Breeding L Occellatus

[SweNolte]

So... Ive just bought a couple of L.Occelatus, 2 males & 4 females! They are caught wild in Lake Tanganyika! I keep them in a 110 liters tank for now! Im looking for any tips on how to make them breed!

/
Nolte

[aharris]

I don't think there's anything you can do that will make them breed. The best you can do is try to optimize their living conditions with proper maintainence, landscaping, and food. Hopefully given time, patience, and compatibility they'll respond by breeding. Under what conditions are you keeping them now in terms of water, filtration, food, and number of available shells?

[SGypsyMermaid]

that is a gorgeous shot!!

[merlyn2221]

I second that! Uh-oh finz may have a rival with those occelatus. :eek:

[finz]

That is agood shot......Feed them plenty of live brine shrimp and provide them with plenty of shells - take good care of their water and you will see some little 'uns.
http://home.earthlink.net/~jimkphoto/family.jpg

[SweNolte]

Well... as it is now i have 15 Neothauma shells and 6 shells from some snail that lives here in Sweden! One of the males have a pile of about 10 shells that he guards! He is very territorial and bites with a frenzy if i should try to move one of them. I know i might need some more stones to make more hidingplaces! Question: What about plants? Do they need plants!? Or do they just dig them up like Malawis?

/Thanx
Nolte

[aharris]

My male signatus is a puppy dog most of the time, but if he has eggs and/or fry to guard, he becomes a mini-pit bull attacking anything and everything that comes near. If you have a male displaying that much aggression, it's possible that he has soemthing to guard in those shells. I'd watch them carefully to see if they've already spawned.

[SweNolte]

Well i have not seen any of the females there with him! He mostly just chases them away! So i dont think there are any eggs in there! And ive only had the fishes for a week so far!

[finz]

Tangs don't really need plants in their environment but many folks like to add them anyway. Occelatus don't bother the plants at all. Try some java fern and anubias, they both do well in the low light of the average aquarium and don't need CO2 or fertilizer added to thrive.

[SweNolte]

What about water circulation? Rapid or calm water?

[finz]

I have two filters in each of my aquariums which keeps the water moving pretty well - the fish don't seem to mind.