HELP!!! L-46 Breeding for the First Time....

El Loricadio · Post by **El Loricadio** » 18 Sep 2003, 04:17

Hello Everyone!

I am happy and sad to announce that my Zebras have begun breeding for the first time. It all started when two weeks ago I saw two zebras in a cave. Nothing happened. 3 days later the female left the cave and went into a different cave with a different male. She stayed w/ this male for 2 days! Then she left and the male has been in this cave up until today.

My biggest mistake was anxiety. I took the cave out to put it into a floating tank inside the breeders tank. I just wanted to put the cave without the male inside the tank and when I gently tapped the cave my heart started beating very rapidly and I became frustrated when I saw 4 BABY ZEBRAS POP OUT

...this is exactly how I felt...SHOCKED!

Well, the male is still in the cave in another floating small tank in the same tank. The 4 babies are separated from him in the other small floating tank. Both are in the breeders tank. These two floating tanks have small pores that allow water to flow in and out without letting the babies escape.

My set up is the following: 30 Gallon tank with undergravel filter, power filter, and a powerhead. There is ALOT of water movement in the tank.

My question is: Do I still need a small airstone inside either/and both floating tanks? I HAVE NOT touched the babies in order to put them with the male because I am afraid since I don't know how to handle them. The fry are from 10-14 days old, they still have the sac from which they are feeding from.

I am going to start doing 10% water changes 2 times a day. Does this sound okay? Should the light in the tank stay on or off? I am planning to leave it off for now. Will wait for a reply.

Thanks Again!

doctorzeb · Post by **doctorzeb** » 18 Sep 2003, 11:13

COngradulations El Loricadio

Nice one. The young should be ok in the breeder on there own, I would put an air stone in just to make sure though.

Are there still young in with the other male, or is he in a cave in a breeder on his own?

If so, there may not be any reason to leave him in there. I've still got some fry in my main tank with the male but I plan on removing them soon. Problem being I feed the adults on blood worm, and the young fry can sometimes choke on them.

As for the light, solong as there is a pice of stone or wood for them to hide under they should be OK.

Congradulations again.

Any chance of you writing a wee article for the website, and could I put you on the spawn list?

cheers rob

http://www.qems.biz/zebra.htm

El Loricadio · Post by **El Loricadio** » 19 Sep 2003, 00:44

Hi Dr. Zeb:

First of all I would like to thank you for your response.I will put an airstone in the floating tank this afternoon. I am not sure whether there are more fry in there with the male. Do you or anybody else have any advice or a trick on how to take the male out of the cave in order for me to see if there are any more fry in there with him?

When I have a chance I will write the article for your website. It is more thank okay for you to put me on your spawn list. If you want my name and location you can e-mail me.

Again, thank you.

Armand Ortega · Post by **Armand Ortega** » 19 Sep 2003, 07:47

Felicidades ALEX !.

doctorzeb · Post by **doctorzeb** » 19 Sep 2003, 09:13

HI El Loricadio

I wish I did have some tips onhow to remove the male from the cave, but I'm still sitting with 6 in cave, and the male welded to the inside

.

I can get eggs out with a turkey baster, (i.e. if they develope fungus), but as far as the male goes, all I can suggest is feed him and then sit watching it. get yourself a coffee and a book, it may take a while.

good luck, and I'll send you an e-mail.

rob

zebra046 · Post by **zebra046** » 19 Sep 2003, 11:24

If the cave the male is using can be moved all you have to do is lean it on the wall of the tank or breeding basket at an angle the front opening facing down and the newly hatched eggs will roll out when the male moves, but if the fry are large enough they will swim back up the cave, I normally do this around a week after the female spawns WARNING: make sure the cave does not slip and fall killing the larvae or fry it is best to do this in a seperate container or place a devider in the tank other zebras eat newly hatched eggs. to make it faster have the belly of the male pointing up it will make him rotate to right himself dislodging the eggs.

Good Luck

doctorzeb · Post by **doctorzeb** » 19 Sep 2003, 13:04

Cheers Zebra 046

Unfortunately I think my fry are too big for that now, but I'll bear it in mind for my other clutch due to hatch next wednesday. (do you mind if I put that advice on the website)

ta

rob

ClayT101 · Post by **ClayT101** » 20 Sep 2003, 00:01

Congrats....thats awesome!!!!!

El Loricadio · Post by **El Loricadio** » 20 Sep 2003, 04:09

Great news! Last night I saw two more fry in the cave with the male. Unfortunately, I was only able to take one out. The other fry swam back up in the cave with the male and I have not been able to take him out. The mom is hanging around the cave of another male, it has only been 2 weeks since she spawned. Could it be that she is interested in another spawning even though it is too soon and she does not look too gravid

I am also worried because the male that is raising the fry has not come out to eat at all for two weeks. Well, I have not seen him near the food even when I put food in the tank.

Felicidades ALEX !.

Muchas Gracias, Armand!

THANK YOU, EVERYONE!

doctorzeb · Post by **doctorzeb** » 20 Sep 2003, 10:24

EL

Don't worry about the male, he is probably coming out to scavange at night when he feels the fry will be safe.

I've left my fry too long, I found then all over the tank this morning, so looks like they will be staying in there for a while.

Too awkward to try and catch them.

Two weeks does seem kind of short for another spawn. Is it definately the same female?

Keep your fingers crossed.

rob

zebra046 · Post by **zebra046** » 21 Sep 2003, 11:36

Doc zeb feel free to place the advice in your website as a matter of fact I got some Pics. in this album http://www.corydorasworld.com/planetcat ... ry/albun21 that you might be interested.
the next time the zebras spawn try to remove the eggs or fry 6-8 days after spawning this will insure you a higher number of viable fry

this is about 6 days old

the fry in the center just hatched when the photograph was taken while the fry on the left side is still trying to free itself from the shell, if ever you see a fish that has taken far too long to hatch you can just lightly rub the eggs in-between your fingers and they will just pop out

doctorzeb · Post by **doctorzeb** » 21 Sep 2003, 11:45

Excellent albums Zebra046, and the pictures of the eggs are fantastic, they are one thing I've had problems getting pictures of. Cheers for the advice, I will reomve the eggs on Tuesday when they are six days old. As for the pictures, I will definately put some on the website, especially the sexing ones, if thats ok.

Any chance of you writing a little article, and going on the spawn list?

Thanks again, I think I'll do a little editing today.

rob

doctorzeb · Post by **doctorzeb** » 23 Sep 2003, 10:05

Hey Zebra046

Just put the cave on an angle and watched the eggs role out in one big clump. Excellent advice!!!!!

Good spawn as well, there are 21 eggs! So far they all look about ready to hatch.

rob

zebra046 · Post by **zebra046** » 25 Sep 2003, 05:05

D zeb,
make sure to add an airstone in the hatching tank, remove the fungused egg promptly if it is hard to get to, you can poke it with a syringe and suck its content, this will avoid infecting the other eggs.
Good Luck

El Loricadio · Post by **El Loricadio** » 03 Oct 2003, 02:28

Here are a couple of pictures. I will put some more of the baby zebras up in a couple days!

These are the first 3 baby zebras that I was able to rescue! They are around 13 days old in this picture.

From my point of view this is a male even though a few friends of mine believe this is a female!

This is one of my Peckoltia sp. L134. Next to him you can see the cave where the zebra babies were born.

A young male albino long fin ancistrus.

This is a young pair of albino long fin ancistrus .