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I must say there is never a dull moment in zebra land. This morning's tank check revealed a small cluster of 3 seemingly viable eggs sitting outside of the caves. In a flash I had my trusty baster and fry trap out and soon had the eggs moved to safety.

Last night's cave check left me with a 50/50 feeling that there were eggs in the prime cave, but the usual difficulties with spotting them made me hesitant to conclude one way or the other. In the past the only time I ever rescued eggs (with wigglers) was when the #3 male had his one spawn. I have had males in 3 caves on and off for some time now and a some potential action in non cave locations. But I could never check the non cave locations as they were formed by wood slate and rock piles.

I am pretty sure there is a spawn in the cave and it is with the alpha male not fatty. Neither the alpha male nor fatty has ever booted eggs in the past, so I am at a loss as to where the 3 eggs rescued came from since there is no sign of eggs in the two caves where fatty and the #3 male are parked.

I really need to clean the breeder tank and now am a little hesitant to disturb things, I will try and grab a photo or two of the 3 eggs in the trap for posting later.

Just an aside- papa farlo is energetically guarding and cleaning 38 eggs on the front glass of the 50. Barb suggested this time I should try moving the eggs off the glass into a trap right about when they appear ready to hatch.

Hi tt, we haven't skipped a few months have we? (Christmas isn't for months yet! ) Many congrats on the happy events, and sorry for not answering in the zebtalk. Mom wanted to use the comp

Well I am clearly not smarter than the average zebra male. The eggs were not viable- they turned white and got fungus over night. Dad knew that when he booted them. He is carefully tending the good eggs.

Dads always know best, but one thing still gets me. Why is it the males tend the eggs and not the females?

Pleco females are smarter than human women is all

Maybe, but I still want to know why the male tends the eggs!

bonsai, years ago my parents, who were world travellers, visited the middle east, including Israel. They told us a story about one particular stop they made while touring with their private guide. They were taken to a synagogue which was filled with men praying fervently. The guide explined to mom and dad that this was a very small an unusual sect of orthodox jews. In this sect all the men spent their days praying in the synagogue while the women did all of the work from farming to cooking, housekeeping and child rearing, etc. etc. The guide explained that nobody knew what they were praying for as that was a closely guarded secret withing the sect.

My dad told the guide he knew what the men were praying for. When the mystified guide asked my father how he could know that and what were they praying for. My dad said it was simple, They are praying the women keep doing all the work.

Female plecos pray that the males keep doing all the work.

My guess would be males prob have more stored energy than the fm after she has made and laid eggs. He can go foodless longer and probably is a more agressive protector as well. In the spawning he has to be dominant.
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Dang- almost fogot to post this. I pulled 20+ farlo eggs to trap today- they started hatching right away. About 1/2 are on the bottom and the rest near the surface and not viewable from above. The fry are about 10 minutes from having hatched out:

Hi tt, thanks for clearing the confusion up I always thought it was the females that tended the babies, like we humans do You learn something new everyday! Cheers Pal

TwoTankAmin wrote:Pleco females are smarter than human women is all

Heh, the smartest one is the female seahorse. She lets the male go through pregnancy and birth too!

Poor old girl! So what foes the male do then, Eve?