Aulonocara Spawning

I just happened to catch these two guys in the process of mating. I actually noticed it when Piggy, a larger, female Copadichromis borleyi rolled in and ate the freshly fertilized eggs before the female Aulonocara had a chance to scoop them up. Piggy would watch, wait until she laid one and then just push them out of the way and eat the egg(s). When I noticed this I started feeding the tank to distract any predatory behavior.

Phantom (the male) and his mate circling the spawning rock

The female picking up the fertilzed eggs

A little unwanted competition.

Another shot of our competitor

A better picture of Phantom

Here he is again, checking out the spawning site

The female with a mouthful

A wider angle view of the tank.

My Aulonocara spawned today, 2004-05-22. Sorry about the grainy quality of the pics; my camera doesn't do too well in low light and I had to jack with them in Photoshop so that they were anything but black.