Good or bad idea

[69cichlids]

I have a 75gal with 4 breeding williamis blue lips and a bn pleco that is it. I was wanting to add something with them but don't want to interfere with their breeding or breed with them and then have hybrids. I was thinking on putting these 2 cats in there but not sure of they would do what my other cats will do and spray eggs out for female cichlids to pick up and hold when they are breeding. I forgot what kind they are. Also are there enough place in the tank for them?

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[Tony]

In my experience, nothing is better than messing up spawning Africans like Synodontis. The synos you are thinking of are multipunctata - the "cuckoo catfish." They will drop their eggs for the female cichlid to pick up, while eating some of the cichlid eggs in the process.

If they are not multipunctata, they will still eat the cichlid eggs as they are dropped. Either way, there is a pretty good chance that the williamsi will be affected and may or may not continue to breed as they are now. If you do not want to affect their spawning, a better addition would be another mbuna species imo.

 

[69cichlids]

Thank you tony...ill go fish them out now lol any suggestion on fish?

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[eden2020]

Willaimsi and...?

I wonder if a lesser aggressive Hap like Copadichromis, Placidochromis, or ??? might work too. I have had a lot of success with a breeding group of Yellow Labs, Syno Multis, and Deep Water Haps. The Synos definetly get in the way so I wouldn't recommend them like Tony mentioned..

However a Hap group might be worth a look..

Just a thought.

-marc and family

 

[69cichlids]

Well I havent gotten around to pulling all of the rocks out to get the cats out and I have 2 williamis holding so we'll see how that goes next week

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[AndyNarwhal]

To avoid hybridization I would avoid all mouthbrooding cichlids. You may want to try some substrate spawners like Lamprologous or Julidochromis from Lake Tanganyika.

They look nice and have a different body shape and demeanor than Malawi cichlids which is interesting.

Andy

 

[69cichlids]

Yeah that's why I just had the blue lips alone no way for a hybrid. I have yet had time to dig the cats out and the blue lips are holding so we will see how that goes when I strip them next week

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