[SinisterKisses]

I'm just wondering what the odds of hybridization are here...I just received a trio of C. azureus yesterday, a male and two females. Problem is, my tank is almost strictly male only with the exception of my labs. I'd love to let the azureus breed, but don't want to end up with a bunch of hybrids of course. How likely are the azureus females to breed with an OB peacock or pheno male? There is also a female peacock in the tank that I just haven't bothered to remove yet, and they have never showed any interest in her.

 

[Hoosier Tank]

Hey Sin
I always thought of hybridization as the ugly chick in a bar at 3:00 am syndrom. If a male wants to breed and can find any female that is willing, he will.

I hope that was PC here :roll:

 

[SinisterKisses]

Lol maybe you should stick to that place where we both enjoy not having to be PC But thanks for the words of wisdom!

 

[SinisterKisses]

...Anyone else?

 

[Joea]

I'd put money on the Pheno male at the very least giving it a shot. I think you're more likely to get pure C. azureus, but the risk of hybrids will always be there. You may not be witness to it but you can take comfort in knowing that the fry will be pretty obvious for either male.

Are you sure that female peacock is a female and not an uncoloured male?

 

[SinisterKisses]

Positive it's a female peacock...she's held a few times in the past when there was a male of her species to breed with, but nothing since "her" male has been gone.

 

[Joea]

Positive it's a female peacock...she's held a few times in the past when there was a male of her species to breed with, but nothing since "her" male has been gone.

Well that would be pretty positive. :wink:

That's a pretty good indication that the others are likely to leave the female C. azureus alone.

 

[chapman76]

I agree that the pheno male will most likely try. My male would try to breed with his shadow, yes I'm exaggerating, but he did breed with a 3" Pundamilia sp. Crimson Tide female.

It all depends on where the males fall in dominance. If the pheno is the dominant male in the tank, I pretty much think he'll keep trying with the females. Heck, my male kept my O. lithobates Zrocks from breeding for a long time (13 months) because he wanted to breed with them and I consistently got fry from them monthly previously when kept in another tank.

 

[SinisterKisses]

Positive it's a female peacock...she's held a few times in the past when there was a male of her species to breed with, but nothing since "her" male has been gone.

Well that would be pretty positive. :wink:

That's a pretty good indication that the others are likely to leave the female C. azureus alone.

That's what I was hoping.

The pheno is not the dominant male in the tank. Believe it or not, but my larger OB peacock male has always been - I think just because he was already an adult when I restocked the tank with it's current inhabitants, which were all juveniles at the time. The pheno is actually a touch bigger than the OB at this point, but the pheno isn't showing any signs of taking over as King or even of caring. I'm sure he will eventually of course, I'm just surprised he hasn't yet.

So if any of the other males were to breed with the azureus girls, the mutt children would be easy to recognize?

 

[Joea]

If the OB Peacock or Pheno were the father, the fry would be pretty apparent.

Hybrids that would be hard to spot would be Protomelas, Placidochromis, Otopharynx and of course, other Copadichromis species, that sort of thing. If you don't have any of those, I wouldn't worry too much. Keep a close eye on the behaviour of the adults, if the other males show no interest than you're probably ok. Another issue may be that the male C. azureus may feel a bit intimidated to breed by the presence of the other more dominant males. There's a chance you may see no action at all!

 

[chapman76]

If the OB Peacock or Pheno were the father, the fry would be pretty apparent.

Hybrids that would be hard to spot would be Protomelas, Placidochromis, Otopharynx and of course, other Copadichromis species, that sort of thing.

Isn't a pheno a Placidochromis? :-?

 

[SinisterKisses]

If the OB Peacock or Pheno were the father, the fry would be pretty apparent.

Hybrids that would be hard to spot would be Protomelas, Placidochromis, Otopharynx and of course, other Copadichromis species, that sort of thing.

Isn't a pheno a Placidochromis? :-?

I had the same thought...lol?

I don't think the azureus male feels any intimidation at all from the higher-ups in the tank. Within the first like 20 hours of being introduced to the tank, he had already staked out his corner of the tank behind a rock, dug it out, and was luring the females over there to show off for them. Which is why I started thinking about the breeding situation.

The pheno is pretty much a big puppy. He's only one of the bosses because he's bigger than everyone else. Other than that, he leaves everyone alone and minds his own business, doesn't seem to care much about anything other than food, lol.

 

[Joea]

Isn't a pheno a Placidochromis? :-?

That's what's known as a brain fart...

Change that to Sciaenochromis.

 

[chapman76]

That makes more sense!

 

[SinisterKisses]

Isn't a pheno a Placidochromis? :-?

That's what's known as a brain fart...

Change that to Sciaenochromis.

Lol and that is the result of aging, my dear...

 

[BenHugs]

Hey Sin
I always thought of hybridization as the ugly chick in a bar at 3:00 am syndrom. If a male wants to breed and can find any female that is willing, he will.

I hope that was PC here :roll:

I'd say don't add beer to the tank you might be able to stay clear off this problem :thumb:

 

[SinisterKisses]

Lol guess I'll have to cut them back gradually then