False pregnancy?

[Gamegurl564]

Howdy all,
I have one female Kribensis in a 20 gallon breeder tank.
She was part of a happy couple and turned out two batches of babies. I had to remove the male after he turned on her for no reason.
A few weeks ago I got rid of the last of her brood.
Her colors are amazing and she has the look.
Bright red slightly swollen abdomen and digging a bit.
Do they have false pregnancy? Will she lay eggs without a male?
Thanks in advance

 

[GaryE]

Usually, with no male, she'll give up and go quiet. They are opportunists in nature. The female has her territory and the male has his. If they overlap, she picks him. If he gets eaten by a bird, she picks another. Meanwhile, he may ditch her, although he should stay loyal for the length of the broodcare.

He may have been ready to go, and she may not have, which would have caused the friction. Now, she wants another brood, and she's getting the nest ready in the hopes that an acceptable male who acts like less of an *(*&*&*^* comes along.

If one doesn't, the cycle will pass, and come again later.

 

[Gamegurl564]

Usually, with no male, she'll give up and go quiet. They are opportunists in nature. The female has her territory and the male has his. If they overlap, she picks him. If he gets eaten by a bird, she picks another. Meanwhile, he may ditch her, although he should stay loyal for the length of the broodcare.

He may have been ready to go, and she may not have, which would have caused the friction. Now, she wants another brood, and she's getting the nest ready in the hopes that an acceptable male who acts like less of an *(*&*&*^* comes along.

If one doesn't, the cycle will pass, and come again later.

What I found odd was that he went after her while they were caring for batch number two.. The fry were about two weeks old and he nearly killed her.
I found her hiding at the top of the tank.
I tried letting her re- coup for about twelve hours and tried her back in with him. He still went after her so away he go.
I see what you are saying, now that the young have all gone she's ready to rock.
Do you think she would go after a Clown Pleco?
I am going to let her have the tank but thought about adding some others.
Namely a Clown Pleco or Hillstream Loach, also some dithers like Harlequin Rasbora or Cardinals
Thanks

 

[GaryE]

Pelvicachromis, the krib family, are favourites here, and I have raised fry from dozens of spawnings. I have never seen a male get aggressive during broodcare. I had Apistogramma where the loss of fry made them decide the partner was killing them, and the broodcare wiring went crazy. Usually it was females killing males, but once it was a male killing a female. If you steal fry too soon, you can cause the death of the parents. I haven't seen that with Pelvicachromis, though it's very possible.
Or, he's been watching alt right and incel videos online and just has a hate on.

With no eggs or fry, she's harmless. I would get a hillstream, as they need water too fast moving for your other fish. A small Loracarid would be fine. She would chase cardinals, as they like the lower part of the tank. I kept kribs and krib relatives in planted, 3 foot tanks with harlequin types, and it was smooth. A 20, unless it's a 30 inch long, is kind of small though.

 

[Gamegurl564]

It is a 30 inch long. My design when I bought the Kribs their new apartment.
I guess he stole a phone for his videos, he was the perfect dad with the first.
They had eggs within 9 days of me removing the 8 week old babies.
Thanks for your comments and suggestions.
I've never kept cardinals and only was thinking of them, they are out.
Cheers
GG