lmsmith Posted November 26, 2008 Report Share Posted November 26, 2008 I have some lionheads growing out in a tank and I just moved them into a bigger tank (and I had to make room for my puffers). When I was cleaning the tank I moved them from, I saw 2 or 3 baby fish. I'm 99% sure that they're lionheads (I'm pretty sure they're not baby angel fish - the lionheads would have eaten them!). So, my question is, how big/old to they have to be to breed?? Mine are only 4-5 months old, and less than 1/2 grown. I haven't noticed any of them defending a territory, and I can't see any acting as a pair. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malawiman Posted November 26, 2008 Report Share Posted November 26, 2008 Mine breed and they are large. In my experience the male will defend the fry until they are 1cm plus. Mine even try to attack my hand when I feed the other fish frozen food. The ones I grew out were about 5 cm in size and have not bred. What size are they? If they breed at 4 months I would be surprised, most cichlids take longer to breed. I might be wrong as this is only my opinion, mine started breeding at about 7 cm and that was at about a year of age. Hope this help, anyone with different experience welcome to give their input, we all here to learn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmsmith Posted November 26, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 26, 2008 Most of them are about 4cm, there's 3 males that are maybe pushing 7, but the largest females are only about 4cm. They've grown way quicker than I expected. I was really surprised to find the fry because I haven't seen the parents with them at all. I can't see them in the tank anymore, so I guess the puffers must have got them... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malawiman Posted November 26, 2008 Report Share Posted November 26, 2008 That is a pity, would have been interesting to ID the fry. If they are that size then it might very well be them breeding. They should breed soon again and then you'll know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmsmith Posted November 26, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 26, 2008 I'll sit down and watch them for a bit tonight and see if I can figure out if there's a pair in there. I might check the filter in the puffer tank too, and see if any got sucked in there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmsmith Posted December 4, 2008 Author Report Share Posted December 4, 2008 Here are the babies. They're now free swimming. There's 7 of them still alive. In the lionhead tank, there are some more eggs, and I'm 99% sure I can identify 2 pairs, and I'm pretty sure I've got another 2 pairs as well. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with all of them, but at the moment, they seem to be living really peacefully in the 3ft (even though there's 14 of them!!) EDIT: Just realised I didn't explain that I found 8 of the babies when I was cleaning the puffer tank. 7 have survived. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmsmith Posted December 19, 2008 Author Report Share Posted December 19, 2008 Out of the 7, only one has survived, I went away for a week and I don't think my fish feeder gave them enough water changes, but that's ok. I found another one in the puffer tank, about 1/2 the size of the one I've been feeding up. He looks pretty healthy though, and I'm amazed that he's managed to survive in a brackish tank with 2 hungry puffers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmsmith Posted December 22, 2008 Author Report Share Posted December 22, 2008 Tonight I found another 2 baby lionheads in the puffer tank, so I guess there must be quite a few that have survived. I'm actually amazed that they've survived in the brackish water! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmsmith Posted December 29, 2008 Author Report Share Posted December 29, 2008 Right, so now I'm sure they can breed at 3-4 months old, I have a pair with wigglers right now. They just hatched today, anything special I need to do to feed them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
herefishiefishie Posted January 9, 2009 Report Share Posted January 9, 2009 Frozen baby brine shrimp will do the trick. Progress them to crushed flake. Just noticed the date... If they have egg sack you don't really have to sorry about feeding them, a note for next time. Frenchy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmsmith Posted January 9, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 9, 2009 Thanks. They're all swimming around and seem to be doing well on decaps and flake. I'm impressed the others aren't eating them, to be honest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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