ancistrus breedings help

Good day all

Kindly help me.
I got a male and female ancistrus...the female is black and the male is orange..the female got a slight deformity on the rear tail...do you think that it will affect its breeding?

Also I got them seperate in a 40cm x 40cm tank...wid a sponge filter heater and a piece driftwood...Is that fine for them to start breeding?

Any tips for succesful breeding would be appreciated.

Please help as I am still learning how to breed and this is my first time

Thanks
Isadore

 

Get a cave for them with a small entrance. i use coconut caves

 

Hello

Definitely like @Ryno said. They will need a cave to breed in. I have used a terracota pot with success . The tail depends wheter it was a birth defect, or if she got injured at one time or another. I will suggest to take a shot and see if any baies carry the deformity, if so, stop breeding with her.

Have a good one

 

Ok thanks guys....I got a coconut hut I'll try it tonight...I havnt bred befor so how long does it take for production? Or when will I start to see any results? Also is ther anything specific I should them?

 

Correction...is there anything specific I should be feeding?

 

it wont happen over night. mine started after about a month.... so no specific time. feed them blanched cucumber, lettuce, baby marrow and even carrot. not all at once obviously. every second or 3rd day something like that otherwise i feed mine sera bottom feeding tabs, also i didn't try and breed them specifically it happened in my community tank. and looks like there is happening something again in one of the caves. also water must be good conditions also, soft slightly acidic water

 

Pleasure
Try this link. Nice info that works
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancistrus

 

Firstly i would say the tank you have them in is too small for ancistrus's they need to be in a 3ft at least. Then as the other guys have said feed them a good varied diet - lettuce, baby marrow, bottom feeder tabs spiralina or algea wafers. They need wood and caves. I have mine in a 5ft -one male and three females - with lots of caves and wood - the problem i have is to stop them from breeding. LOL

 

Thanks for the link len..will check it out..ok I'll keep them in the tank until I can coz my 4ft is way 2 dangerous for them to mate bcause of all the predators....wish me luck guys if I do get right and they happend to breed..first spawn will be free lol ....oh yes one more q...is it safe to keep more then 1 female? And is it recomended?

 

Thanks a lot guys...is there any signs that I can see when the female is pregnant?

 

You will have no problems keeping more than one female - the females get really fat before they spawn - well mine do.

 

As a matter of interest, at approximately what age / size do they start to breed?

 

I have read some where that they can start breeding when they are about two inches [ 5cm ] Mine are a bit bigger than that about 7-8cm - the females that is the male is fully grown.