are kribs spawning or fighting?

[swiftfly]

I've had these kribs for about 2 years now, and I've always noticed the male chasing the female, especially when she gets near his cave - he'll chase her to one side of the tank. I used to see eggs on the roof of the cave, but that's been a while - maybe 1.5 years or so. The female's got a pretty rough-looking tail fin, with a jagged edge that looks like he's been nipping at her. I added some dithers, hoping they'd distract him, but he just ignores them. I'm thinking of re-designing the tank to add another cave - do you guys think that'd help them get along? Or is there something else I can try?

My tank's a 29 gal, planted, with very hard water and a pH around 7.4. I'm getting more plants on Friday, but for now, it's a bit sparse.

[rivelo]

Adding more caves would definitely help, in my opinion. I've had success with terra cotta pots, setting them up vertically with a small notch or door cut into the side, or positioning the opening to face upwards, then covering it with a piece of slate to create a narrow access point. If you do decide to add more caves, I'd recommend removing the male and female kribs and rearranging the tank to give them a fresh start.

[swiftfly]

I added another cave and it's been interesting to watch. The female goes in and does this weird shaking motion, almost like a sideways swim, right at the entrance of the cave. She'll go in, the male will follow, then she'll come out and arch her back all funny and shake some more. I've seen her do this a few times now - does anyone know what's going on with this behavior?

[rivelo]

It's possible that they're getting ready to breed or maybe she's just defending her new territory. Cichlids can be pretty tricky to read when it comes to this stuff. If they are planning on spawning, just keep an eye on them - if the female goes MIA for a few days and the male is hanging out outside the cave, that's probably a good sign they've spawned. Or maybe she's just staking her claim on the new cave.

[swiftfly]

They're at it again, I added two more caves but it didn't seem to make a difference. I figured the female needed a break, so I quarantined the male in a floating breeding container. He'll be in there for a few days, giving my girl some time to recover.

[rivelo]

I think removing the Kribs and rearranging the tank, caves and all, could be a good idea. Introduce them again afterwards. Adding a couple more females might also help spread out the aggression, give the girls a chance to stand up for themselves.