My little zebra group

[powerfulpumpkins]

I currently have three zebra plecs in a tank with 4 L134'S. One has been in the tank around 10 years and the other two are youngsters from a local breeder. It was a shock to find a zebra fry a few weeks ago because I had not realised anything was taking place ! sadly this was the one and only fry and I lost it as I was unable to catch it.
I have noticed the last couple of months one of the youngsters moves a few times per week from its normal home the other side of the tank to just under a rock very close to the older fishes cave and stops a day or so. It looks like it has a bit of a plump belly and its back lurking around the cave again this last day or so - however the male appears to have moved nextdoor to a different cave.
I have a feeling she is looking for some action but I am unsure what would be best to try and trigger the male to get lusty. I did a water change last week, the tank flow rate is pretty good and they have been feeding on various pellet type foods.
The zebras dont worry about the L134's - ideally I would set up a tank just for breeding attempts but currently not in a position to.
Has anyone got any thoughts on whats happening and what I might have to do ?
Thanks

[powerfulpumpkins]

Any takers for this ?
Thanks

[in2plecos]

I just started trying my luck with zebras L46s and they are housed right now with my 3 leopard frogs L134s. I wish you luck! Let us know if you find the answer please.

[fishboy20]

You probably do not have to do anything to encourage them to spawn. If they are young, give them more time. They will figure it out. Zebras reach maturity around year two. As long as extremes are avoided in water values, you keep them at 82 F, provide pellet and frozen foods and make regular water changes, all should be well.

Jeremy

[powerfulpumpkins]

Hi fishboy the zebras have spawned atleast once because I saw a fry (which I lost) - the male must be atleast 10 years old now ! the young female keeps coming from where she lives in the tank and stays close to his cave for a day or so but nothing happens - she just goes back home again. Whats the best temp for zebras ? I ask because I always used to keep them warm - then dropped the temp mid summer because things were getting to hot and have never put it back up - I wondered if that triggered that first spawn ?

[TwoTankAmin]

I would get the zebras into their own tank ASAP. I made the mistake of mixing my first adult zebras in a tank with a pair of wc 134s, two mature wc 260 males and a pair of wc 333s. In all, I put 5 zebras into that tank over about 2 years. When I broke it down I had two smaller zebras (which I still have), and all of the other plecos.

I have found the current 134 group I have to be somewhat aggressive towards each other and more than willing to eat eggs and wigglers. I would not put it past them to give older zebras a bad time or to eat zebra fry if they can nab them.

The good news is zebras are much more difficult to get to start spawning than they are to keep spawning once they have started.

Also, I know somebody whose 19 or 20 year zebra was a father this year. So 10 years is nothing.

GL with them.

[powerfulpumpkins]

Thanks for your reply twotankamin I have never seen any agression with my L134's towards the zebras - even when added the two younger zebras - I was surprised how bold the young zebras were actually ! As you suggest I think really I need to split the L134's from the zebras but tank wise thats not currently easy - I had hoped to move all fish from one of my tanks into my new Jewel Rio300 display tank but that leaves a large L200 that I cannot risk moving in for fear it will eat the Jewel 3D background I installed ! that means he is going to hog a tank that could have gone to better use - mind you in the past it has lived with L260's so maybe the L134's may have to move in with it for a time !

[powerfulpumpkins]

I am getting a bit frustrated with my zebras in recent weeks the young female moves from her home the other side of the tank and hangs out for a few days at a time under an over hang right outside the males cave entrance but nothing ever happens ! (it must have once as I saw a fry months ago). I really dont know what to do to trigger this chap to get it on with the female. Maybe he is past it as he must be over 10 years old. Any thoughts anyone ?
Cheers

[Andypex]

Hey
I keep zebra's as well and have had similar experience with my eldest male. He's between 10-15yr old, i put him alone with a gravid female and despte her best efforts to get in his cave, he just beat her up and kicked her out to the point he nearly killed her. I moved them both back to the colony tank where she recovered well. He however, despite being obviously very healthy and holding a cave/territory, show no interest at all in attracting females or competing for 'alpha' position. My thoughts are that he's past it....
I genuinely think they can pass their prime. if i were you i'd try adding a younger more virile male to the group and seeing what happens.
If your after a male give me a shout as i am going to be splitting my colony down soon and have a mix of WC and F1 ranging from 2 to 4 inch.
Andy

[powerfulpumpkins]

Thanks for your reply Andy, have you had any previous success ? just wondered if between us we were not pressing the right buttons so to speak as water wise we are not a million miles away from each other - your Sheffield UK area and I am down in Derby. For my young female to keep coming across to his cave she must be feeling like the time is right but my male zebra just keeps moving from one cave to another of two that are next to each other. It might not have helped that for most of his life he has lived on his own until I sourced two youngsters so he has not got a long track record of mixing with others of his species. He has managed it once before without me even noticing (just saw the one youngster but lost it) so all isnt lost - its a case though of not knowing what set him off last time ! I would certainly be interested in fish if and when you break down your colony so keep me in mind.
Any other takers for what can do ?

[Andypex]

Yeah i agree we aren't a million miles away, but water wise i use mostly RO and RO/Tap mix but if your tap water is anything like mine its pretty much perfect anyway.
I have had previous success with L046 and with that female..... i just picked out the wrong male to go with her on that occasion, IMO he's to old. I plan to put her back with a younger male in the future but too busy at the moment.

Andy

[powerfulpumpkins]

Well abour 10 days ago because the female kept moving over to the males cave and sitting under a rock next to his cave - but with him showing no interest I did a series of water changes - one each day to try and make them think the rains had come - to trigger him to have more interest - the result didnt go well - the female promptly moved back to her usual home and has not been back in over a week !