# Mail Femail Kribensis



## aquaman (Feb 16, 2009)

I had a pair of Kribs M/F however the mail passed on about a month ago. Today I purchased another adult mail and introduced him to my tank. Right away the female came to the mail, they both flared there fins and colors became strong [belly's turned redder] and started to fight. They even locked lips one time. Is it possible that they are already starting matting practices?.


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## aquaman (Feb 16, 2009)

Anyone


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## ELewandowski (Mar 2, 2009)

i wish i could help you, i was looking into getting a pair of kribs, so i will be watching this thread for answer.


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## comler (Mar 10, 2009)

I would say it is very possible they have begun the mating rituals.

I have two in a 10G tank. (I am preparing to move them to a 20G as soon as the inhabitants of the 20G move to the 29G I am cycling.) They began flaring and coloring almost immediately, and the female has been bending and twitching at the male.

After nearly a month, I have not seen any fry, and I have not looked inside the clay pot for eggs, although she has closed herself in the cave once. I know that eventually there will be fry in the tank. 

I've got a few questions for you, if you don't mind.

1. What size tank do you have the pair in? (I'm just wondering, as I've always read that 20G is the min.)

2. What sort of filtration are you using? (I'm using a foam filter with no carbon in the 10G, but I plan on using the AquaClear 50 in the 20G until there are fry, at which point I'll use the foam filter again.)

3. Do you have any tips on raising those youngun's? Do you separate them from the adults, and if so, when?

I'm interested in some feedback from you and hearing how your pair make out.

Ken


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## aquaman (Feb 16, 2009)

comler said:


> I would say it is very possible they have begun the mating rituals.
> 
> I have two in a 10G tank. (I am preparing to move them to a 20G as soon as the inhabitants of the 20G move to the 29G I am cycling.) They began flaring and coloring almost immediately, and the female has been bending and twitching at the male.
> 
> ...



I have them in a 55G. I currently have two Petco 65 HOB & a Rena XP4 Canister. I hear you should not seperate them right away. I have to find out when to remove the FRY. They are fighting less which is a good thing and the mail has established himself in one of my caves. Only time will tell.


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## comler (Mar 10, 2009)

They'll have plenty of room in a 55G. 

I have read that when the fry hatch, there is danger of them being sucked in by the filtration, which is why I plan to switch to the foam filter. Plus, from what I've read, the fry will actually eat some of the particles, i.e. plant fragments and small food particles, which get stuck in the filter.

You're right about not separating them right away. I'm not really sure when to separate them, but it is after they are big enough to support themselves. When they are young, the female will protect them - she will even keep them in her mouth at times, which I can't wait to see! 

Looks like we both are at about the same place with this breeding of the Kribs.


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## ELewandowski (Mar 2, 2009)

sounds very cool. This thread is making me lean more towards a pair of Kribs than i was originally. I have a 20 gal cycling now. I guess i will have to add a couple small caves for them, since they seem to like them.


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## comler (Mar 10, 2009)

Kribs definitely like their caves. My father-in-law, who introduced me to Kribs, said he always just used medium-sized clay flowerpots with a small (quarter-sized) hole chipped out of the rim. Turn it upside down, and the Krib(s) will move right in.

They also seem to like some refuge in the form of plants.

One thing I've read, and I believe it to be true, is that Kribs don't actually like being alone in the tank. They like to have some other fish to indicate that things are safe in the tank. Other fish swimming about tells them that the waters are safe for them to swim about. The problem is, the other fish have to be ones that will not bother the Kribs (aggressively) and ones that won't eat the eggs or fry. 

Currently, I've only got the Kribs in their 10G tank. When they move to the 20G, I was thinking about putting something else in there with them - maybe some Otocinclus catfish, but I'm not sure if the Kribs will bother them. I guess if they have places to hide...


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## aquaman (Feb 16, 2009)

*Re: Mail Femail Kribensis ***Update****

Well the problem got worse & now the mail started to harassing all my fish. I even woke up to see my juvenal gold ram bitten so hard that he had a red shaped mouth mark on top. He died the next day. SO I took the mail out and no change. Then female started chasing and biting my fish. Apparently the kribs must of been more aggressive then I thought. Once I brought them back the hole atmosphere of my tank changed. Fish were swimming all around & not huddled in one section. The fins of my Aposto started to grow back. My Discus is now swimming about. Sad to say that the KRIBS were the cooperate of destruction. Even when I had one KRIB I had issues.


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## comler (Mar 10, 2009)

I had my male (before I got the female) in my community tank for a few days and he was somewhat of a bully. He didn't bother the smaller fish, but he had a real problem with the clown loaches. I'm thinking it was because they were about his size, so he felt threatened and in defense had to be an aggressor. I've definitely had Kribs with tankmates before, but it sounds like you've had your share of aggression from yours. They are cichlids, even though they are supposed to be the most mild type.


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