Xenotilapia flavipinnis Breeding Guide

Breeding Xenotilapia flavipinnis, a sand-sifting Tanganyikan cichlid: biparental mouthbrooding with the female passing the brood to the male.

Overview

Xenotilapia flavipinnis is a slender sand-sifting cichlid endemic to Lake Tanganyika, where it is found in schools over sandy substrates and reaches about 9.2 cm (3.6 in) TL (Wikipedia). It is a bi-parental mouthbrooder in which both parents share incubation, a classification confirmed by peer-reviewed phylogenetic study of the genus (peer-reviewed study; Seriously Fish).

Sexing

Sexing is challenging; males tend to show brighter finnage. As reliable visual sexing is limited, the standard approach is to keep a group of 6-10 fish and allow pairs to form naturally, since single pairs may squabble (Seriously Fish).

Conditioning

Condition the group on a good, varied diet (Seriously Fish). In nature this is a sand-sifting micropredator feeding on small invertebrates, so small live and frozen foods suit it well.

Breeding Setup

Provide an open sandy substrate in a tank of at least 30 inches in length, kept at a pH of 8.2-9.0 and a temperature of 77-80 deg F (25-27 deg C) (Seriously Fish). In aquaria a pair may maintain and defend a territory even when not spawning, although in the wild the bond typically lasts only one breeding season.

Spawning Behavior & Trigger

The female lays eggs in batches, cleaning substrate areas and then collecting the fertilised eggs into her mouth, repeating until she can hold no more (Seriously Fish). She holds the eggs for 9-12 days before passing the entire, now-hatched brood to the male, who continues incubation for a further 10 days or so (Seriously Fish).

Egg & Fry Care

Parents provide brood care for about three weeks (Seriously Fish). The fry accept brine shrimp nauplii or microworm as first foods. Seriously Fish rates breeding as not too difficult.

Common Challenges

Keeping a balanced group so that compatible pairs form, and providing enough open sand, are the main considerations. Lone pairs may squabble, so a small group is preferable.