Clare wrote:l.careuleus are prone to breeding at a young age. It normally depends on species, size and how far from wild they are in gene's. Wilds tend to breed alot later than TB.
hi clare,
i think you will find the reason for wilds taking a lot longer to breed than F1 or tank bred is nothing to do with "genes",just simply the fact that F1 and tank bred fish have been born and raised in aquarium condition's and are adapted ,,used to....know no different conditions,so will breed readily.
where as wilds have been used to lake water ,not aquarium conditions "shall we say just to keep things easy",if you keep wilds in good water they will breed as readily as F1 and tank bred fish,
just an example ,
wild fish in the country nov 28th 2009,i recieved them 2nd january 2010 (very thin out of condition),i quarantined the fish further (as i do my quarantine ),,spawned mid febuary,fry @ 3-4 cm by june 2010
that to me is not " take longer to breed than tank bred fish ",,its the water you keep them in not "fish genes"
just my personal findings clare ,as with the other wilds i have breed
, but at what age or size do they become sexually active wether it be mbunas or haps, the reason for asking is that i got my new tank up and running about 6 weeks ago, and after 2 weeks of running it fishless, i went and got 3 yellow lab at 1 and half inch long and 4 otopharynx lithobates at the same size, and there now just over the 2 inch mark, come home last friday and find what i thought was a sub male yellow lab, is a female and shes holding, again come home thursday after working away, and now 1 of the otopharynx holding 
and yet otopharynx are still in there camo/ mottled brown color 
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