My new multi tank

So, about 1 1/2 weeks ago, I picked up some multies from Anthraxx (Thank You Again!!) and here's what's happened with them since they've been with me. I put them in a 10 gallon tank with about 1 1/2 inch sand substrate and 2 rock formation/piles (with potential caves in & under them) with some shells.
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This is my fully grown male, and below him is what I'm pretty sure is a female (as opposed to a mostly grown male). The other 4 are too little to sex right now. you can see 2 in this pic
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Here's a close up of one of my 4 little fishies
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Part of what I'm really enjoying about these little guys is thier terratorialism/gumption, activity (when they think no one is looking) and the monochromatic feel of the tank.

In about 1 week, they've rescaped the tank to look like this. They've dug out caves under 3/4s of the rocks
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My big guy has claimed the rocks to the right side ot the tank, specifically the back & middle sections of the rocks and the caves. He's very monochromatic with these particular rocks, so when he slowly eases out of his cave into the open it's really fun to see (he's definately camera shy though). He's allowed the female to have the front bottom section of caves (she's also claimed the largest shell in the center of the tank & for a time it was his but he allowed her to use it).
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2 of the little guys have claimed caves on the left side of the tank (in addition to still sometimes using their shells). These are also very monochromatic with these rocks (those blue eyes make finding them much easier!). You can see this little guy likes to hang out near his entrance to the littlest cave all the way to the left of the tank. The other one hangs out behind the rock in the back near his entrance.
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You can see from this angle he's moved his shell right near his cave entrance. He likes to hover back and forth between the two - it cracks me up!
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Very nice! You have now been infected with the cichlid bug!

I like it. Looks nice!

Thanks y'all

I HAVE FRY!!!! I'm so excited! I was just feeding them and saw these super tiny little guys (guess you'd call them wigglers at this point?) that are just bigger than a pin head with tails. Honestly at first I thought the sand was moving until I got a closer look. They're extremely camoflauged in that tank.

Anyway, I just needed to share my excitment

Congrats!

thanks

Tank looks really good and congrats.

Awesome. That didn't take long at all!

Thanks ladies

I took out the red rock so that I could watch them a bit more, and added a bit more sand since they'd dug down to the glass. I rearranged the rocks on the right to make a few more caves. Apparently they're happy with it, so I'm not going to mess with it anymore.

I was a bit surprised by how fast there were a batch of fry. I guess I'd expected it would take a bit longer... So far I've counted 4 fry. I'm so excited about watching them grow!

they dont breed too many each time but once they get going they TAKE OFF!! btw im really liking the look of that sand i gave you as well.. didnt think it would like that natural.. idk. loving the rocks and fish as well. glad somebody got some from me that are breeding already. havent heard much from any other of my buyers . besides VW lol. well again congrats on the spawning already and they are looking fantastic.

Thanks It's nice to know they won't have large batches each time - I would quickly become overwhelmed I think. I think I'm also glad that my little fish aren't fully mature yet - though 1 is showing some bars now. I thought I was all impatient for them to all mature, but not so much now!

I think they're such facinating fish, I'm really happy I have them and that they apparently are happy in their new home.

Well, I can't find the little wigglers anymore which I'm hoping says more about my eyes than the contents of the tank. Just have to wait and see...

Something a little peculiar - 1 of what I would call the sub-adults or a young adult (probably about 1 inch or so, has bars on its sides now) has claimed the area behind the top of the heater, out-spout of the filter, and top of the intake tube for the filter as its territory. And will chase other fish out if it gets too close, but hides from the big male. I'm not sure if it's a male (current thought) or if it committed the great multi faux paus and has been banished. It has only come out and been with the others to eat brine shrimp. The rest of the time it stays on the edge and picks off what comes near it. I'm leaning towards it being a non-dominant male - what's your input more experienced cichlid keepers?

I don't keep multies, but it sounds like the behavior of a non-dominant fish that's being chased out of a territory and has nowhere else to go.

It might not work the same way with multies, but I have two male brevis together in a 10 gallon and had to put a rock structure in the center of the tank to make two separate areas for them. Now they live peacefully on their own sides.

Sorry about the fry. I'm sure there will be plenty more soon enough.

theyre still in there. keep the temp stable and like i said once u see fry u need to feed with freshly hatched baby brine shrimp. or crushed food. dont over feed as this will lead to a build up of excess waste. GL with the next few batches!

They are still in there I guess I was just having trouble finding them or they were just hiding in a shell.

I was thinking it was a non-dominant male as well so I rearranged the rock pile and divided the tank into 2 seperate sandy areas. Which has helped cause now he has his own shell again - I was feeling pretty bad for the little homeless fish. I put 2 shells over there hoping to encourage some of the other younger fish over with him, let him be social, etc. However they're feeling a little snobby I guess - they've gone to the empty shells on the right side of the tank. Or the big male is just that kind of in charge of the tank...he has reclaimed the rock pile and the right side of the tank. He's definately full of himself, he tried to chase me out of the tank when I was moving things around.