My African Cichlid

[Robzgirl1]

My African Cichlid has been digging a whole and snapping at any of the other fish that come near her. She is a light blue and the male is yellow and black. How do I know if she is pregnant or if she is getting ready to ? Her and the male have been chasing each other for a week or two. Now she is being very agressive. My daughter has a 10 gallon with a frog should I move them or just her? I have a 55 gallon with and alge eater and 2 oscars. Please let me know. Thanks

[Lisachromis]

Hi,

Well, this question is a bit tough to answer without knowing the species of cichlid you are talking on. I can assume they are from Lake Malawi. Do you know the name of the species that they are? Did you buy both these fish as one species? Did they come from an assorted African tank at the petstore? What size tank are they in? Are they in with the oscars?

I can answer part of your question. Your female is not pregnant and will never be. Malawian cichlids tend to be mouthbrooders. She can be ovigerous (fancy word meaning full of eggs). Many cichlids are very territorial and like to rearrange their tank to suit themselves.

[Robzgirl1]

The male is a Labidochromis caeruleus "Yellow" - Top fins are black and depending in his mood he looks like a tiger with black stripes going down his body. The female is a Pseudotropheus socolofi she is kind of a purplish blue. she is real pretty.Yes I bought them at the same time. they are in the tank with my Oscars but they all get along pretty good. But the female has been really agressive to the ones that get to close to the area where she has dug all the rocks upand made a hole under a cave. I have a 55 gallon tank. My Daughter Just got an african Albino clawed frog that is in a 10 gallon tank. Should I move her in there? I don't know what to do and I don't want my oscars to eat her young if she is. any Ideas would be greatly apreciated. Thanks

[Lisachromis]

Ok, there's a few issues that need to be addressed.

First off, a 55 gallon tank is barely small enough for 2 adult oscars (and that's if they get along!). You also shouldn't be keeping the Malawians in with them. One of two things may happen. Either the oscars will get big enough to eat the Africans, or the Africans will get big enough to go after the oscars (not to eat but to go after for territorial disputes). It's possible they 'may' get along, but odds are not in your favour here.

The second thing is that you should not allow the Lab and the socolofi to mate. That's crossing species and is really not a good thing. (I'm not even sure they can!). I imagine that the socolofi is just guarding what she (if it's a she!!) considers to be HER part of the tank and is just trying to keep all the others away. Mbuna (socolofi is an mbuna type) have territories in the wild and this is normal behaviour for them.

How do you know the socolofi is female? Males and females are very similar. I wouldn't move any African in with the frog. They may pester the frog cause then the frog will be in their territory as well.