Trio Breeding?

Everything you ever wanted to say about "Zebra luvin", but didn't because you thought everyone would take the mickey! Plus general topics for discussion including everything from what you feed them to your personal experiences.

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midnight
Newbie
Posts: 8
Joined: Mon Jan 29, 2007 2:07 am
Location: rochester, ny

Trio Breeding?

Post by midnight »

Does anyone here breed zebras in trios [one male, two females] in a tank?
Kontong
Newbie
Posts: 6
Joined: Mon Jun 08, 2015 5:23 pm

Re: Trio Breeding?

Post by Kontong »

Hi I am new to l46. Was also planning to start with 3 ( 2m and 1f.).wonder how is the success rate too ? :)
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TwoTankAmin
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Posts: 1252
Joined: Fri Apr 21, 2006 2:16 am
Location: Westchester Co., NY

Re: Trio Breeding?

Post by TwoTankAmin »

I have always preferred to breed my plecos in groups. With zebras it can be a problem buying by sex. The only guaranteed way I know to sex them is to vent them or else to catch them during spawning. I can also tell the sex of mature individuals by how they behave. The fewer in a tank, the easier this is.

Most sellers do not sex the fish, especially when young. Moreover, if you try to buy just females it becomes pretty difficult. And if you can find them for sale, be prepared to pay up. I was actually in a situation where I needed 2 males. I bought and paid for them and while I had them in quarantine I noticed one was caved, in the same cave almost all the time. the other was under wood under rocks and now and them in one of the other caves. I just knew it was not a make and when I posted pics, including from below, I had it confirmed that I got a pair. Much as I had wanted two males, there was no way I was going to complain.

I have colonies of both zebras and L236. At the peak in a tank containing 13 proven zebra breeders I never had more than two spawns- from the Alpha and number 2 male, ongoing. Once at the peak I had a third at the same time. It only happened that once. In my group of 10 L236 I am seeing the same things. Two males are spawning regularly and that is it.

Having a spare fm is a great idea, but I would be more inclined to try to spawn zebras either in pairs or groups rather than 1m/2fm or vice versa. What may folks do not realize is that just as males have a pecking order, so do females. The top females are the ones who get to spawn. With makes, however, the risk is one kills the other. With females the worst you should see is the female who is not spawning may eat the eggs or wigglers in order to free a male from dad duties and thus incline it to spawn again with her.

However, there are np hard and fast rules. So if you do work with multiples, be sure to be alert to the possibilities of negative situations.
What makes the common person uncommon is common sense.
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