Weird question I guess... can they shrink??

McEve · Post by **McEve** » Tue Jun 07, 2005 11:02 am

I jsut noticed two very tiny Zebra bebies in the tank, they don't look any older than 2 weeks out of the cave. Now, that would normally be good news, but I haven't noticed the male having had eggs! Could I possibly have missed that?? Or, if a Zebra baby doesn't eat, can they shrink?

I didn't have that tiny Zebras in the tank 3 days ago! One sure way of finding out would be to round up all the babies and count them, I know how many I had... but for now - is it possible that they can indeed get smaller..?

Andrew C · Post by **Andrew C** » Tue Jun 07, 2005 5:06 pm

McEve
I don't think fish will get smaller when they're young.

I can only think that they have not been getting as much food as the others, for whatever reason.
And the ones that are getting food are growing at a much faster rate, then the two you are talking about.

I have also found with fry from other fish that i have raised on, some grow faster than others (again i put it down to eating).
Of the twenty odd Apistogramma fry i have at the moment, some are twice as big as the others.

Hope that helps.

McEve · Post by **McEve** » Tue Jun 07, 2005 5:08 pm

To show you what I mean, here's a snapshot from the webcam:

1 is from the first batch, 2 is from the next, so on. it might be hard to tell the difference between them, but I know their pattern - that's how I can tell.

But look at the arrow! It's got to be a new one...? Or .... can they shrink? You think I'm kidding right

But I've actually seen it before in adult fish not taken properly care of.....

But that much..? What do you think?

McEve · Post by **McEve** » Tue Jun 07, 2005 5:11 pm

Wow, that was timing Andrew

Andrew C · Post by **Andrew C** » Tue Jun 07, 2005 5:17 pm

Could it be a couple of larger ones from a new batch, with the others yet to show, and the two you see are the first ones to venture out.

Or maybe they are the only two that surived from a recent batch.

I am not sure, just trying to give you ideas.

McEve · Post by **McEve** » Tue Jun 07, 2005 5:25 pm

I sure would like to think so Andrew, but how I can have missed him guarding eggs I have no idea... I like to think I keep a 24/7 vigilance on them, but there you go

I can't believe I haven't seen the much smaller ones before either, so I'm totally confused

Guess I won't know for sure until I pull them all out of the tank and count them, if there's more than it should be then I guess they pulled one over my eyes !

Tom2600 · Post by **Tom2600** » Wed Jun 08, 2005 12:55 am

Hi,

Lovely picture of all the generations.

Personally, I think this small Zeb has somehow managed to keep hidden.

I know what you mean about fish appearing to shrink but this would be in body mass not overall length etc.

I wonder if anymore will appear!?

McEve · Post by **McEve** » Wed Jun 08, 2005 7:24 pm

Tom2600 wrote: I wonder if anymore will appear!?

I do too! It's got to be new ones... just goes to show I'm not as good at keeping an eye on them as I thought I was!

To tell you the truth, I've been haunted by the IR incident. I have noticed the male spending way too much time in the cave, but I thought I somehow managed to damage him, that he was suffering post traumatic stress or something. He showed such a violent reaction to that incident that that was what I thought it was.... I did check his cave several times, but never saw anything. Looks like he managed to hide a fry or two from me after all - no doubt very protectiv when this awful person showed up with her flashlight and camera! Having lost three spawns to her, and having that IR shoved up his cave so forth...

He's a tough one! And I will leave them alone from now on!

Talk about being guilt ridden....

Adam · Post by **Adam** » Fri Jun 10, 2005 5:17 pm

Stop beating yourself up about the IR incident, let me do it instead.

Seriously you weren't to know, it's best to put it down to experience and move on. Do you remeber what happenned to Mr flash lights spawn? You'll be pleased to know that I have since had the flash light surgically removed from my hand.

I suspect that the two little fellas are the latest additions, I guess a head count would really lay this one to rest.

McEve · Post by **McEve** » Fri Jun 10, 2005 5:24 pm

Actually, the more I become convinced that he conscientiously looked after a new batch, the better I feel. Then I didn't traumatize him after all!

I've counted three tiny ones now, so I do believe he did it. He's my champion

Adam · Post by **Adam** » Fri Jun 10, 2005 5:45 pm

In that case congratulations are in order for your new batch of babies.

Well done.

McEve · Post by **McEve** » Fri Jun 10, 2005 6:22 pm

Unless they shrunk

As you say, only a head count will reveal the truth!

Cheers Adam