? Single mixed cichlids trigger un-mated spawn.

[Guppysnail]

I only got brave enough to add cichlids to my fish rooms last year so I’m still in the beginning stages of learning behaviors. 
Laetacara curviceps (LC) was the only one at the LFS for 5+ months. I brought it home a few weeks ago. Was told it was a boy. 
Put it in with a male GBR I was growing out. They became thick as thieves. LC followed the GBR everywhere. 
Yesterday I noticed LC had a plump belly and extended tube. It was definitely a girl cleaning a pot top vigorously. 
LC Spent the entire day trying to coax the GBR to the pot to spawn. GBR wanted nothing to do with this venture. 
Sure enough this morning I had a pot top covered in LC eggs. The LC had abandon the unfertilized eggs on the pot. 
The only things in the tank with them are shrimp, snails and two days ago I put 1/4 inch Apisto cauc. Babies in because the Apisto moms brought out new babies. 
Both are blue so maybe color caused this?

Has anyone else experienced such a thing?

Is this common in cichlids?

Also LC mate for life. Does this mean she chose the GBR and will not choose an LC (juvenile group coming this week) as a mate?

[Fish Folk]

Haha! I’ve seen this sort of thing before. Female cichlids sometimes need to empty out roe, male or no male. You’re probably feeding excellent foods!

I’d probably spring for a Laetacara curviceps breeding project. We tried L. araguaiae awhile ago. Got fry, but weren’t ready with micro-worms.

[Guppysnail]

On 8/1/2023 at 7:27 PM, Fish Folk said:

Haha! I’ve seen this sort of thing before. Female cichlids sometimes need to empty out roe, male or no male. You’re probably feeding excellent foods!

I’d probably spring for a Laetacara curviceps breeding project. We tried L. araguaiae awhile ago. Got fry, but weren’t ready with micro-worms.

I’m already on it!  A group of 5 will be here this week and I re-set the tank yesterday 😁

[Fish Folk]

Here was our Purple Smilers setup:

triggering a spawn

fry
 

 

[Guppysnail]

@Fish Folk I’ve read they are good parents. Is that so or do I need to pull eggs like I did with GBR?

Never mind I watched the video again on a bigger screen. I seen your writing. 

[Fish Folk]

On 8/1/2023 at 8:18 PM, Guppysnail said:

@Fish Folk I’ve read they are good parents. Is that so or do I need to pull eggs like I did with GBR?

Never mind I watched the video again on a bigger screen. I seen your writing. 

I’d leave a single confirmed pair alone to raise fry

[Torrey]

You are the best accidental breeder I have ever known!!!

[anewbie]

I have a solo female angel and a solo female nannacara who both do the same thing - i'm not sure how common it is but it obviously happens. It is more noticeable with cicihld then egg scatterers since they tend to guard the eggs drawing attention to such activity.

[Guppysnail]

@Fish Folk🎉