gallon tank alone and doing just fine. Please if anyone could help it would be great.

 

[Back in the fold]

I can't get the picture to stay enlarged so I can get a good look. It looks like natural coloration. Has it just now appeared? The fish looks healthy. I wish I knew what kind of African that is. I like it.

 

[Maleika]

I can't get the picture to stay enlarged so I can get a good look. It looks like natural coloration. Has it just now appeared? The fish looks healthy. I wish I knew what kind of African that is. I like it.

Yes it just appeared , I believe he is a African cichlid mbuna not sure what specific type of mbuna. I got him from a local pet store .

 

[Kritastrophe]

Anal fin egg spots. Think they are typically found on male cichlids. Perfectly normal.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Is a 10 gallon big enough for a African Cichlid?

 

[Back in the fold]

Anal fin egg spots. Think they are typically found on male cichlids. Perfectly normal.

That was my first thought but I didn't know if they appear randomly at spawning time or are with them from birth. An interesting topic.

 

[Maleika]

Is a 10 gallon big enough for a African Cichlid?

Well I hope so, I’ve had him for a few months and he’s been striving so I haven’t been too worried. I’m planning on getting a bigger tank here in the next week along with some more cichlids cause I’ve read their school fish.

 

[Fishmanic]

Do your research on african cichlid requirments. I believe an absolute minimum tanks size would be 30 gallons and preferably 50 gallons.

 

[Colin_T]

That was my first thought but I didn't know if they appear randomly at spawning time or are with them from birth. An interesting topic.

Egg spots appear on male Rift Lake cichlids when they reach sexual maturity. They are used during breeding. The male and female display and the female releases eggs and picks them up in her mouth, to look after them in her buccal pouch. She sees the egg spots on the males anal fin and tries to grab them and when she does, the male releases some sperm and the female inhales that and it fertilises the eggs in her mouth.

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Well I hope so, I’ve had him for a few months and he’s been striving so I haven’t been too worried. I’m planning on getting a bigger tank here in the next week along with some more cichlids cause I’ve read their school fish

Most cichlids are not schooling fish, and the one you have is not. The majority of African Rift Lake cichlids are extremely territorial and will fight and kill each other.

If you want a group of cichlids, you set up a large tank and make sure it has cycled (developed the filter bacteria), then you get fish that are the same size and add them all at the same time. This gives all the fish a chance to find a home in the tank and settle in at the same time, and it prevents an original inhabitant from killing everyone that is added.