Kribensis - Help a newbie please.

[Trev3011]

Hi all, I’m new here (Hello all) and have my first tank (80L) established with 2 Cories, 5 Buenos Aries Tetras, 3 Emperor Tetras, 2 Swordtails and 2 Platies.
About a fortnight ago I added 2 Kribensis, but apart from delves into Google and You Tube, admit to not knowing a great deal on them.
Both are female, one has a pale purple / red belly and she is very placid and controlled amongst all the other fish.
The other however has a belly that is really quite vivid in colour, so am I right in thinking she is ready for eggs?
She incidentally is much more aggressive towards nearly all the other fish, so guess she is being maternal?
I understand that in time she may live bears eggs, but these are laid unfertilized, and since I don’t have a male Kribensis in the tank, am I right to think the eggs will just die?
If so should I just leave them to perish, or would that contaminate the tank, or is it unkind to the mother to see this?
Then next, once this current cycle of egg laying / aggression is over, will she hopefully become more tolerant of the other fish, or is she likely to just want to lay more eggs and remain aggressive?
I dint seem to be able to find anywhere if Kribensis have a specific breeding season, or is it just as and when mum wants to do this so I need to watch for the tell-tale belly colour shift signal?
Will she in time however realize there is no Mr Kribensis around and not bother laying eggs?
Sorry for so many questions folks, just want to understand better and do right by them.

[BigBen]

Welcome.

Kribs are a pain for aggression. You probably won't get it under control unfortunately. I'd suggest getting a load of decor to allow other fish to get away easily. The red belly is likely more visible because she is dominant. Do you have a pics?

[BigBen]

I kept them in a 125l and I wouldn't again to be honest, they were a bit too much in that space. Tank mates need to be carefully selected. I have seen people where it has worked in this sort of space. This chap ate through my neon tetras, and a few other small fish.

[plankton]

Welcome to the forum.
She will need to lay the eggs as there will be complications if she becomes egg-bound. Some fish can re-adsorb the eggs/fry, but I don't think cichlids can.
I call kribs the "terrorists of the tank", and they should be in a tank that's large enough for any (unfortunate) tankmates to hide clear away, so a larger tank with lots of "eyeline breaks" and planting so that other fish can hide. I'd actually suggest getting them their own tank.
Oh, and once they (kribs) start (male or not) they will keep on laying eggs and therefore there isn't a lot of let-up for the other occupants. With a male, they are probably as good at procreation as guppies.....

[alberthaas]

Welcome to the wonderful world of fishkeeping! It's great to see your enthusiasm and concern for your fish, especially your Kribensis. I'll try my best to answer your questions and provide some guidance for your aquarium.

Vivid Belly Color: The vivid coloration on the female Kribensis' belly does suggest that she is ready to breed. Kribensis females often display vibrant colors when they are ready to lay eggs.

Unfertilized Eggs: You are correct in assuming that without a male Kribensis in the tank, the eggs will not be fertilized and will eventually perish. In this situation, it's best to let nature take its course, and the mother will likely consume the unfertilized eggs.

Aggression: The increased aggression you're seeing in the female Kribensis is typical behavior during breeding and egg-laying. She is protecting her territory and her potential brood. Once the breeding cycle is over, her aggression should subside, and she should become more tolerant of the other fish.

Breeding Season: Kribensis don't have a specific breeding season like some other species of fish. They can breed throughout the year if the conditions in the tank are suitable and they are ready.

No Male Kribensis: Over time, the female Kribensis may realize that there is no male in the tank, and she might stop laying eggs. However, some female fish can retain the ability to lay eggs without mating, but the frequency of egg-laying should decrease if there's no male to fertilize them.

Tank Contamination: Leaving the unfertilized eggs in the tank won't necessarily contaminate it, but if you notice any signs of decay or if the mother starts to show signs of distress, it's best to remove the eggs to maintain water quality and prevent potential issues.

Remember, each fish has its unique personality, and while some general behaviors are typical for Kribensis, individual differences can occur. Observing their behavior and understanding their needs will help you take better care of them. If you ever consider adding a male Kribensis for breeding in the future, make sure the tank is adequately prepared to accommodate potential fry.

If you have any more questions or need further assistance, feel free to ask. Happy fishkeeping!

[black ghost]

Keeping two females together rarely works. One or the other will periodically come into breeding condition, regardless of whether there’s a male present or not, and she’ll want the other female to disappear so that she can have the tank as her breeding territory while she waits for a male to come by.

It will keep happening. Best to separate them and keep either just one female.

[Trev3011]

Many thanks for the replies and super helpful advice – much appreciated.
Looking at my tank and its layout I feel I may have made a rookie mistake and my tank is just too small to accommodate the enthusiasm of a wannabee mum-to-be Krib, its only 400mm side to side and she can get at any other innocent bystander fish in a split second, and they have virtually nowhere to go quickly enough.
At the moment she seems absolutely fine with the other female Krib, she seems to leave that alone, its everything else she goes for – without any personal preference - just anything nearby or in her way when she decides to swim around. They are all starting to get a tad stressed.
As it’s my only tank and I don’t have the means to accommodate elsewhere I feel I will have to take them back to the store, but if I did ever progress to a larger tank (wife’s permission needed for this ) then I would definitely consider them again.
Given the make up of my tank (less the Kribs) do you think Cherry Barbs would be okay – we’re just looking for something with a colourful pop.
Thanks all

[black ghost]

80L is just about big enough for a small pair of Kribs to breed in on their own if they’re a compatible pair, but it’s not big enough for Kribs with other fish. You want a 3 foot tank or bigger for that.

It’s also too small for Buenos Aires Tetras, and far too small for Swordtails. You also need more Cories because they need to be in a group just like the tetras.

For an 80L tank you’re really looking at “nano-fish” only.

[VikingMummy2015]

Cherries will be just as aggressive in such a small tank unfortunately (particularly if you go for the brighter males).

I’d also expect nerves and aggression from the Emperors in such small numbers in a small tank.

I’m also concerned about what your water hardness actually is as you have a mix of hard and soft water species.