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.
since i got the fish i try to change the direction and also the position of driftwood and slate until male move in.
after that a few day, i found out that one female hidding between a driftwood and a cave.(another one) so this way she cannot see that dominate male already move into the cave.
i decide to move that cave today so a female need to find some where else to hide. luckyly, she choose the driftwood next to the cave with a male.
a couple hour later i found out that this female try to get into male cave. he doesn't allow at the moment so i wonder how long it usually take for male to allow female to get into his cave?
(i didn't change any water or even stop feeding, it seem like she is more than ready!)
You never really know if it's a female for sure untill she lays the eggs. I'm serious, I have a male that looks so girly and yet I found out he's a male for sure. No, not by looking at his vent but because he actually moved into one of the cave's and I've seen him clash with alpha male over a cave.
The difference I noticed is in the approach - a female will aproach slowly and very gradually, she will try to coax the male to let her inside - sometimes the male will see her and just wave his head at her gently if he's not ready and then she will leave. As for the male, he will actually force his way into the cave and that's when you see the battles happening.
i think the one that try to get into the cave is female because this is the only one that other males in my tank are not chasing around. they let this one stay even under the same driftwood which is differ from male. if other male come into that area that other male stay, they will force one another to leave. so i hope this is a female.
right now, dominated male allow that female to get into the cave again. this is the second time, the first time took about 3 hours and nothing happend as they never have a spawn before. this time both of them stay for more than 2 days already! i try to peak in but i can only saw both of them but no eggs at the moment. how long do they usually stay in the cave until they spawn?
should i make a water changed at the moment? (it comes to the time for weekly water change)
if they have spent two days together, there will be very good chance that you have a pair. two males never spent that long time together. I have had only two seccessful spawns so far. from my experience, it would take from 3 days up to a week. first spawn usually takes longer. don't be disapointed if nothing happens. sometime it takes more than a couple times for them to figure out what they do. My young pair have spent 3 times to eventually have a seccessful spawn. Good Luck!
this is the third day and the female just left the cave. there is no eggs in the cave as far as i try with my flashlight. actually i am not sure because the male dive to the end of the cave every time i use the flashlight. however, he seem to come to the enter of the cave for most of the time and lay his body out of the cave except his head. so i guess he try to actract a female to come back again. i hope next time it works.
