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Got 10 New Zebs

Posted: Tue Nov 16, 2010 3:31 pm
by LuckyGuppy
Hi All,

So, I got 10 WC a little over a week ago. I tried to make the tank as dark and natural as possible with lots of hiding spots. Consequently, I rarely see them and that's fine with me. I want them to be happy and healthy. However, like everyone else is, I'm anxious. Patience is a zebra owner virtue...buuuuut....Can someone who has WCs tell me how long it took theirs to start spawning? I was hoping only a few months, but maybe as much as a year?

Re: Got 10 New Zebs

Posted: Tue Nov 16, 2010 4:34 pm
by John
If they were wc and recently imported then i hope you know thats not very ethical, besides that i think you need several months for your fish to settle in before you even can think about breeding 'm .

Re: Got 10 New Zebs

Posted: Tue Nov 16, 2010 5:24 pm
by LuckyGuppy
I'm not "breeding" them as much as wondering what a general time span people have seen spawns. I don't intend to disturb them, simulate a rainy season, or anything of the like. I was just wondering...and seeking helpful opinions. Thanks.

Re: Got 10 New Zebs

Posted: Tue Nov 16, 2010 7:16 pm
by vanillarum
Hey, congrats on your acquisition. As far as a time frame, a little hard to say. It will depend greatly on how old your fish are, for one. Sometimes when you add WC to an established group it can help them along, which is not the case with you. I have had my core group for close to 3 years now, and no spawns. They were about 1 1/2" when I got them, so I figure, age wise, they are getting close. About a month ago I added 3 WC adults to the group, hoping to spur them on but nothing yet. My group is definitely more visible now then when I first got them, but if I want a really good look, I wait til after lights out when I feed them. Then I wait a bit and sneak in with a flashlight and check them out ! Good luck with yours.

Re: Got 10 New Zebs

Posted: Tue Nov 16, 2010 8:44 pm
by LuckyGuppy
Thanks! Good luck with yours, too!

Re: Got 10 New Zebs

Posted: Tue Nov 16, 2010 9:52 pm
by Sigmar
John wrote:If they were wc and recently imported then i hope you know thats not very ethical, besides that i think you need several months for your fish to settle in before you even can think about breeding 'm .
"not very ethical" Do you own Zebras? If so then your part of the problem as you see it. They are going to dam the river where they found from my understanding which will either destroy their habitat or make it impossible to harvest them. it will be breeders that will hopefully propagate then not only for others to enjoy but quiet possibly save them from extinction. So explain to me your reasoning on calling someone out like this. :x

Re: Got 10 New Zebs

Posted: Wed Nov 17, 2010 9:23 am
by John
Sigmar wrote: "not very ethical" Do you own Zebras? If so then your part of the problem as you see it.
I do own zebra's , most F1 and some older wc that were imported before the ban which i bought of other hobbyists, so..... ???


It's quite simple, there is a exportban on the species, there is no dam jet, people are still fighting against the build and it ain't helping robbing the area of it's species (not only the zebra).
Smuggling fish out with lot of casualties due to the smuggling methods isn't gonna help the cause.
Worldwide there are enough breeders allready to assure the species existence for aquarists, allthough every new breeder is welcome ofcourse.

Mind that my statement about ethical is not a personal attack, it's a point of view which some people don't even realize....

Re: Got 10 New Zebs

Posted: Wed Nov 17, 2010 10:51 am
by Jacqueline
I think this is a very difficult point.
On the one hand we must save what can be saved but on the other hand, we should never encourage smuggling trade :? Esspecially if we consider ourselves as fish lovers and hobbyist's.
I do not have to tell you how fish are treated when transported (smuggled) and how much die due to that course of action.... That's just animal cruelty and we should never support that :!:
There are many breeders of the zebra these days. F1 can even be much easier to handle and breed again than the wc fish. I don't see the problem in buying F1's :?
And you'll never know. Maybe nature will take care of it's own when the building of the dam will begin. If there are no fish left how will she prove that they can survive in the new conditions...? Just a point of view to think about :wink:

Re: Got 10 New Zebs

Posted: Wed Nov 17, 2010 4:24 pm
by Fern
I'm curious on how long as well, I have had my WC pair for a year now....... Only one failed trapping so far. I am going to move them in with my smaller F1's in hopes of triggering a spawn.
Mine were gathered before the ban....

Re: Got 10 New Zebs

Posted: Wed Nov 17, 2010 7:30 pm
by Jacqueline
Mij wc adults are at least 10 years old :wink:

Re: Got 10 New Zebs

Posted: Wed Nov 17, 2010 9:37 pm
by Rob
Unfortunately the defining fact on whether or not the zebras will breed is not so much down to the fact that they are wild caught, but more down to the individuals specimens themselves.

Whilst the fish should acclimtise relatively quickly if the right conditions are provided, the breeding will only occur if the individual fish recognise a suitable mate and environment. i.e. the male must show dominance and find a cave that he feels fits him, (he should be able to extend his dorsal fin to lock himself in and lie at an angle blocking access to the back of the cave). Then there must be a female that shows interest. Since I started breeding zebas, I have found that the "the matching of a pair is primarily luck, however after they are matched you can influence the actual breeding.

I would suggest just focusing on acclimatising them at the moment and let nature take its course, (as much as it can in a big glass box :-) )

Rob

Re: Got 10 New Zebs

Posted: Thu Nov 18, 2010 1:58 pm
by Jacqueline
Funny, that's exactly the way I work with my fish. I keep a group and let them decide witch partner they would like to bond with. Then I separate the breeding fish from the excess fish.
Doing notting more than provide a good home :lol:

Re: Got 10 New Zebs

Posted: Thu Nov 18, 2010 2:36 pm
by LuckyGuppy
Okay, thank you! I guess I will keep you all posted. I was just interested in the range, because I assume that there is a great range of time frames. Good luck, Fern! I hope you get one soon. :) I haven't really tried to sex mine. I know I have at least 4 males and I believe there was at least one female. They're in a 6-foot tank. I set up multiple territories and was hoping that I could get multiple spawns in one tank. Right now, only one male has taken up a cave and there are like 2 other zebs that have claimed a spot about 2 inches from his cave (on a rock above it). I don't know if they're just hanging out, future challengers, or females. I guess time will tell.

Re: Got 10 New Zebs

Posted: Thu Nov 18, 2010 4:35 pm
by Jacqueline
Looking at you original post :oops: , my wc zebs took over a year to produce their first spawn :)

Re: Got 10 New Zebs

Posted: Thu Nov 18, 2010 6:02 pm
by LuckyGuppy
Well, we've got you saying a year and Fern who is going on over one year, sooooo I'm glad I've got other hobbies. :D Thanks for answering.