Cichlid fish tend to be divided into two different types of brooders which set them apart from other species of fish. When it comes to cichlid breeding, you need to be able to tell the difference between each type of breeder and which one your fish is. The two types of brooder are the mouth brooders and the substrate brooders. If you are unsure about what this means, then read this article to find out more!
Substrate brooders will tend to lay their eggs on an open surface and are also refereed to as open water brooders when they do this because they are not protecting their eggs from predators. Other fish will lay their eggs in hidden cavities which gives them the name of cavity brooders because they hide their eggs away. These types of breeders will engage in brood care which is when the eggs are fanned regularly by the cichlid tails to give a better oxygen supply to the eggs. When the eggs hatch, substrate brooders will look after the fry until the yolk sac has disappeared and the fry can swim on their own and fend for themselves. The substrate brooders will often continue to protect their young against any other fish in the tank and this is when other tank dwellers might need to be removed to a separate home for a while because cichlids can become quite aggressive.
The mouth brooder is when the cichlid will pick their eggs up and keep them in their mouths; this includes the larvae once they have been hatched. During or directly after the spawning of the eggs, the cichlids will scoop the eggs up into their mouths and keep them there until they are hatched; they are sometimes known as ovophile which means that they are egg loving mouth brooders. Some species of mouth brooders will continue to protect the fry once they have hatched by scooping them back up in their mouths, even when they are freely swimming about and this is referred to as larvophile which means larvae loving mouth brooders. Often, the fry will find their own way back into the parent’s mouth for protection.
When you are thinking about cichlid breeding, you should always find out what type of brooder your cichlid is so that you will know exactly what you can expect from the breeding process. Do not worry if you do see the cichlids picking the eggs up, they are not eating them; it just means that they are mouth brooders! And the same goes for if the cichlids leave the eggs alone, this is okay too.
Click Image Below to Visit
Cichlids Fish Secrets Official Site
