Breeding Caves

Dr. P · Post by **Dr. P** » Thu Oct 07, 2004 9:46 am

Dr. P wrote:I just got myself some slate tiles at the weekend and I'm gonna try the normal tile cutter gizmo (not electric)... I'll post some pics up over the next couple of days and let you see how I got on.

Eh.....

no go with the crappy tile cutter that I was using. I'm borrowing the electric one this weekend... I hope I have better results then.

Des · Post by **Des** » Sat Oct 09, 2004 11:33 am

To Rob/McEve/Matrix99 or anyone who has bred Zebras,

If using the Slate/Tile breeding caves , what were the dimensions of the rectangular opening ?.
I would assume that an opening 2" wide by 1.25" high, would not be too
small.
To those who have bred zebras using pipes, what size was used?

Des

Post by **Barbie** » Sun Oct 10, 2004 9:40 pm

My tile zebra caves are 1.5 times the males body width (no fins included) and just over 1 times the height, and twice the males length (not including fins again). That set of dimensions has worked for the other hypancistrus I've spawned also. Larry Vires recommended it and it certainly does seem to be the preferred size ratio.

Barbie

Tristan · Post by **Tristan** » Sun Oct 10, 2004 10:57 pm

So they don't hav issues turning round in such small spaces, that was one of my concernes. Thanks

Des · Post by **Des** » Mon Oct 11, 2004 10:30 pm

Barbie,
Welcome to the forum and many thanks for your answer.
My zebras are not yet fully grown and therefore would be grateful if you could provide the internal measurements of the "caves" you use for your zebras.
The height of the caves,you mentioned as one times the height of the fish. Did this include the height of the dorsal fin or just body height?.

Regards,
Des

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Tue Oct 12, 2004 12:01 am

Hi guys,

the standard internal size of my zebra caves are 1.5 times width, and then the height of the male, (with dorsal fin extended) minus about 2-3mm, and 1.5 times legth.

This works out to internal size of 20-25mm high, by 50mm wide, and 110mm long. (based on one of yours des, cheers mate)

have fun

rob

Post by **Barbie** » Sat Oct 16, 2004 2:57 am

Yes, the height is just barely big enough that the male can wiggle in with his dorsal fin most of the way down. It's not exact, and basically I just made 4 caves with dimensions close to what I was shooting for as a target and let the male pick the one he preferred, in the spot in the tank that he deemed worthy. It worked for me!

I have made a slight modification to my design now. I silicone the back piece on, but then I cut it back off with a razor blade, and then use a large rubber band to hold it against the cave. When it's time to remove the fry, you just take off the rubber band and POOF, the babies are in the fry container, simple as pie without the headaches of trying to get them to crawl down the cave! I also set a rock that's about 2" tall under the front edge of the cave as soon as the male has eggs to keep him from fanning any out that are starting to hatch. It seems to work great by letting gravity keep the kids at the back of the bus

Barbie

Des · Post by **Des** » Sun Oct 17, 2004 11:24 pm

Rob and Barbie,

Thanks for your input. Spent ages cutting loads of pieces of black floor slate using my new electric tile, water cooled gizmo. Started off indoors but soon decided that outdoors would be a better idea, after the floor started getting pretty wet. Hopefully I can get a big cartridge of aquarium silicone and finish them off tomorrow.
After that, it is all down to the Zebras, Queen Arabesques , Chocolate zebras and Ancistrus Claro to enjoy their new boudoirs.
By the way, Rob, did I see Black silicone on your cave pictures?.

Thanks once again,
Des

Tristan · Post by **Tristan** » Mon Oct 18, 2004 9:58 am

Des wrote:Rob and Barbie,

After that, it is all down to the Zebras, Queen Arabesques , Chocolate zebras and Ancistrus Claro to enjoy their new boudoirs.
By the way, Rob, did I see Black silicone on your cave pictures?.

Thanks once again,
Des

Do you have all thses fish in the same tank?

DANthirty · Post by **DANthirty** » Mon Oct 18, 2004 1:22 pm

Do zebbys prefer to have there caves on the bottom off the ground? as were i am adding to my colloction off caves daily they are building up and getting higher and higher some are like built up too 7 inches high, am i wasting my time buy putting the caves up so high, there are plenty at low level so they can pick which ones they want. i was just wondering if anybody else had caves higher up in there tanks.

McEve · Post by **McEve** » Mon Oct 18, 2004 2:17 pm

I have one of the caves on the top level of the slate stack. It's been used, there even was an attempted spawn in there before the female changed her mind and went to the cave on the bottom of the tank where the biggest male is.

Mine prefer the caves on the bottom, but I believe it depends on wether there's som sort of shelf under the cave, so that they can sit outside the cave as well. If the opening is way up there I think they might even find it a bit hard to get to it

Just my two cents worth of observations from my group

Des · Post by **Des** » Mon Oct 18, 2004 11:35 pm

Tristan,

No all the fish are not in the same tank.
Queen Arabesques in their own(quarantine) tank with a pair of LDA01and some Indian rummynose tetras.
1 pair Ancistrus Claro, 1 male and 2 female Chocolate zebras(L270) , 4 sturisomatichthys Leightoni in their own breeding tank.
Zebras ,rams, L134's and royal whiptails share a tank.
Ps . Went to see a second hand 6ftx2ftx2ft tank last weekend ,which would have been great for the plecs , but unfortunately had to decline, since it was made quite a few years ago with extra thick glass,I think the base was 25mm!!! and 2 off us couldnt even lift it,of its breeze block stand.

Des

Pete · Post by **Pete** » Tue Oct 19, 2004 1:08 am

Oh yes.. 6'x2'x2' tanks are bloody heavy. Just ask stupid me, who herniated a disc lifting his into the lounge. And if you want to know about the surgery on that disc, I can tell you all about that too

Course, the fish like the space

Tristan · Post by **Tristan** » Tue Oct 19, 2004 10:29 am

Des,
Sounds like you have a few nice set, ups, do you have any photos of them?

Yep looks like you can do yourself an injury with six foot tanks.

Tristan · Post by **Tristan** » Mon Nov 01, 2004 10:37 am

Rob,

Have you made any more of those caves yet?