Red Head Tapajos Breeding Journal and Questions

Busterny

Exodon
MFK Member
Mar 4, 2015
71
22
23
Rochester, NY
Thanks for the heads up. I think they ate the eggs though. They're feeding way too voraciously to be holding eggs in there. Last night they gobbled up mysis shrimp and this morning pellets.

Now I have to go about the process of setting up a fry tank.
Isthere a way to tell males fron females? I have 5, roughly 2".
 

Big Jay

Plecostomus
MFK Member
Jul 3, 2008
412
39
61
Northeast
Isthere a way to tell males fron females? I have 5, roughly 2".
From what I've read it's very difficult even when they breed. Unless you catch the female dropping the breeding tube, that's the only way. Do what I did. Let your 5 live together and you'll see a pair form eventually. Assuming you don't have absolutely terrible luck and they're all the same sex lol. My luck is usually REALLY bad and this didn't happen in my case haha.
 

Big Jay

Plecostomus
MFK Member
Jul 3, 2008
412
39
61
Northeast
Thank you.
the colors of yours look amazing.
Thank you! I just did a big water change last night and they especially pop after that. These are probably my favorite fish I've kept in years of fish keeping.

Just an update: Some have suggested separating the 3 others and pleco from the breeding pair. Well, I think I've come up with a better solution. I'm going to build a drop in tank divider out of egg crate i can install when they drop eggs again. The pleco and other 3 will be moved to the opposite side of the tank when the time comes again.
 

wfex4

Plecostomus
MFK Member
Oct 22, 2008
236
65
61
Cape Coral, Fl
Once the fish are around 4 inches or so, you should be able to tell males from females rather easily. Males will be thicker bodied and although they don't have a very pronounced nuchal hump like some other species of geophagus, their head will be noticeably larger and thicker at the top. The males will also have longer trailers on all their fins. I have a colony of twelve or so that I've had for several years, so I will try and get some comparison photos today or tomorrow.

As for breeding, once they started, mine would breed every two or three weeks. I've had mine from about 1" or so since 2010 and they're still breeding regularly.
 

Big Jay

Plecostomus
MFK Member
Jul 3, 2008
412
39
61
Northeast
Just an update:

No breeding activity since the original. Finally had a chance to order all the stuff needed for a 20L "nursery tank". I am going to attempt to stimulate them breeding once that's up and running. Probably going to do larger, cooler water changes and feed exclusively frozen mysis. Let's see how it goes.

Pair is still a pair hanging together.
 

jamntoast

Plecostomus
MFK Member
Jul 8, 2014
620
192
51
winnipeg
Once the fish are around 4 inches or so, you should be able to tell males from females rather easily. Males will be thicker bodied and although they don't have a very pronounced nuchal hump like some other species of geophagus, their head will be noticeably larger and thicker at the top. The males will also have longer trailers on all their fins. I have a colony of twelve or so that I've had for several years, so I will try and get some comparison photos today or tomorrow.

As for breeding, once they started, mine would breed every two or three weeks. I've had mine from about 1" or so since 2010 and they're still breeding regularly.
this is totally true, its a guessing game when they are young, once they have matured its pretty easy to tell. the males are bigger for sure and I would say have a nuchal hump, although I've found only the alpha in a colony will have a really pronounced hump. but there is for sure a thicker head. the females look more like juvi's.
any luck on baby's yet?
 
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