Keeping Mbuna From Breeding

[demasonisrule]

I was just wondering is there any way to stop mbuna from breeding, or to some how remove the fry without the parents just sucking them up again, because I don't want 500 cichlids .

 

[dthoffsett]

There is no way to prevent breeding short of keeping only one sex. However, all adults will eat any fry they can, so generally, very few survive. You can also keep some of the Synodontis catfish with mbuna who will also happily clean up any fry the adults miss.

 

[M.R Otter]

get a cockoo catfish. It not called COCKOO for nothing you know!!hahahaha.

 

[dthoffsett]

get a cockoo catfish. It not called COCKOO for nothing you know!!hahahaha.

Actually it's cuckoo. And the catfish he is referring too is Synodontis multipunctatus, which works very nicely with mbuna. Along with S.petricola, S.angelicus, S.euptera and several other synos. With your stocking and tank size, I'd either get S.multipunctatus or S.petricola as they stay smaller.

 

[demasonisrule]

Thanks for the idea with the cats... always a possibility. I guess when I read about mouth brooders... I figured that the parents protected the fry until they were able to defend themselves.

 

[dthoffsett]

Thanks for the idea with the cats... always a possibility. I guess when I read about mouth brooders... I figured that the parents protected the fry until they were able to defend themselves.

The female will attempt to help her fry for a week or so after spitting, but the other adults always enjoy a tasty snack.