hi guys,
iv read that tank bred fry are able to spawn at a younger age than wild zebras and i am wondering if this is true? i bought 2 young fish from hamish last year and they we're 1 year old last april... they are coming along nicley and with 4 months until they are 2 im beggining to wonder at what age/size they will be able to spawn. also at what age do they begin to change shape so they are sexable? my 2 both look like females shape wise but im crap at sexing them and i dont want to get my hopes up but if i posted pics would it be possible to accuratley sex them? they are about 2 & 1/4 inches now.
thanks and merry christmas!
Are tank bred fry really able to spawn earlier??
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andrewcoxon
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Are tank bred fry really able to spawn earlier??
My Pleco's:
4 x L46
5 x L174
5 x L134
5 x L287
5 x L257
2 x L236
4 x L46
5 x L174
5 x L134
5 x L287
5 x L257
2 x L236
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John
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andrew if they really are 2,25 inch they should be sexable
make sure to get some good clear pictures from the top and from the side of the head incl. pectoral fin
a ruler aside of it would be handy
heard of F1 that reproduced after 2 years
make sure to get some good clear pictures from the top and from the side of the head incl. pectoral fin
a ruler aside of it would be handy
heard of F1 that reproduced after 2 years
Greetings,
John
[img]http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x276/hypancistrus-zebra/half.gif[/img]
John
[img]http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x276/hypancistrus-zebra/half.gif[/img]
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cichlid_baby
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Plastic Mac
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There is no biological reason as to why F1 zebs would be able to spawn earlier than their wild counterparts, so I think the statement is rather deceiving.
If tank bred zebs do spawn earlier than wild specimens then I would imagine it is soley down to being more comfortable within their enviroment than anything else.
Plastic Mac
If tank bred zebs do spawn earlier than wild specimens then I would imagine it is soley down to being more comfortable within their enviroment than anything else.
Plastic Mac
Hi
A few points here.
Throughout this site people have reported that females have spawned at 18 months. I believe them.
Whether it is ideal to bring females on to maturity at such an early age, I'm not so sure.
Anyway I believe sexual maturity to be a function of size, which when growing on is dictated by conditions, water changes, whether they are left with the parents, diet temperature etc.
I have tried the above with various batches of fry, and the differences are noticable, fry at 6 months old being 2", and fry at 12 months old being 2".
Now if sexual maturity is a function of size, 18 months seems realistic to me.
IMO the problem with bringing F!'s to breed at such an early age, is that once the female reaches sexual maturity and starts to produce eggs, (And the concentrated feeds that we provide cause this) growth slows down considerably. Provide more infrequent feeds and the females will continue to grow as eggs will not be produced.
To back this up, how often do you go into an aquarist shop see wild fish and the difference in size between male and female is considerably less than the differential in tank breds. Admittedly this is based on Cichlids, but it is a fact that most the LNo's kept in our tanks are wild caught, but I see no reason why this will not apply as more and more LNo's are bred. Especially as these fish are being kept in their own right, rather than scavengers, hence we cater for their diet needs more speifically.
And finally the species on the planet which has been documented most, ourselves, well as diet has altered, the age of puberty has decreased, which has coincided with an increase in size.
Take care
Dave
Throughout this site people have reported that females have spawned at 18 months. I believe them.
Whether it is ideal to bring females on to maturity at such an early age, I'm not so sure.
Anyway I believe sexual maturity to be a function of size, which when growing on is dictated by conditions, water changes, whether they are left with the parents, diet temperature etc.
I have tried the above with various batches of fry, and the differences are noticable, fry at 6 months old being 2", and fry at 12 months old being 2".
Now if sexual maturity is a function of size, 18 months seems realistic to me.
IMO the problem with bringing F!'s to breed at such an early age, is that once the female reaches sexual maturity and starts to produce eggs, (And the concentrated feeds that we provide cause this) growth slows down considerably. Provide more infrequent feeds and the females will continue to grow as eggs will not be produced.
To back this up, how often do you go into an aquarist shop see wild fish and the difference in size between male and female is considerably less than the differential in tank breds. Admittedly this is based on Cichlids, but it is a fact that most the LNo's kept in our tanks are wild caught, but I see no reason why this will not apply as more and more LNo's are bred. Especially as these fish are being kept in their own right, rather than scavengers, hence we cater for their diet needs more speifically.
And finally the species on the planet which has been documented most, ourselves, well as diet has altered, the age of puberty has decreased, which has coincided with an increase in size.
Take care
Dave
