PlanetCatfish.com

Hi,

I don't know exactly how you call it 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

I never saw it - unless there are eggs to flap. this is only done by males

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

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

hope this helps

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

--
Mats

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

Oh yes Fanning was the name I was looking for

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

Thanks very much for your reply's

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

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!