A+!!! Stunning pair!!

Awesome. I need to set up a 55gal, so you can sell me some fry - I really want to breed these guys.

Frank! Your Nuts, "Sell Me Some..." thet are very common, you could find these at lfs unless you are very far from one. I would send you Many of them if you pay shipping, that would not be a problem. You just remember them cutteri, they are not so commen here... lol! My new E-mail, for whoever, is link_to_the_past@sbcglobal.net

How big is your setup? How much space do these guys need to breed? LFS around here (NY) never have Salvini when I'm looking - I got my female mail order, but thats pricy convenient when you only want 1 or 2 fish. No prob on the Cutteri fry - hopefully I'll have them soon. Just need some time o build the in-wall stand. My bro may be coming by this week to work on it with me... we'll see.

Very impressive pair Travis.

very good looking pair

Are they hard to breed? Do they take care of their fry or do you have to separate?

very clean pair, good job Trav

ALex what is a good cichlid to breed for beginners? I am sooo not going to get into the business, just want to breed 1 pair of something for fun and my own enjoyment, my LFS will buy the babies. And please don't say convicts or labs. SOmething else that's not your usual suspects/

Michelle, my trade is CA/SA cichlids, so not expert with Africans, may be some one else chip in.
What tank size we talking about?
Also, it is a hard task to sell your fish to LFS, they usually give you store credit, which you use to buy things from them. To get money, you really need to breed something they can't get from other big breeders they associate with

Well I have all AFrican's and just got a great deal on a 30 gal at the fish auction yesterday. I would like to use it strictly as a breeding tank, for CAor SA cichlids, as NO one around here carries those cichlids. SO of the CA/SA type which do you suggest? I like the salvini, but???

well, 30 gal will be bare minimum for young pair Salvini, but no way when they reach full adult size (7-8" for the male). If you going to get Salvini for 30 gal, you'll need to remove either fry or parents in not more then one month after eggs hatch, or it will go no where, so basically you need, either 55 gal plus tank, or another 20-30 gal for the fry to be alone.
Same for any other CA/SA cichlid, you go with.
Salvini is hardy fish, and wont be a big deal to breed if you follow basic tank maintains and food requirements.

ANy other fish suggestions that might work better in a 30?

nope sorry, nothing I know of, to breed and raise in 30 gal.

Alex, you mentioned to me that the Cutteri would do well in a 30 gal (since they dont grow much pas 4-5") I know they are tough to find, but hat might be somethign to research.

michelle, blue acaras are beautiful,not very agressives and will do well in 30 gal..same for rainbow cichlids...really easy to breed

what about some easy to breed/keep apistos?? cacatuoides and agassizi are good beginners dwarfs and will do very good in 30 gal

Frank, yes I said they do well and may breed, in 30 gal, but how would you raise hundreds of babies to the size of at least 2" in 30 gal, together with the parents? I didn't mean you will be able to raise fry along with the parents in 30 gal.
Chuck, do you think it's possible to have 2 adult acara or rainbow with at least 100 2" juv in that small size of the tank? I don't belive so.

True True, I know what you are saying. I planned on breeding in the 30gal, then moving fry to a 10g to growout, culling any that struggle to feed to my bigger CA cichlids (loisellei, salvini, etc) But, as far as Salvini goes, I wouldnt even think that two could comfortable coexist in 30 gal at adult size... I guess that was my point.

yes, necessary to have separate tank if the goal is growing numbers of babies to sellable size.

these Cutteri Frank are neat fish, I like them, I am sure LFS would take some off your hands

alex..for breeding yes, for rearing youngs with adults?? no

yes, exactly my point chuck, 30 gal not enough for both, parents and fry.

ok Alex, I headed your warning, and went out and bought a 55 gallon. SO what are your choices for good CA/SA to breed. Salvini, acara, or any others? Now knowing I have the room? What about Firemouths?

Go with the Sals if you have the space, they are really colorful when breeding. Firemouths like to spawn in groups from what I've heard, almost like colonys, so that could be cool too. I know you didnt ask me, but I vote Salvini :)

Actually you right Frank. Salvini are more aggressive and powerful fish then Firemouth, but also more hardy and less gentle then FM.
I remember Michelle quote herself as a beginner, care for the FM is more involving.
It is many similar sized CA/SA cichlids around, you (Michelle) need to pick what you like and what you can get in your area or mail order, and then let us know, so we can suggest on particular one, instead guessing.
Most important is no meter what you pick, you'll need to get group of 5 juv and let them grow together and pair off. This way you pick the bond pair and let the rest go. You can't keep more then one breeding adult pair , in 55 gal tank with the babies. 55 gal is not much, you still need to get another tank if you want to seriously breed your fish, other wise it will be just a very very entry level breeding, more for observation, rather then business.
Also have a divider handy, even bonded adult cichlids pairs may try to kill each other from time to time, this way you’ll be able to safe the fish.
HTH
Alex

Alex, quick fish-psychology question: If a breeder is offering to sell me a bonded pair, who have already produced fry, is it safe to say that when I receive them, assuming tank conditions are of good quality, that they will remain bonded? Or is it possible that they will 'forget' they are a couple?

Frank, I have Loinheads and they bond as a pair for life. I was told if I ever sale them I would have to sale them as a pair. I feel they remember and they will remain bonded for ever.

Frank, in most case they do stay pair.
First, they may fight, but once adjusted to the new environment, get back to usual routine.
Some things can make it worse, and some better.
If you have similar species, pair may brake up.
If you have dithers, or just other fish who wont bully new pair, make it better for them to compound together.
Also, more aggressive/larger cichlids, usually makes the best parents and pair, in my experience.

How about a colony of Demasonii...they're small, and normally sell for a few dollars to the LFS. Although Lionheads are said to be "bonded for life"...most other fish are not so picky. Having mated once DOES increase the chances...the female has proven that she can carry till term and not spit the eggs out/

I am mention above about CA/SA cichlids.
I dunno about Africans pair behavior.

"Project Cutteri" will include the purchase of a bonded pair. Hopefully they stay bonded on their way to NY from NJ :) They are going in a 29gal, so I dont have much space for others if I want the environment to be appropriate for breeding, but I have 4 Danios that I can use for dither if you think that would be wise.

Danio is a good idea. Then you can remove it if they pose any threat for babies, I doubt, Danio may snach some of them, but it's paid off to keep pair bonded. 29 Gal tank is not much anyway for all babies adult Cutteri may produce.
We talking about Giant Danio, not small species of Danio?

Giant Danio - they are in the 29 now, and currently just cruise around the top 3rd of the tank, so I dont think they will be a problem. If they eat some fry or eggs, no biggie, because I'll be breeding mainly to witness the behavior, and I have a 10gal growout that I'll use to raise some to send to anyone on here who is interested (assuming all goes well of course) :)

then you all set brother:)