Breeding The Egyptian Mouthbrooder By Andrew Foster
I received two pairs of these fish (Pseudocrenalibrus multicolor) quite by accident in a box of fish sent from Melbourne. Upon opening the box I found, amongst various other Dwarf Cichlids, a bag of brown fish I didn't recognise. The name was written on the side and I wondered about the 'Multicolour' - these fish were dull! A phone call revealed my Pelvicachromis roloffi were in Tasmania, there were no more in stock and would I like to return the fish for a refund?
I decided not to and they were dumped into a tank with all my other Dwarf Cichlids - these fish which I knew nothing about and could find very little on.
A bit of research revealed that they were from the Nile region of Africa and had been kept in aquaria since the late 19th Century. The water should, I was told, be between 7.4 to 7.8 pH and temperature 23C for keeping and 7.6 to 7.8 pH and temperature 25C for breeding. Oh well, I thought, pH of 6.8 is too low. So much for breeding....
One month later the male was circling the female over the substrate, spitting bits of gravel out and digging a sizeable hole. Closer inspection revealed that her throat pouch was bulging slightly and more eggs were on the gravel below her. About 30 minutes later the female retreated and spawning finished. The pH was 6.6 to 6.8 and temperature 26C. Their diet was simply flake food.
I removed the female to her own 18 inch tank where fifteen days later sixteen fry were released. There are now nine left, growing well on a diet of Brine Shrimp and finely crushed flake. Two weeks after the spawn was released the female had another mouthful. So much for high pH and live food!
Oh, and the 'Multicolour' shows in more than name when the male settles down - he is beautiful.