any help with breeding LF L-144

[dave]

Hello I was wondering if anyone could help with info on breeding long fin L-144s such as
1- What size tank for the breeders
2- What size tank for grow-out
3- Having 1 male and 2 females for the breeders or is there something better
4- And everything else
This is my first attempt to breed them, my stock is 14 females and 6 males they will be going in my fish room set-up for cichlids so the room temp will be 80deg (will that be a problem?) I am planning on having a bare bottom unless someone can tell me a better way.
Now about caves is using one over the other better, I am talking about terracotta pots or actual caves.
Thanks so much for your help.
Dave R

[Narwhal72]

You can breed a single pair in as small as a 10 gallon (maybe even smaller but I have not tried it). I maintain a pair in a 57 gallon and a group of 11 young adults in a 29. I prefer the long slender breeding caves and set them up around the tank arranged so I can see in the mouth with a flashlight.
The males will generally leave the caves alone unless they are ready to breed. I know they have eggs when they are constantly in the cave with just their tail sticking out.
Once the babies yolk sac is gone I move them to a 10 gallon by dumping the cave out in the tank. You will have to rinse the cave out several times to get all the babies out.
I keep some driftwood in the tank for the babies to hide in and feed on. I feed sliced cucumber every other day and after about a week I add algae discs as well.

Grow out is a slow process and takes 6 months to a year to get them up to sellable size. You can keep broods separate and grow them up in a 20 gallon or put them all together in a 40 gallon and just pick out the largest ones periodically when it is time to sell them.

Andy

[rivvir]

great information