How can I induce them to breed?

ApacheDan · Post by **ApacheDan** » Fri Jan 23, 2009 9:33 pm

Ok guys, here's the deal: I have an adult colony for ove 8 months now and they don't seem interested in sex

From what I can see, there are 3 males, 2 females and one undecided snubnose. Males are about 2.75-3.5". Females around 3". Alpha male always in a cave (got 3 caves). He bullies my 2nd largest Z,. Another younger male in another cave. Females seem to visit in & out, but never stay for a nightcap.

I mantain my water temp always 85-86F. Feed a variety of food at night and always vacuum in the morning. I figure I must be doing about 10% daily water changes. They are in a 30 gal long tank, 3 caves, slate rocks, driftwood and seem otherwise happy. Plenty of current & filtration. Since I keep them in a garage, I got an artificial subdued uv light during the day and automatically change to nightlights at night.

Only thing I can think of is that my daily cleaning is disturbing them? Otherwise they all seem healthy & happy. When I originally got the group, the alpha male had beaten another male to the pulp....ever since that male recovered, grew fins back, etc.

I can be patient, but what else can I do? maybe feed them oysters?

RAYISKING · Post by **RAYISKING** » Sat Jan 24, 2009 4:36 am

You are bothering them to much maybe once a week to every other week change the water also you may not have proper cave postion and another thing they might not be interested in each other.

Post by **Barbie** » Sat Jan 24, 2009 6:56 am

Now that they are conditioned, stop doing water changes for a couple weeks (if it's safe to do so) and wait. After 3 weeks, drop the temp down to 82, do a few big water changes with cool RO water and be patient

.

Barbie

ApacheDan · Post by **ApacheDan** » Sat Jan 24, 2009 3:15 pm

Barbie, let me give you the complete picture. About a year ago I went zebra-crazy and bought several stock from different breeders so I could mix the bloodline. I ended up with 4 x20 gal long tanks plus one 30 gal long in a central filtration system. Each tank can be isolated and put on individual filtration and heating. For almost a year, I've raised 5 different groups of 6 zebras each, with only one casualty, which I believe was the zebra choking on food. I only got one group of 6 that are adults of breeding age...the rest are at different stage of growth, but none older than 2 years old.

All my tanks are barebottom. I tend to overfeed, with the fear that the dominant zebras might make the smaller/weaker ones starve. So far, I've been succesful, but in the morning there is a lot of leftover. So...how much feeding is enough? I can isolate my adult tank and don't bother them for a couple of weeks. How much feeding? any special food? Many Thanks. Dan

Post by **TwoTankAmin** » Sat Jan 24, 2009 6:16 pm

I would add one thing to Barbie's advice. When you stop the wcs and then get ready to do the bigger wcs, try to time the first one to the arrival of a storm. I am of the opinion that the barometric pressure changes are much more important than the temperature differences.

RAYISKING · Post by **RAYISKING** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 2:50 am

First stop with all the water changes do a water change once to 2 a month.

second cut back on feeding until you see there is no food in the morning

make sure you disconnect the system let that tank have it's own filter and heater

do you have pics of the setup and are you sure you have proper cave sizes if to big the female will just get out.

Are you sure you have your caves placed properly they should have current going by them not in them.

are they the only fish you have in the tank or you have others with them

and if all else fails i may see if you can trade out a female or add an extra female around 2 and half inches

also i have not needed to change the temp in my tank i have been able to leave it at 85 i just had a spawn about 10 days ago in three of my tanks two zeb tank one albino bristlenose plec tank all have the same setup and all breed in those conditions the only differnence between my zebra and albino tank is that the zebras have sand and the albinos really do not they have a little patch in the corner that they babies seem to like other wise it is a bare bottom tank

I_Need_Zebras · Post by **I_Need_Zebras** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 5:10 pm

Good advice above. nice post.

Zebedee · Post by **Zebedee** » Mon Jan 26, 2009 5:37 pm

should you still hoover up the fishes poo in the morning or not is it that you have to stop disturbing them?

ApacheDan · Post by **ApacheDan** » Mon Jan 26, 2009 5:56 pm

Zebedee wrote:should you still hoover up the fishes poo in the morning or not is it that you have to stop disturbing them?

Not really....it is just that there is a lot of uneaten food & I don't want it to spoil. Again, I think I overfeed.