Male Zebra Behaviour.

[Andrew C]

I have a trio of fully grown Zebras (1M & 2F) in a 4Ft tank, for a year now.

The male is fat, as is one of the females, where as the other female is still pretty skinny and a bit smaller than the fat female.

The fat female chases the small female away from the males cave, even evicts here from her hiding place, only leaves her alone when she goes in between the side glass and a spong filter about half way up the tank.
It dos seem like she is getting ready to breed, either that or shes getting Obese !

It is the male that is confusing me.
He normally just hangs out his cave all the time, apart from coming out to eat, then its a quick scurry back to his cave.
But for the past month or so, i keep finding him in fat female's hiding place, who is then found under skinny females hiding place, and won't go near her own hiding place again until the male moves back to his cave.

Do males sometimes chase females, as i always thought the female initiated breeding when she tries to get in his cave ?
Why after so long, has the male has started to leave his cave and started going into fat females hiding place ?
I thought they only breed in caves, not under a piece of slate that is propped up at one end ?

Confusing fish

[Rob]

Hi Andrew

How's it going?

First of all it is generally the female that induces the mating, then fights for a space in the males cave, so yes, you're spot on!! I have seen opne of my males spend some time out of the cave before, with a female, but this only tends to occur after the squabble at the front of the cave.

It is possible that teh male is forageing for food, and using his dominance over the alpha female. Due to the type of environment in a tank, a cave is usually the preferencial place for a zebra to breed. However, as these guys don't exactly have nice slate cave in the wild, anthing that is secluded, dark, and about the right shape and size will do. Although I think in this case he is just exercising his dominance.

Keep an eye on her once the lights go out, and see what happens. Try doing a 20% water change, and dropping the temp 3-4 degrees for a couple of hours, if she is ready to spawn this may put the male in the mood!

Cheers Rob

Cheers and good luck!

[Andrew C]

Thanks Rob
Things are going well, and the four Zebras i got from you have settled in well.
I also put in another youngster i had, which i got from a shop in England and they are getting on fine now.
When they were first in the tank, they were all pushing and shoving for one hidey hole, behind the outlet of the cannister filter , and there is plenty of room in the tank for them all.
They've stopped that now and the three, that i think are males have taken up a cave each, where as the two, that i think are females, go under pieces of propped up slate.
Got some Tetra Prima on the way back from your place, but they eat most foods i give them.
Some good feeding and a bit of time and you never know what will happen

I tried a 20% water change on the Trio's tank, but they are still playing silly games.
The male is spending more time under the slate now, than in his cave, but he still visits it, maybe hoping to trap the female in his cave on one of his visits, but she dosn't go near it.
I think it's more a territorial thing and just a phase the male is going through and that they are not ready to breed.

With some more time, maybe they'll figure it out better

Edit.
Today, i removed all decor from tank, apart from the male's cave and put in a new big piece of wood for the females to hide under.
Hopefully that wil sort the odd behaviour out !