ZebraPleco.com • The complete Hypancistrus zebra resource

I was just wondering if female zebras are just as teritorial as the males , as when i watch my new fish they all seem to challange for differant spots they have only been in the tank for a couple off weeks so i suppose that they are trying to claim there turf. but do females fight for territories as i hope they do as most off my fish are doing this? and i hope i havent got a tank full off males

From what I have seen, the females do display some territorial behiour. This does not usually end up in a fight however. Males can damage each other during fights for territory, although the dominant male will usually warn off any other males upon approach.

rob

My females fights between themselves, and also with the males. There's never more than some shuffling and "my tail is bigger than yours". Once they have settled that they go about their business

This is what they call a "catfight" (sorry, couldn't resist )

Interesting qn..

Three of my kids each hole up under their own piece of driftwood, while the other three group themselves together under another piece. There are more than enough pieces to go round so it seems that these three actually prefer to hang out together. Either that or the three loners (which I strongly suspect are male) herded the others into a small zone.

Hi Pete,

That's almost exactly the same behaviour my six display, three of them don't seem to mind each others company and can often be found huddled together. The other three are rarely seen except at feeding times. I also have driftwood in my tank, one single large piece that's about three quarters of the tank's length. Two of the three that hide most of the time are smaller than the others. I wonder if this has anything to do with it?

Is it only males who lie in caves , as a couple off my large zebs have taken up home in there own caves and seem to gaurd the front by lying across the opening off the cave . would this imply that they are males

DANthirty,
Normally, the males will take up residence in the caves/s if they are limited to the number of adult males . However, in my tank I have an excess of caves ,to the number of adult males, and a couple of large females have chosen caves for themselves.
Des.