My first spawning of this species was quite accidental back in the end of 1993. I had moved in with a friend with three 55-gallon tanks and a 30-gallon tall tank. I had placed one of the 55's in my bedroom containing a pair of Kribs, several species of Killies, some young Rainbows, young Gouramis and a few other fishes.
After a couple of weeks I noticed the pair had changed colors. Figure 1 shows a female Krib in normal everyday color. The coloring changed in the abdomen of both male and female to an orange/red. The female's coloring was more intense than that of the male. The female was also getting a dark red to black shading around her abdomen as well the more excited she got. The female constantly swam in front of the male and would bend her body in a curve around the head area of the male and then would begin vibrating her body. Very beautifull to see.
I noticed they had spawned in a ceramic hollow log I had placed in the tank for them. I placed this 'house' at the left end of the tank. I started noticing I was losing Killies left and right after a couple days. I couldn't figure why or how until I saw the Kribs, in full spawning colors, going after the Killies. They weren't biting the Killies but I figure the Killies were dying off due to the stress of being constantly chased.
I watched the pair for several hours. The male and female would take turns being in the 'house' caring for the eggs. Most of the time it was the female watching the eggs while the male took care of his territory protecting it from invaders. The next day the pair evidently ate all the eggs. I do not know whether this was due to the eggs not being fertile or just wanting to protect them from the supposed intruders.
The next time they spawned I removed the eggs. Most were fertile. I place these in a net and let it hang at the surface of the tank inside a livebearer basket so the fish would not get to the eggs and devour them. After three to four days the eggs hatched. After another four to five days the wrigglers became swimmers.
Now in 1997, I have two spawning wild pairs. One is placed in a 55 gallon community tank containing Desert Gobies (approx. 1 1/4"), a spawning pair of Angelfish, misc. species of Apistogramma, three species of Corydoras, a few Peacock Gobies. I found newly hatched fry in the tank on Jan. 5, 1998. I was surprised to see them caring for the fry in this community tank. I placed a divider in the tank so the parent Kribs would be able to care for their little ones without interference from the other tank inhabitants. I did not know they had spawned and it is just as well because I would have taken the eggs once I saw them. I normally would take the eggs away from the pairs that spawn in the community tanks.
The other pair is in a 100 gallong community tank with P. altispinosa, J. transcriptus "Gombi", several species of Corydoras, Angels, Black Skirt Tetras, LF Leopard Danios, LF Gold Zebra Danios, a Madagascar Rainbow, and a pair of Hoplosternum thoracatum. I have been taking the eggs from this pair of wild Kribs each time they spawned. I may leave them the next time they spawn and see what happens.