Three zebras in one cave!!!

Adam · Post by **Adam** » Sun Apr 03, 2005 1:18 pm

I was only teasing Shell because Duma said he had stripes like one of his females. He looks like a fine example of a male and I'm sure he will get down to business once you give him a group of females to play with

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Adam · Post by **Adam** » Wed Apr 06, 2005 11:16 am

A little update on my crazy zebras. I was watching them again last night as I usually do before lights out. The pair that have been in the cave that has proved to be everyones favourite were still in there. They've been in there for quite a few days now and still nothing from what I can see. Anyway along comes another female and she enters the cave, the male already in there didn't seem to mind her being there as he made no attempts to evict her. I watched them for quite a while and didn't notice any aggressive behaviour, all I could see was three tails quivering

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McEve · Post by **McEve** » Wed Apr 06, 2005 11:24 am

My goodness Adam, I really think you should teach your Zebra's something about morals

This is very exciting, keep us updated! It surtainly is your turn to get some young ones!

Mindy · Post by **Mindy** » Wed Apr 06, 2005 1:00 pm

Aw man! You have all the luck Adam... the only thing I've seen share a cave with one of my zebras was an female Endler who went in for a look 'round. And didn't get evicted either! She swam out when she was done exploring! I might end up with Zebdlers at this rate!

Adam · Post by **Adam** » Wed Apr 06, 2005 1:18 pm

I would have to agree with you McEve my zebras appear to be a right bunch of swingers with absolutely no morals. Being fairly open- minded I really don't mind who's having sex with who so long as it results in loads of babies. Perhaps when they get fed up of all the group sex a pair will decide to settle down and start a family

.

I will continue to catalogue my experiences with regards to this peculiar zebra behaviour, it may be of use to someone at a later date. I don't think I have read about this sort of behaviour before. I had always been led to believe that it was strictly 2 zebras to a cave and not this threesome stuff that my zebras seem to prefer, of course there are always exceptions to the rule

.

Adam

Adam · Post by **Adam** » Thu Apr 07, 2005 12:32 pm

Mindy wrote:Aw man! You have all the luck Adam... the only thing I've seen share a cave with one of my zebras was an female Endler who went in for a look 'round. And didn't get evicted either! She swam out when she was done exploring! I might end up with Zebdlers at this rate!

Don't worry Mindy things will happen you just have to give it a bit of time

. For ages my zebras showed no interest in each other then suddenly over the last month or so there's been a lot of activity. Your zebras are still very much still in the settling in period, I have heard that it can take up to six months for them to become really settled in a new setup. The tank that has all the activity at the moment has been up and running for about 6 months so I guess there may well be something in the six month settling in theory. My other more recent setups do not show this type of activity at all

.

Adam

Mindy · Post by **Mindy** » Thu Apr 07, 2005 1:17 pm

Well, the musical chairs continues... the two in caves have remained firmly put, but it's the three in the rest of the tank that can't make up their minds. They used to have three separate places, then there was one big under slate and TWO under the bogwood. Yesterday, the big one from under the slate has taken up residence under the wood and there were THREE under the wood, but the little one was being pushed out and was sometimes next to the wood but out in the open (so I took about a zillion pictures

). If he/she tried to get back underneath, the big one would push it out with it's face pronto. Today the big one reigns supreme under the log while the two smaller ones are under a different piece of slate, one right on top of the other. I didn't know they were that tolerant of each other. Crazy little things!

Adam · Post by **Adam** » Thu Apr 07, 2005 8:58 pm

Sounds like your zebras are still trying to find hiding places that they like, it could take a while. Most of my zebras can be found in the same spots, others seem to be nomadic and regularly turn up in different places

. I have noticed that it's mostly juveniles that don't take up permanent spots.

fishboy · Post by **fishboy** » Sat Oct 01, 2005 9:57 pm

Adam, how long wase females in the cave with the male before they spawned. I have a female L260 that has been in a males cave for 3 weeks, she just sits in the back. A few days ago I saw her roughed up. The male is 3 inche and female just under. Good thing it isn't 2 males, because one would be dead by now.

NeoCult · Post by **NeoCult** » Sun Oct 02, 2005 1:18 am

Adam wrote:I would have to agree with you McEve my zebras appear to be a right bunch of swingers with absolutely no morals. Being fairly open- minded I really don't mind who's having sex with who so long as it results in loads of babies. Perhaps when they get fed up of all the group sex a pair will decide to settle down and start a family .

I will continue to catalogue my experiences with regards to this peculiar zebra behaviour, it may be of use to someone at a later date. I don't think I have read about this sort of behaviour before. I had always been led to believe that it was strictly 2 zebras to a cave and not this threesome stuff that my zebras seem to prefer, of course there are always exceptions to the rule .

Adam

lol this kills me

good luck Adam

husky_jim · Post by **husky_jim** » Sun Oct 02, 2005 11:41 am

Neo wrote:
Adam wrote:I would have to agree with you McEve my zebras appear to be a right bunch of swingers with absolutely no morals. Being fairly open- minded I really don't mind who's having sex with who so long as it results in loads of babies. Perhaps when they get fed up of all the group sex a pair will decide to settle down and start a family .

I will continue to catalogue my experiences with regards to this peculiar zebra behaviour, it may be of use to someone at a later date. I don't think I have read about this sort of behaviour before. I had always been led to believe that it was strictly 2 zebras to a cave and not this threesome stuff that my zebras seem to prefer, of course there are always exceptions to the rule .

Adam
lol this kills me good luck Adam

Yeah!!!This post is the best by far!!!!!

Goodluck Adam

Adam · Post by **Adam** » Wed Oct 05, 2005 3:28 am

Thanks guys, I'm glad that my wayward zebras made you laugh.

I guess I might as well update you guys on the swingers while I'm here. Well the wife swapping continued for quite a while but it did eventually result in a spawn. Not too long after that though disaster struck, one of the males was trapped in a cave by a jealous husband and murdered. I guess there's a lesson to be learnt here for both man and fish alike.

fishboy wrote:Adam, how long wase females in the cave with the male before they spawned. I have a female L260 that has been in a males cave for 3 weeks, she just sits in the back. A few days ago I saw her roughed up. The male is 3 inche and female just under. Good thing it isn't 2 males, because one would be dead by now.

Fishboy,

You wouldn't happen to be Laurab5 from PC by any chance?

Anyway in answer to your question, in this particular instance it was difficult to say as the pairs kept on swapping partners and caves and I lost track of it all.

One of my males only traps females for a few days before they spawn. Another male has them in his cave for a couple of weeks before spawning. He is new to the game and I guess with time he may spawn more quickly. The longest cave trapping that I have personally witnessed involving the same two fish was 19 days, it resulted in a spawn.

Adam

fishboy · Post by **fishboy** » Wed Oct 05, 2005 10:00 pm

Yes, I am, that is my moms screenname or something. Thanks for the help. She isn't in it anymore, no spawn, but I know they eventually will, I have patience.

Adam · Post by **Adam** » Fri Oct 07, 2005 11:56 am

Hang in there mate, a cave trapping is always a good sign. If nothing else it at least lets you know that you have both sexes. I have noticed that first timers will often do a few dry runs or that the cave trapping will go on for a long time.

Adam

fishboy · Post by **fishboy** » Fri Oct 07, 2005 1:22 pm

It seems that whenever I move the rockpile back into the center of the current the female goes into the caves, but when I move it between the 2 males caves, the are hiding in the rocks. The one in the cave isn't gravid, but the one outside my mature males cave is extremely gravid. He is getting very nice odontodes on the pectoral fin. By the way, is it common to see females have small odontode growth on the side of their body.