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A stupid question from me.

Last week my zebras spawn for the first time, i was of course excited beyond belive. I made up my mind to take the eggs on day tree.

But that was gonna be a bigger problem then i expected, how do you get the male and eggs out of the cave, i tried it all but had to give it up.

Are there any triks to get this done without damaging the male and eggs ?

Regards

Tom

Hi Tom,
1st of all...the only stupid question...is the one you DON'T ask. I pull the cave...and the male will eventually drop out. The eggs are adhesive...so you'll need something to get them out. Anything long and skinny should work. The eggs will come out in a cluster. This leads into another question.
Is pulling the eggs a good idea???
I've only had 6 spawns up to this point. So, I'm still experimenting. The male abandoned my eggs, so I wanted to try artifcially raising them. I knew from hatching other eggs, that airation and some type of fungicide were probably a good idea. So I rigged up an old trick for hatching mouthbrooder eggs.
I put the eggs in a spare net...and put a rubberband above the cluster. (to prevent loosing any). I rested the net across the top of the tank...with an airstone directly under them. I treated the tank with methylene blue...as this is a just a harmless dye (light encourages fungus). The eggs hatched without incident...and lasted until about 1/2 way through the egg sack stage. Then for some reason...they just seemed to disintegrate.
I had some progress...but NO sucess. I think I was heading in the right direction...but I'm still missing a step. Anybody have some ideas???

Oh,
I forgot to mention...the male locks himself in with his odontodes. Look at the zebra spawning vid to see this clearly. I wouldn't try to force the male out. If you are set on pulling the eggs, and want him out...try shining a bright light into the cave. He will probably leave shortly!

zebra046 wrote:the best way to collect the fry while theyare still in the cave is to move the entire cave to the new tank or in the container and lean the cave in a 45 deg. angle open side down its a lot faster if you have the male inverted upside down he tends to always right himself and disslodge the eggs and or babies, also the fry would start to crowl down and out faster, and if they get dislodge and in the main tank I use some larger size corrugated pastic tubing close one end with your thumb and dip the other end in the tank, you will trap air in the tube as you release your thumb water flows in the tube sucking the wrigglers in the tube then close it with both thumb and lift out of the water, once you get the hong of it, it wont be so complicated, but when you are catching larger fry I prefer to use small brine shrimp nets they wont get trap in the mesh of the net.

http://www.zebrapleco.com/forum/viewtop ... highlight=

place the fry in a container and float or hang the container in the main tank to keep the same temp. just change the water very often also keep an airstone in the container to keep the eggs oxyginated not to much that the eggs bounces, keep the tank and room dark and make sure the container is always clean. or you can do what Barbie does.
http://www.zebrapleco.com/forum/viewtop ... highlight=

Hi Tom,

Do you have a cave that the back can be removed?
I have Slate caves that the backs can be removed similar to Barbies but mine are a tight fit and therefore does not need a rubberband.
I find it very easy to remove the fry, and eggs too should not be a problem.
Just hold the cave upright with the water in, over a net or suitable receptacle, and remove the back . Hey presto, the force of the water leaving the cave, causes any fry or eggs to come out too, along with the water.

How did I make them,you may ask?
1)I make the sides , bottom and top out of either 3mm or 9mm slate and silicone together.Let dry.
2)I then cut out a "inner back" out of 9mm slate that fits inside .(3.25cmx 2.25cm) and brush a little silicone on the 4 edges
3)Then I cut out a "outer back" out of 3mm slate that fits on the back on the outside of the cave, which is the dimensions of the "inner back" +2 x thickness of slate used for main cave.
4)Silicone these 2 pieces together. Let dry
5)Assemble cave with back
The silicone on the "inner" back causes it to be a tight fit.

Regards,
Des

Thanks for all answers

I wish i had caves like Des and barbie, and i will build them like that in the future.

This time i will leave the fry with the male, he seems to be a good father.
I tried to get the fry out earlier today, but had to give it up.
He is hanging on to them real hard.
Just hope i didnt hurt anyone or gave him any bad ideas

But at least i got to see them, and as far as i can tell there are four of them
Not the biggest spawn but for a first timer i am very satisfied

Regards

Tom

ok guys, I have never tried breeding zebras before and I am about to try my luck with them. So I may be talking total rubbish - but here is my question: IF we need to protect fry from dad then what happens in nature where we are not there? Is there anybody who has actually observed them breeding in a natural environment? (and maybe written an article or something about it?) Any ideas?

I believe those that pull the fry do it after they have hatched, approximately on day 5. Reason being this:

Fishnut2 wrote:The eggs hatched without incident...and lasted until about 1/2 way through the egg sack stage. Then for some reason...they just seemed to disintegrate.

Which also happened to half of the fry I raised from egg.

If you do pull the fry, after they have hatched, and place them in a fry trap experience show that you'll in most cases get a higher survival rate, as you get much better control over how much they eat. Making sure everybody get what they need.

If you don't pull the fry there's normally no reason why the male should harm them. Some males develope an egg eating habit, but that's the exeption and not the rule. I will leave the fry with the male next time personally.

I don't think anybody has studied them in the wild.