Q for people with several spawns: Is it always the same male

[INXS]

I am curious about the ability of several males to spawn in the same tank.

If you have spawned several hatches - has it been the same male or a different one?

This is to help figure out if it may improve the amount of broods by splitting the group or not.

Personally I didn't witness the first two spawns but the last two seem to have been the same male in the same cave (possible the same female).
There seem to be several larger fish in the tank but it is just the one spawning.

Thanks

[Barbie]

Yep, always the dominant male. Larry Vires told me that's normal. He was very shocked to hear I'd had a second spawn at the same time in my L260 in one tank. Evidently the females couldn't wait for the dominant male to have time in his schedule . It's definitely not the norm from what I've read though.

Barbie

[Adam]

With my lot it is always the dominant males that spawn. On the odd occasion that a sub-dominant male has spawned the spawn has failed, eggs were either eaten or were not fertile.

There are a couple of members here that have been lucky enough to have two males regularly spawn in the same tank. On the whole this is more of an exception to the "rule". I suspect that "floor space" has a lot to do with the possibility of having multiple males spawning in the same tank. If the territory needs of all the fish are met in a larger than average sized tank then I can't see why not. There is a member here who has had multiple spawns in a six foot tank.

I would be inclined to leave the group as they are for the time being as they have only recently started to spawn. I know that the temptation is to remove some fish in order to make another breeding group but you run the risk of upsetting the heirachy. Personally I would leave them to spawn quite a few more times before considering to split the group up. Even then there is no guarantee that once you have two groups they will continue to spawn. About four months ago I split a spawning group of mine into two and to date neither have spawned again. My most productive group could be easily split up into two groups but I have left things as they are for months now for fear of disturbing them like I did with the others.

Adam

[INXS]

Thanks Adam,
I appreciate the answer as I'm planning and scheeming a better zebra tank and more prosperity.

Your answer is in line with most of what I have heard.
So far I have concluded the following:

It seems that it takes the zebras a long time to get to spawn for the following reasons:

They need to familiarize themselves with the new quarters.
They need to stake out terratory.
The group needs to get a ranking order established
Obviously they need to mature
They need to get fattened up
The group needs to develop a sence of who is who and comfort in numbers

Furthermore it appears that once the dominant male emergers (this can also take time) he will need to find his prime terratory and the females have to figure out where it is , who he is, come and check it out and find the best place to hang out and scope him out.

I gather from what I have heard from others and my own observations that by splitting the group up you upset the pecking order, disrupt the comfort that comes from being part of a group and limit the top dogs (or zebras in this case) testasterone/dominance that comes from keeping the other males at bay so he may not seem as dominant. Also it may limit the females competitiveness in trying to breed with him.

This is just theory and may be totally off the wall but if true may explain why it is difficult to get these fish to spawn.