Caught in 'egging' action??....

Bluebirdnanny

...ok so this is what the smaller one was doing or appeared to be doing a few days ago!! Now it is the larger of the two. Who is laying and who is fanning? Or do I have two females taking turns laying?????? There were more eggs after this bout of the larger circling the rock...round and round we go!!! lol

Caught the tube on one this time... is it HIM fertilizing or HER laying?????

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rrcoolj

Can't see the tube of the other fish but the one near the rock is defiantly female. It's ok sometimes it takes them a few times to get it right. The male may "miss" the first time or one or both may eat the eggs. Are all the eggs turning white? That would be a sign that they might both be female but it's probably just an inexperienced male. Give them a couple more times to get it right.

Stunning pair by the way and I love the way the tank looks. Sounds like you are doing everything right.

Bluebirdnanny

How long before I will know? She just laid Sunday the 17th. The smaller one does make "attempts" at fanning but not with vigor of the larger one that laid them. So how many days before I should be able to tell if the little one is he or another she? If it is a "breeding pair" then how long before the eggs will hatch??

Both are chasing the other variety of cichlid (only one) to hiding at other tank end and the Pleco seems to know to stay in hiding. They aren't pestering it.

rrcoolj

Sounds like mom and dad are doing a good job of protecting their fry. I would think you should see wrigglers in 3-4 days.

Bluebirdnanny

Does that mean probably a pair and not two female??? How will I know for sure? Just IF I get fry?

rrcoolj

More likely a male and a female than two females getting along and spawning. The tube from a male will be pointed and smaller. If the tubes of both fish are identical than they are two females.

I have posted pics of my midas pair with their tubes down. The first is my female and the second is my male. Do you see how wide and tube like the females tube is? The males just comes to a point. Hope that helps.

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JImi

Must say, excellent pics there :O)

Bluebirdnanny

oh I see thanks.

Bluebirdnanny

Ok those eggs disappeared. But as I was getting ready to clean the substrate I noticed them acting funny again. I proceeded to catch and move the peacock to a holding tank. While in the process of trying to net the peacock and moving rocks they started laying eggs! Yes while I was chasing the peacock!! My hands in the tank moving rocks and one jewel even helped by chasing the peacock under the only cave I left on the other side (net blocking exit on other side)!!!!

Removed peacock to its' own tank and started fixing back the rock and doing a surface gravel debris suction. The Jewel went back to join the other and they actually continued laying WHILE I was restacking rock at the other end! Until I moved the air tube I was siphoning with to the corner near them. THEN they charged my hand, so I backed off that end.

They are so cute and funny.