First Successful Spawn

Andrew C · Post by **Andrew C** » Fri Feb 23, 2007 6:51 pm

Thanks All
My zebras range in size from 3" to 4", my two definate adult males are roughly 4".

Some more pictures of the zebra fry and the hatcher set up, for growing them on a bit to a size where they won't fit through the cannister filter inlet guard on the growout tank.
I was doing a partial water change, that is why the water is low in the tank.

The last hole on the spray bar pushes fresh water into the hatcher, their is also a vent on the right hand side of the hatcher that lets the fresh water from the filter flow through it.

Better picture of the water entering the hatcher from the last hole on the spray bar.

Vent on the right hand side of the hatcher that lets the water out.

Three of the fry.

The other two.

Post by **John** » Fri Feb 23, 2007 8:51 pm

Watermanagement looks perfect to me, nice healthy looking fry!
Only thing i would add is a small hiding place for the fry.
(small cave like matchbox size)

Andrew C · Post by **Andrew C** » Fri Feb 23, 2007 9:50 pm

Thanks John
I will see what i can find for a small cave.

Hope the male is as good at rearing any more fry he gets as he was with these, and he was the sub dominant male in the big tank when i kept them altogether and never got a visit from a female.
The dominant male kicked out two batches of eggs when he had his chance

Post by **John** » Sat Feb 24, 2007 7:14 am

@ Andrew:

i think it's handy to use a piece of about 7cm of 22mm PVC tube with a endcap on it, you can take out the tube (make sure it stays full of water) place it on the endcap, drop some food in there and while the little ones eat you can clean the growout tank and when you're done just place the tube back and the little ones will throwout any uneaten food

Andrew C · Post by **Andrew C** » Sat Feb 24, 2007 8:05 pm

Found another fry, six from the male's first spawn

Also removed the spare female because of harasment from the now dominant female, hope i haven't upset anything.

Hello John
Didn't have any end caps for pipework, so used a small apistogramma cave i have instead.
Just noticed that you mentioned putting food in the cave to get the fry in it, as they seem to prefer hiding under it, rather than going into it

Currently using a turkey baster to suck out uneaten food and giving the hatcher a wipe with a paper towel once a day, though it can be hard to give the whole hatcher a wipe as the fry get spooked when the paper towel goes near them.

Lucy · Post by **Lucy** » Sat Feb 24, 2007 9:03 pm

Andrew
Have you thought of using a 35mm camera film case as a cave for them - I seem to remember someone posting somewhere that they used them for fry.

Post by **John** » Sat Feb 24, 2007 9:14 pm

Good first batch andrew.
I think you misunderstood me, i don't use food to get hem into the pipe.
They like small spaces that's why i use 22 millimeter PVC pipe.
If i clean out the hatcher i can put this piece of pipe out of the hatcher (with the fry in it) on the endcap while it is full of water, then i put some food in there and after i cleaned the hatcher i put the pipe back with the food still in it.
Any uneaten food will be thrown out, no problem.

Andrew C · Post by **Andrew C** » Sun Feb 25, 2007 6:20 pm

Lucy
Don't have the film cases you are talking, my camera is digital

John
Going to half to order a couple of end caps for the pipework i have (25mm), will use the apisto cave until i get them.

Roughly how long do the fry need to be kept in the hatcher, i have just been thinking along the lines of keeping them in the hatcher until they are big enough not to fit through the cannister filter inlet cover, then they will be going a tank themselves ?

Post by **John** » Sun Feb 25, 2007 6:45 pm

You could use this eheim prefilter:

I kept my young ones in the breeder for 3 months, then i put them with the parents.

andrewcoxon · Post by **andrewcoxon** » Tue Feb 27, 2007 4:12 pm

they look great!

whats your water parameters? did they spawn after a water change or do you know of anything else that could of set them off?

wouldnt mind seeing a pic of your actual tank set up!

keep up the good work!

andy

Andrew C · Post by **Andrew C** » Sat Mar 03, 2007 1:56 pm

Andrew
My water is soft and has a ph just below 7, it was not directly after a water change that the female gave the male a visit.
I think you need a well maintained tank, good feeding, a few zebras to give you more a chance of sucess, and also a lot of patience to breed zebras.
I still have other zebras that show no sign of breeding, it is just one female that has decided to start spawning.
I had my zebras for 3 years and they have just started, some of the zebras were adult when i got them, and it may only be certain individuals in a group that may breed, i will see if i'm right through time, and people that have zebras breed not long after they get them are very lucky, as a lot of patience is the main thing you really need with these fish.

The fry spend most of their time in the cave which makes it handy for cleaning, but i did find one dead fry this mornng in some left over food.
Hopefully just a blip, as the rest look fine and the male is sitting on more eggs.