# Red Bellies Breeding?



## PiranhaMatt (Aug 7, 2012)

Hi there, I'm not exactly new to fish, I've bread and raised cichlids african and south american for a while.

A few months back I happened on a deal for some adult red bellies.

Now I've almost got my numbers figured out, I'm fairly certain I've got 3 males, and 2 females, but since they're not sexually dimorphic (you know what i mean even if I can't spell) it's just a best guess based on size and colors.

I don't know the exact age of the fish, just an estimation by the previous owner, 2-3 years. He said they'd spawned before. Now here's what I'm wondering. I've got one of my males that has dug a pit under the root structures I've built in my tank and he'll occasionally herd a female into it. His coloration is very dark and he's pretty defensive about his pit.

Occasionally I'll see the female sitting with him over the area, but they never display any kind of fin shuttering or anything, but their colors are almost black so here's why I'm confused. I've researched that they do darken in color when they're in breeding mood, and they will get territorial over their nest area.

This has been going on pretty much since I've had them though and nothing. Is there anything I could do to encourage a spawning? ie: lots of water changes, lowering water level, dimming lights, raising temp?

Thanks in advance and as a side note i'll toss up water parameters in case those seem useful to anyone.

pH 7.3
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
nitrate between 10-20

Tank is 250g and there are 5 adults in the tank, i'd estimate around 9-11 inches in length.

I have a video of them, however it's them eating some market shrimp, so their colors aren't dark like they normally are.






While I don't frequent this board much due to moderating on another one, I'll be checking in regularly to see if there are any responses, or you can private email me.

Thanks in advance for any ideas


----------



## memento (Jun 3, 2009)

If they darken, they are in breeding mode.
However that doesn't mean you have males and females together...

Size and color are no real markers for sexing them, so unless you get an actual spawning there's no wat to say for sure what you got.


----------



## PiranhaMatt (Aug 7, 2012)

That's kinda what I was figuring.

Guess i'll just keep waiting and hoping to come out one morning and see some eggs.


----------



## lorteti hr (May 29, 2011)

nice reds..
how big were they when you bought them?


----------



## chadw07 (Aug 22, 2012)

nice fish


----------



## PiranhaMatt (Aug 7, 2012)

Thanks for the compliments, they were adults when I bought them and they had spawned before.

I was talking to the guy I bought them from and he thinks my kids may be spooking them because the behaviors they're displaying are breeding behaviors. So I may just be out of luck unless I can set up a small breeder in a quiet part of the house.

Also I picked up a new baby Rhombus a couple weeks ago, I'm looking forward to him growing up with me and being a show piece in his species tank.


----------



## BRUNER247 (Jun 2, 2010)

Give them some privacy. Throw blanket over half the tank. See if that helps. It's worked for me with new fish that weren't used to kid traffic.


----------

