PlanetCatfish.com

I moved them today and took the opportunity to snap some pix to try to figure out what I have for sex ratios:

#1

#1

#2

#2

#3

#3

#4

#4

#5

#5

#6

#6


I think #6 is a female and is full of eggs, the others I'm unsure of.

Thanks

correct me if i m wronge but 1,4,and,5 look like males the other pics are too dark.

jd_7655,
I am not sure (that's why I asked ) but I have been told by someone else that 1.3 and 4 look like males.

#3 is still small about half the size of the others so it may be hard to tell.
#6 looked a lot like a female when I handled her and from the answers I have gotten and the looks of the pictures I would almost guess that #2 is a female also.

THanks

#2 & 6 are females and the other are males (#3 is to small) and the females are on the way to produce eggs so you can expect spawning soon if you give them the right place to live in

Janne

Got to agree with the others. On #3, he's young, but the pectorals look male, nice and straight, plus the cutout behind the odontodes looks good-but neither is conclusive at that size.

Check the bulge on #6 behind the pectorals, I agree with you on being gravid.

Give 'em two weeks dry conditions in the new tank, and flood for a week. They look young, but a couple of cycles should get them going. You may want to keep them together anyway, we maintain groups of 2F/3M, which evens out to alternating spawns every month or so. Keeping smaller groups didn't yield significantly more fry.

Thanks Janne and pleco farmer,

it seems pretty conclusive that 1 & 4 are male and 2 & 6 females . #3 is young and small yet and I did recieve a vote for female and 2 for male on #5.

Still if there are at least 2 sure females and 2 sure males then it's just time to get to work and play some Marvin Gaye for them
Thank you very much

Yeah, Marvin sounds like a good idea, the Mantovani in the fish room is killing me...

HI Guys

Well one and four are as you all say males. 1 is pretty young, but four looks like he needs to get a little hareem going!! I think 3 is a young female as the pectorial fins are less crescent shaped.

Are they all in the same tank? what is the behavior between 4 and 3 like?

cheers

rob

Thanks doctorzeb,
I just moved them to a separate tank - they used to share a 55 gal with 6 L-260s but I have now moved them to their own quarters (30 gal)complete with 3 caves for spawning.

The main reason I did this is to have an easier time controling temperature ( now 86 F) and to make large waterchanges easier.

I haven't noticed interaction between them yet - honestly , I took pictures of them as I was moving them and have a harder time telling them apart now that they are in the tank again. I can tell #3 for sure because of size and I think I spotted #6. Two of the boys have staked out caves that they are now getting comfy in.

After the move I didn't feed for a day to let them settle in but after 2 days of light feeding on flakes. I gave them a big meal of bloodworms, brineshrimp and spirulina yesterday and they have totally cleaned it up.

Barbie mentioned that by raising the temperature from 80-82 to 86 it would raise their metabolism and make them eat more and put on weight - well , it seems to be working.
Thanks

for breeding, try putting in an airbrick or one that is used for ventilation purposes. they have very small holes/vents in the bricks and my zebras love these to hide/breed in. the holes are just the right size for them to squeeze in to.

BlackMystus

blackmystus,
what does the brick look like? Can you post a picture or link ? Thanks

4/22
This morning I snapped a few pics in the new quarters:

This is the tank, there are 3 caves and the two to the right are occupied. The powerheads are both on the right and so is a sponge air filter.


Lone male, I guess it might be #1. He has the cave nearest to the powerheads.


Well here we go!!! It seems that there are two in this cave. I definitly saw the internal organs (dark) pushed up on #6 when I was moving her so I guess it is her in the cave and I believe #4 was mentioned as the most mature looking male so that would be my guess until I can check out the markings better. The picture isn't the best but I didn't want to disturb them any more. Keeping my fingers crossed!

hi, unfortunately i dont have any fotos yet of the zebras, too busy taking pics for gigs in Carlisle at the mo and have no free memory card space. i will try and give you the best description: it is like a house brick, but more smoother and orange like your caves in texture. it doesnt have a frogged indentation on it like a normal housebrick. an air brick or ventilation brick with about 10 or 12 small frogged holes through the face of the brick. trying to find a site with bricks at the mo!!!!!

like this one but same colour and texture of your caves.

try these

this would be perfect if it had less holes in. are we getting any nearer to what you are looking for?



my zebras really like to get squeezed in there and they feel comfortable. i guess its a security thing when breeding. the small frogged holes are just and only just big enough for a mature zebra to fit in and possibly squeeze tight up for breeding.

ph7.4? using rainwater? heres a tip for you all

when breeding zebras: use fresh rainwater.

good luck with the lal buggers!

Dave@
BMFH, Carlisle

Well it has been about 2 weeks and no eggs yet

THe right side cave has an occupant most of the time - probably male.

Middle cave is where I have my hopes, there is a resident male and a female comes to visit a LOT. They get together in there and stay inside, cooking up who knows what but not eggs. They are in together most of the time and stay there for long amounts of time.

The small one has taken up residence under the driftwood and has had another pursue it but not gone to a cave.
The last one is usually hanging out in the back of the tank.

Is seems as there may be one good pair but they need some help. I started the cold showers yesterday - so we will see what happens.

On the plus side they have really been eating well since I bumped the temperature up to 86 (thanks barbie).