Flapping with fins

All posts regarding the care and breeding of these catfishes from South America.
Post Reply
User avatar
jac
Posts: 1224
Joined: 19 Apr 2008, 13:56
My articles: 3
My images: 71
My cats species list: 84 (i:0, k:23)
My BLogs: 15 (i:16, p:755)
Spotted: 45
Location 1: Ede
Location 2: Holland
Interests: Fish of all types but mostly Loricariidae, Callichthyidae and Auchenipteridae. My awesome dogs and walking through nature and taking pictures.

Flapping with fins

Post by jac »

Hi,

I don't know exactly how you call it :oops: but I would like to ask you something.
Do only the males flap there fins in breeding caves or do females make this movement too? I have noticed this flapping also with the juveniles. Can I tell by the flapping if it is male or female?

Thanks! Jacqueline
Every great achievement begins with a dream ;-)
Bas Pels
Posts: 2913
Joined: 21 Dec 2006, 20:35
My images: 1
My cats species list: 28 (i:0, k:0)
Spotted: 8
Location 1: the Netherlands
Location 2: Nijmegen the Netherlands
Interests: Central American and Uruguayan fishes

Re: Flapping with fins

Post by Bas Pels »

I never saw it - unless there are eggs to flap. this is only done by males
cats have whiskers
User avatar
DutchFry
Posts: 748
Joined: 14 Sep 2007, 13:34
My images: 12
My cats species list: 16 (i:0, k:0)
My aquaria list: 2 (i:2)
Spotted: 9
Location 1: The Hague
Location 2: The Netherlands

Re: Flapping with fins

Post by DutchFry »

my pleco's fann their fins a lot, and i think they are telling each other "look at me, i'm a great father, my fanning skills are excellent, pick me pick me and you won't regret it"

ofcourse this is just my guess :D

all of my pleco's are male except one, and she doesn't fann (or i just haven't seen it).

hope this helps :?
Greetings, Tim
User avatar
MatsP
Posts: 21038
Joined: 06 Oct 2004, 13:58
My articles: 4
My images: 28
My cats species list: 117 (i:33, k:0)
My aquaria list: 10 (i:8)
My BLogs: 4 (i:0, p:97)
Spotted: 187
Location 1: North of Cambridge
Location 2: England.

Re: Flapping with fins

Post by MatsP »

I'd say that's a sign of being a male. But I wouldn't bet the mortgage on it.

--
Mats
Borbi
Expert
Posts: 497
Joined: 13 Aug 2006, 13:18
My articles: 4
My images: 64
My cats species list: 32 (i:0, k:0)
Spotted: 20
Location 1: Easton, PA
Location 2: United States

Re: Flapping with fins

Post by Borbi »

Hi,

might also be a sign of insufficient oxygen levels. Also with females hiding in caves: they use this movement to remove the oxygen depleted water from their caves (just like the males do to "nurish" their fry).

I wouldn´t base the sex on that without studying the specific tank, it´s inmates and their interaction really thorough. That is to say: only if I could exclude all other possibilities, I would take that as a sign of sex.

Cheers, Sandor
"What gets us into trouble is not what we don´t know.
It´s what we know for sure that just ain´t so."
--Mark Twain
User avatar
jac
Posts: 1224
Joined: 19 Apr 2008, 13:56
My articles: 3
My images: 71
My cats species list: 84 (i:0, k:23)
My BLogs: 15 (i:16, p:755)
Spotted: 45
Location 1: Ede
Location 2: Holland
Interests: Fish of all types but mostly Loricariidae, Callichthyidae and Auchenipteridae. My awesome dogs and walking through nature and taking pictures.

Re: Flapping with fins

Post by jac »

Oh yes :oops: Fanning was the name I was looking for :mrgreen:

O2 levels are good. My tanks are all on a biological filter. Water input falls from 3cm into the tank and there is a medium/strong current. I would say that water will come in anough contact with the air to keep water full of oxigen.

I was just curious if this fanning was for males only :D

Thanks very much for your reply's :thumbsup:
Every great achievement begins with a dream ;-)
DaveT
Posts: 23
Joined: 23 Feb 2007, 21:31
My cats species list: 3 (i:0, k:0)
My aquaria list: 3 (i:0)
Location 1: Lancashire, UK
Interests: Online Gaming, Tropical Fish
Contact:

Re: Flapping with fins

Post by DaveT »

I came accross this also when my tanks pH dropped.

Water changes and external filter strip down prevented a pH crash.

If there all doing it then id be checking my water parameters, previously only the males had done this, i was alarmed as all of a sudden all my adults were doing it and the males were out in the open, not hidden away in their usual caves.

Hope that helps.

Dave
User avatar
jac
Posts: 1224
Joined: 19 Apr 2008, 13:56
My articles: 3
My images: 71
My cats species list: 84 (i:0, k:23)
My BLogs: 15 (i:16, p:755)
Spotted: 45
Location 1: Ede
Location 2: Holland
Interests: Fish of all types but mostly Loricariidae, Callichthyidae and Auchenipteridae. My awesome dogs and walking through nature and taking pictures.

Re: Flapping with fins

Post by jac »

DaveT wrote:I came accross this also when my tanks pH dropped.

Water changes and external filter strip down prevented a pH crash.

If there all doing it then id be checking my water parameters, previously only the males had done this, i was alarmed as all of a sudden all my adults were doing it and the males were out in the open, not hidden away in their usual caves.

Hope that helps.

Dave
Thanks a lot Dave!
I'll check my water parameters imidiatly!
Every great achievement begins with a dream ;-)
Post Reply

Return to “South American Catfishes (Loricariidae - Plecos et al)”