SmithRC's Zeb update...

smithrc · Post by **smithrc** » Wed Aug 15, 2007 6:14 pm

hmm...

We lost 3 of the 12 week olds the other day... (due to my own lapse in care

)

the latest spawn are doing great though... out and about in the tank and making friends

Edlund · Post by **Edlund** » Wed Aug 15, 2007 6:17 pm

smithrc wrote:hmm...

We lost 3 of the 12 week olds the other day... (due to my own lapse in care )

the latest spawn are doing great though... out and about in the tank and making friends

Any idea what the reason was ?

smithrc · Post by **smithrc** » Fri Nov 23, 2007 8:28 pm

Time for an update all

We've been having "issues".

Good news..
I can confirm that we have 2 spawning females...
The beta male is maturing fast and he's had a few spawns of his own with the 2nd female

Bad news...
The beta male is causing problems with spawns.
He hasn't had a successful fry yielding spawn.
and now he has started to disrupt the alpha males spawns.

Solution...
2nd tank

I've sold the breeding pairs of starlight BNs that were in our 2nd Trop88, removed the substrate and have added more hiding places.

So tonight, after noticing that the alpha males latest spawn had gone

I've split up the pairs and moved some Fry too

Post by **John** » Fri Nov 23, 2007 8:49 pm

Congrats on the good news

Hopefully the badnews/solution will work out fine and make your zebs more productive

bonsai · Post by **bonsai** » Fri Nov 23, 2007 9:59 pm

Congrats on the new-Born's, they look lovely

Sorry to hear the alpha has given you such sad news

Hope things turn a different corner and you have some more spawns

smithrc · Post by **smithrc** » Fri Nov 23, 2007 10:07 pm

bonsai wrote:Congrats on the new-Born's, they look lovely Sorry to hear the alpha has given you such sad news Hope things turn a different corner and you have some more spawns

I think the Beta male keeps hassling him - the beta has eaten his last 3 spawns...

this last time both females spawned with the alpha male

but the eggs are gone again (they were due to hatch today/tomorrow too).

anyway - that piccy has raised my spirits

Edlund · Post by **Edlund** » Fri Nov 23, 2007 11:20 pm

Nice pics!.So the beta is going alfa now then with 1 female in a own tank then ?

smithrc · Post by **smithrc** » Sat Nov 24, 2007 12:11 am

Yep - I'll have a pair in each tank. with one more sub adult still to do a bit more growing (I'm wondering if its actually that one that is spawning already)

andyj · Post by **andyj** » Mon Nov 26, 2007 6:07 pm

hope the 'move' sorts out the issues you've been having.....

and the fry are all looking really healthy

keep up with the updates... it's been ages since the last one

smithrc · Post by **smithrc** » Mon Nov 26, 2007 10:01 pm

well... I can fill in some blanks...

I've been keeping a spreadsheet of spawns and dates since they started spawning. I've avoided counting fry as that would also meaning counting the dead ones and I dont want to dwell on them

So far we have had 10 spawns (it feels like more than that

)

The alpha pair have had 6 spawns and the beta pair have had 4.
Not all of them have been successful (the first 3 spawns of the 2nd pair "disappeared" before producing fry. the last alpha and beta spawn were to the alpha male and again disappeared before producing fry. so thats 5 out of the 10 that never got to yielding fry (see why there have been so few updates

)

I'm taking action though - the 2nd tank and an automated water change system to come soon will aim in giving them better conditions

smithrc · Post by **smithrc** » Tue Dec 04, 2007 4:40 pm

Good news all - We've got the first spawn since we seperated the pairs.

The "Alpha tank" has eggs

Fingers crossed the Beta tank will follow suit shortly.

Post by **John** » Tue Dec 04, 2007 6:48 pm

Congrats and may many follow

andyj · Post by **andyj** » Fri Dec 07, 2007 7:05 pm

Good news Russ

Is the Alpha tank the BB one ??

smithrc · Post by **smithrc** » Mon Dec 10, 2007 6:32 pm

nope its the one in our bedroom - the bear bottom one still hasn't got a spawn - we have wigglers in the males cave in the alpha tank now

churun meru · Post by **churun meru** » Wed Jan 02, 2008 12:30 am

SmithRC I am really pleased to have read of your success with your zebra breeding project. I read about your early attempts when I was an admin on fishouseforum and so I am really pleased you have progressed to this degree. Congrats dear boy and may your success continue.