SmithRC's Zeb update...
Posted: Sat Jan 06, 2007 11:43 pm
Well - I've been off of here for a while so i figured I'd give everyone a quick update.
I'll give a quick recap of our zeb history for those that are new
We've had a group of 5 adults since Jan last year (so we've had them a year) We were never sure what sexes we had and in the end I had resigned myself to the fact that we had all males...
I still did RO changes and varied the temps etc to see if they would respond. but they didn't.
We added a 6th back in Aug and it seemed to mess up the tanks hierarchy, there was fighting going on over caves and the Alpha male took a real bashing loosing his stripes in one nights affray, The fighting settled back down again shortly afterwards but things weren't right.
We decided to set about looking for a mature 100% female. To fund it, we sold one of our males (It was going to be 2 but there was some suspicion of the sex of one of the others and I didnt want to sell both of the most mature males)
Once there was 5 things took a turn for the better - zebs we're paying other zebs attention other than fighting and it all looked happy again.
We continued with the water changes and monitored the TDS and PH and varied them to try and get some reaction... nothing.
I got a little worried at one point as the new alpha male had another 'male' trapped in a cave for a few days - then nothing - then trapped in a different cave for a few days.
In mid November Lorna and I became parentsto little baby boy called Ben, I was in and out of hospital for 4 days and was feeding in the evening as usual. The day Ben came home I took a look in the zeb tank and to my horror there was a dead one floating under a bit of bog wood!
Lost heart at that point - although it wasn't our latest addition and it wasn't any of the main players in the tank - it was still a big blow. Water tested fine - everyone else was fine... emergency water change and left them to it again.
The 2 zebs continued to share a cave - no fighting and no-one had damage or looked distressed so I left them to it... (got a little excited)
Well that was 7 weeks ago and since then they have been neglected... nothing bad but with the new baby - time and sleep are luxury's (hence my absence)- but they have had just one water change in that time and only been fed quick and easy foods (eg tetra prima from the pot next to the tank) I treated them to blood worm a few nights ago as I was feeling guilty. I was also going to do a water change the night before and again last night but didnt get chance...
Well I'd been checking on the sharing zebs and there was nothing to report - disappointment... until this morning. I took a quick head count and saw 4 zebs... normally I can normally see 2 tails - one in the tank and then check on the ones sharing the cave to make 4. But this morning there were 2 tails and 2 out in the tank....
A quick look in the cave they were sharing last showed the male in there fanning as usual... but a lovely present at the back! Approx 20 perfectly round little orange orbs!
They have finally got it together! and like so many stories, it happened after a period of being 'left alone'
Pics WILL follow! but for the time being here are the only 2 I'll be taking of the eggs.
I'll give a quick recap of our zeb history for those that are new
We've had a group of 5 adults since Jan last year (so we've had them a year) We were never sure what sexes we had and in the end I had resigned myself to the fact that we had all males...
I still did RO changes and varied the temps etc to see if they would respond. but they didn't.
We added a 6th back in Aug and it seemed to mess up the tanks hierarchy, there was fighting going on over caves and the Alpha male took a real bashing loosing his stripes in one nights affray, The fighting settled back down again shortly afterwards but things weren't right.
We decided to set about looking for a mature 100% female. To fund it, we sold one of our males (It was going to be 2 but there was some suspicion of the sex of one of the others and I didnt want to sell both of the most mature males)
Once there was 5 things took a turn for the better - zebs we're paying other zebs attention other than fighting and it all looked happy again.
We continued with the water changes and monitored the TDS and PH and varied them to try and get some reaction... nothing.
I got a little worried at one point as the new alpha male had another 'male' trapped in a cave for a few days - then nothing - then trapped in a different cave for a few days.
In mid November Lorna and I became parentsto little baby boy called Ben, I was in and out of hospital for 4 days and was feeding in the evening as usual. The day Ben came home I took a look in the zeb tank and to my horror there was a dead one floating under a bit of bog wood!
Lost heart at that point - although it wasn't our latest addition and it wasn't any of the main players in the tank - it was still a big blow. Water tested fine - everyone else was fine... emergency water change and left them to it again.
The 2 zebs continued to share a cave - no fighting and no-one had damage or looked distressed so I left them to it... (got a little excited)
Well that was 7 weeks ago and since then they have been neglected... nothing bad but with the new baby - time and sleep are luxury's (hence my absence)- but they have had just one water change in that time and only been fed quick and easy foods (eg tetra prima from the pot next to the tank) I treated them to blood worm a few nights ago as I was feeling guilty. I was also going to do a water change the night before and again last night but didnt get chance...
Well I'd been checking on the sharing zebs and there was nothing to report - disappointment... until this morning. I took a quick head count and saw 4 zebs... normally I can normally see 2 tails - one in the tank and then check on the ones sharing the cave to make 4. But this morning there were 2 tails and 2 out in the tank....
A quick look in the cave they were sharing last showed the male in there fanning as usual... but a lovely present at the back! Approx 20 perfectly round little orange orbs!
They have finally got it together! and like so many stories, it happened after a period of being 'left alone'
Pics WILL follow! but for the time being here are the only 2 I'll be taking of the eggs.
And looking forward to more updates...
