Egg Production With Out A Male?

[wombat1100]

I have a question , and it might be dumb, but here I go! :unsure:
I was watching my cichlids this morning and i noticed a flurry of activity, looking closer my Tanzanian Black Acei was being chased by just about all of the fish in the tank. :ohmy:

It would seem she was dropping a trail of white eggs about 1-2 mm long. They were all chasing her and eating the eggs, including herself! :ohmy:

Now I had never tried to work out what sex this fish was before and as he is the only Acei in the tank , didn't think that she would produce eggs, or if a female did produce, that without a male the eggs were absorbed by the female, not released.
Any comments people?

Dazz

[DFishkeeper]

Hi Dazz,

I have seen african mouthbrooding cichlids breeding with themselves, and also two females breeding. Of course the result is unfertilised eggs which are spat out or swallowed after a few days. Sounds like you need to get her a male next time she conditions up, or she may try and breed with one of the other males in your tank, resulting in crossbred fry.

Cheers, Doug