L134s fanning?

xinguinsis · Post by **xinguinsis** » 22 Sep 2005, 14:51

Hi All,
Just wondering what peoples experiences have been with L134 whether they fan their spawn much.I beleive fanning is greatly regulated by the dissolved oxygen levels of the micro environment(and their own respiritory needs) of their cave , I beleive do levels are good in the cave,however it still concerns me that the only time I notice fanning is in courtship .Having had a number of failed spawns I was wondering wether any L134 breeders could help me with this concern .
Regards Chris

pturley · Post by **pturley** » 22 Sep 2005, 16:57

If you buy into Jonathan Armbruster's theories regarding mate choice in female Loricariids (Ancistrus spp. specifically; I do BTW!), the male may well be attempting to entice a female to his cave.

The other possibility (as you pointed out in your post) is a lowered DO level in the tank or in the area of the male's cave.

IME, Loricariids will fan vigorously for either reason. If it is due to O2 levels and they drop too far, the male will likely abandon his cave for the upper levels of the tank and continue to fan there.

Post by **Barbie** » 22 Sep 2005, 17:04

Just as a tidbit of info here, I keep my zebras at 86 degrees and rarely see them fanning in any way. Their dissolved oxygen levels would be appreciably lower than say the Ancistrus at 78, yet the ancistrus fan like mad. I have different males that fan very aggressively, and others that barely seem to move, without visible differences in numbers of fry that survive the process. I think some males might just honestly take their role more seriously than others, although I'm certain that less than ideal water parameters could definitely cause some compensation, also. I just don't think it's the only reason for the behavior, personally.

Barbie