What are my fish doing, Tilapia

[Annika Wallace]

I have five tilapia in a 55 aquarium and they have a hole in the gravel.  It is flat and now there is a hole in the gravel.  why are they doing this

[TCLynx]

The male is probably clearing a place for the females to lay their eggs so he can fertilize them and then they can pick them back up in their mouth.  See tilapia are mouth brooders and if they can't easily pick the eggs back up it is difficult for breeding to happen.  The males is just getting the nest ready for breeding so to speak.

[Annika Wallace]

great i am glad that is what it is.....

TCLynx said:

The male is probably clearing a place for the females to lay their eggs so he can fertilize them and then they can pick them in their mouth.  See tilapia are mouth brooders and if they can't easily pick the eggs back up it is difficult for breeding to happen.  The males is just getting the nest ready for breeding so to .

[George]

The 55-gal aquarium may get crowded

[Joel G]

 

Just make sure the lesser males and the females have places to hide from the alpha male/s, or your 4 other fishes might be so stressed out that they die.