festaedan
potamotrygon fan
Thats pretty awesome!
Becca
Members
An update - I think there must be around 200 free-swimming fry. I moved about half to a 20 Long and left about half with the parents. With fewer fry, the parents seem a little less stressed and the territory they're laying claim over has shrunk a little.
Over the past few weeks, I've noticed some interesting parental behavior in these fish.
First - The adult fish sometimes have a black band over their eye, depending on mood. Even when there is no band, the whole eye is black. When this pair started guarding space, the black band on the smaller fish (I think this is the female) disappeared and her pupils constricted. They have stayed that way. When the larger of the pair (I believe this is the male) began to actively guard the fry, rather than just the outskirts of their territory, his pupils also constricted. They have stayed this way. Interestingly, in many animals (including humans) an expanded pupil is a sign that we've seen something we like and a constricted one is a sign that we've seen something we don't like. I'm wondering if the constriction is part of putting on "mean" appearances to help keep other fish away.
Both parents will charge the edge of their territory with gills flared and the larger one will still engage in lip-wrestling with the fish I think is the male of the other pair.
Both parents will dig in the fine sand substrate to stir up tasty morsels for their fry. In addition to this, they've built a "garden." At first, when I saw this, I thought it must be a result of the water-flow in the tank. When I noticed the wigglers, I dropped some oak and banana leaves in the tank to house microorganisms for them to eat. They sank and fell in various places but, eventually, most ended up at the end of the tank with this pair. There are some plants at that end of the tank, so I figured the water flow was pushing them that way and they were just getting caught. Last week I was home all week because Isaac had no day care, so I had lots of time to watch fish. The leaves are NOT getting to that end of the tank by themselves. The pair moves them. In fact, if a leaf shifts, they will rearrange it carefully. I watched the larger one sort of build a "roof" using plants and wood to support a large piece of banana leaf. He moved that leaf repeatedly until he had it just right. I tried to get some video, but whenever I get close enough to the tank to film these fish disappear.
Anyway, all looks good with the fry in both tanks and these guys have really interesting parenting behavior.
Over the past few weeks, I've noticed some interesting parental behavior in these fish.
First - The adult fish sometimes have a black band over their eye, depending on mood. Even when there is no band, the whole eye is black. When this pair started guarding space, the black band on the smaller fish (I think this is the female) disappeared and her pupils constricted. They have stayed that way. When the larger of the pair (I believe this is the male) began to actively guard the fry, rather than just the outskirts of their territory, his pupils also constricted. They have stayed this way. Interestingly, in many animals (including humans) an expanded pupil is a sign that we've seen something we like and a constricted one is a sign that we've seen something we don't like. I'm wondering if the constriction is part of putting on "mean" appearances to help keep other fish away.
Both parents will charge the edge of their territory with gills flared and the larger one will still engage in lip-wrestling with the fish I think is the male of the other pair.
Both parents will dig in the fine sand substrate to stir up tasty morsels for their fry. In addition to this, they've built a "garden." At first, when I saw this, I thought it must be a result of the water-flow in the tank. When I noticed the wigglers, I dropped some oak and banana leaves in the tank to house microorganisms for them to eat. They sank and fell in various places but, eventually, most ended up at the end of the tank with this pair. There are some plants at that end of the tank, so I figured the water flow was pushing them that way and they were just getting caught. Last week I was home all week because Isaac had no day care, so I had lots of time to watch fish. The leaves are NOT getting to that end of the tank by themselves. The pair moves them. In fact, if a leaf shifts, they will rearrange it carefully. I watched the larger one sort of build a "roof" using plants and wood to support a large piece of banana leaf. He moved that leaf repeatedly until he had it just right. I tried to get some video, but whenever I get close enough to the tank to film these fish disappear.
Anyway, all looks good with the fry in both tanks and these guys have really interesting parenting behavior.
zackcrack00
Members
That's great! (And a noteworthy observation, too!)
Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
Becca
Members
So these guys are just about an inch and I'm going to be bringing some to auction on Saturday.
I'm not sure about doing the official BAP thing, I'm just not competitive, plus, there's no way I'll ever beat Christine
. Doesn't mean I won't donate a batch, just means I'm too lazy to fill out the form!
I've not had much luck getting pics of the babies (they move pretty fast) but here are some better pics of the adults:
I've had a few other spawns, but none that have been raised past a day or two free-swimming. I'll see eggs, eggs disappear. I'll be sure they've been eaten, but then about 2 weeks later I'll sometimes see a small cloud of fry. Parental behavior seems to be a better indicator of what's actually there than what I can see. I can't figure out where they're stashing the wigglers... The first batch were piled up behind a piece of slate, so I don't think they're delayed mouth brooders, but they are mysterious.
I'm not sure about doing the official BAP thing, I'm just not competitive, plus, there's no way I'll ever beat Christine
. Doesn't mean I won't donate a batch, just means I'm too lazy to fill out the form!I've not had much luck getting pics of the babies (they move pretty fast) but here are some better pics of the adults:
I've had a few other spawns, but none that have been raised past a day or two free-swimming. I'll see eggs, eggs disappear. I'll be sure they've been eaten, but then about 2 weeks later I'll sometimes see a small cloud of fry. Parental behavior seems to be a better indicator of what's actually there than what I can see. I can't figure out where they're stashing the wigglers... The first batch were piled up behind a piece of slate, so I don't think they're delayed mouth brooders, but they are mysterious.