[Smeagol]

My yellow labs spawn (or at least they try to). My acei spawn like crazy. But my maingano don't spawn. I'm not necessarily saying that I want them to spawn, but I'm curious why they aren't. Do they have some special requirement that the others don't?

 

[DJRansome]

No special requirements. How old (big) are they? Are you sure you have one male and lots of females? IME fish that have been in the tank less then a year may just not be settled enough, despite your labs and acei.

FYI I had acei for years and they never spawned for me.

 

[Smeagol]

Yeah, that's tricky. I'm not exactly sure what my maingano m:f mix is. There are 2 that look like males to me, but I could be wrong. The funny thing is, these two "males" seem to get along just fine. They actually hang out close to each other with practically no aggression between them. But when the "females" come near, the "males" give chase (very briefly). It's difficult to measure them, but I'd say the "males" are nearing 3 inches, while the "females" are about a half inch smaller and less stout.

 

[Smeagol]

Still no spawning action among my maingano. At any given time, I usually have at least 1 yellow lab and 1 acei holding eggs. But maingano? Nothing! I thought they'd be getting busy by now.
:?

 

[Fogelhund]

How many do you have total?

 

[Smeagol]

How many do you have total?

Only four.

 

[Fogelhund]

How many do you have total?

Only four.

So you have no idea what the gender of any of these fish are then? Odds are with four, that you'd have both genders, but no guarantee. I'd vent them to check.

 

[Smeagol]

How many do you have total?

Only four.

So you have no idea what the gender of any of these fish are then? Odds are with four, that you'd have both genders, but no guarantee. I'd vent them to check.

I'm pretty sure 2 of them are males. But I'm not venting them. I'm against handling fish unless it's absolutely necessary.

 

[Fogelhund]

I'm pretty sure 2 of them are males. But I'm not venting them. I'm against handling fish unless it's absolutely necessary.

Why are you sure two are male? Perhaps post some pictures of them.

 

[Smeagol]

I'm pretty sure 2 of them are males. But I'm not venting them. I'm against handling fish unless it's absolutely necessary.

Why are you sure two are male? Perhaps post some pictures of them.

The breeder I bought them from told me two of them are male, and two of them are larger and much darker in color than the other two. This is one of them. He's about 3.5 inches long. (So hard to take good pictures of fish!)

 

[James Pond 007]

You could very well have 4 females despite what you were told.
The only way to know for certain is venting.

 

[DJLane]

My Maingano are quite prolific, first bred about 3 months after I set the tank up, in with Yellow Labs, Rusties and Afra Cobwe. 4 females and 2 males, about 10 young that have survived so far.

 

[Mbuna-dude]

My maingano female in the display tank keeps getting a mouthfull with the albino greshakei alpha that runs the tank. So hoping to get an actual maingano male for her. But on the other hand. I've had in another tank, a Lombardoi male who went and spawned not even 30 minutes after being added to the tank. He had been in the display tank for months, was added to the other tank for spawning. Just didn't expect it to happen so fast. He had been an alpha for spawning previously though, with the same female. Perhaps familiarity played a role in this case. Still dominated a tank in 30 minutes though.😂

 

[Mbuna-dude]

Before anyone says something though. I cull hybrid spawns to prevent mixed blood. That maingano hasn't actually raised a spawn because there isn't a viable maingano male. Mine's too young.