unattractive males...well at least to the females in the tank.

[zurus]

Hello All,

My malawi males have been doing a great job dancing around and showing the females just how attractive they are BUT it seems that none of the females are interested in their potential mate!

Anything I could do to encourage some romance?? What are my males missing???

[babblefish1960]

Barry White.

[beowulf]

Sexual Healing from Marvin Gaye....now being more serious maybe some nice cali black worms which I am getting, along with Sire Babble, from Zap in Montreal this weekend.

[zurus]

what do the cali black worms do???

[beowulf]

what do the cali black worms do???

Fomr what I understant it gets the fish into breeding mood.

[PoisonJello]

Barry White.

Well if that doesn't work nothing will 

[babblefish1960]

Sometimes, just to be serious for a moment, I find that a few water changes with cooler water helps move things along, it imitates rains. The males, as with all species, don't seem to require as much motivation to get going on the spawning thing. However, as with most species, the females tend to be very particular and want the home and commitment to be something more exact and substantial. And, unfortunately, as with all women I might add, we must dig deeper to find out what these conditions may be that prove more fruitful.

There are a great many on this site that know much about africans, and I would invite you to attend the flashchat talk on Saturday to hear pegasus explain unorthodox ways to breed and raise these fish. You can never learn too much.

[cory]

im with babble, dim the lights, put on the barry white and let the magic happen...

but honestly...some cichlids breed more often then others and size also plays a factor.

[darkdep]

A few things that have specifically induced spawning for me in Malawi's in the past:

1) Large water changes (over 50%)
2) Addition of Epsom Salt / Sodium Bicarbonate
3) Raising the temperature 2 degrees

The above have all worked for me in at least one case where I was sitting and waiting for spawning to occur.

[cory]

For me Large water changes and good food (high protein foods). Never been dissaponted...except for the C. Moori!

[darkdep]

What's your moorii setup Cory?

[Chinaman]

Maybe show the females a firefighters' calendar!!!!LOL

[beowulf]

Maybe show the females a firefighters' calendar!!!!LOL

Zing 

[cory]

i have a male and a female in with my fronts...this is like their 4th time breeding. She is still holding the eggs at 4 days...so

[darkdep]

What happens; does she lose them?

[cory]

i think she eats them to be honest.