How the method works

Fish that place eggs inside a cave, shell, tube, crevice or enclosed territory, often with one parent guarding the site.

Practical breeding setup

Offer correctly sized caves or shells, multiple territories where needed, and a layout that lets weaker fish retreat. Do not keep lifting caves simply to check progress.

Egg and fry management

The guarding parent may fan and clean eggs. Once fry leave the cave, feeding access and protection from tankmates become the main problems.

Main failure point

Poor cave choice, territorial aggression and repeated disturbance can cause failed spawns or injured adults.

Fish in this category

The database currently contains 13 commonly kept fish assigned to this main method. Some fish also show secondary behaviours, and individual parental care can vary.

Asian bumblebee catfishPseudomystus siamensis12–15 cmOpen entry →Bristlenose plecoAncistrus cf. cirrhosus10–15 cmOpen entry →Clown plecoPanaqolus maccus8–10 cmOpen entry →Cockatoo dwarf cichlidApistogramma cacatuoides5–8 cmOpen entry →Common plecoPterygoplichthys spp.30–50+ cmOpen entry →Convict cichlidAmatitlania nigrofasciata10–15 cmOpen entry →KribensisPelvicachromis pulcher8–10 cmOpen entry →Multifasciatus shell dwellerNeolamprologus multifasciatus3–4 cmOpen entry →Peppermint bristlenose plecoAncistrus dolichopterus10–13 cmOpen entry →Rubber-lip plecoChaetostoma formosae10–13 cmOpen entry →Upside-down catfishSynodontis nigriventris8–10 cmOpen entry →Whiptail catfishRineloricaria lanceolata10–13 cmOpen entry →Zebra plecoHypancistrus zebra8–10 cmOpen entry →

Originality and limits

This guide explains the shared breeding pattern in original AquaNexus wording. It is not a substitute for the individual species entry, because temperature, social structure, egg size and parental behaviour differ.