Female GT Questions

[TrikkyMakk]

1) Does a GT (or any fish for that matter) need to have a male in the tank to spawn and lay eggs? (I believe that the answer is no but I wanted to hear from the community).

2) If the answer to question number one is 'no' do fish that stop growing after they lay eggs needs to have spawned with a male for the growth to stop or will it happen after the first time they lay eggs?

 

[pcfriedrich]

I believe its just after they lay eggs, and begin the cycle of spawning every so-often. the energy they were using for growth is then applied to producing eggs. just think of how big their bellies get while they're holding the eggs. that could've gone toward larger size in the fish. I know my RD/Midas pretty much stopped growing at about 8". she lays eggs every couple of months, and her body growth is barely measurable anymore.

My RD doesn't have a male around, either. unless you count convicts in the tank, but she's not paird up with any. they don't get along so good.

 

[TrikkyMakk]

I believe its just after they lay eggs, and begin the cycle of spawning every so-often. the energy they were using for growth is then applied to producing eggs. just think of how big their bellies get while they're holding the eggs. that could've gone toward larger size in the fish. I know my RD/Midas pretty much stopped growing at about 8". she lays eggs every couple of months, and her body growth is barely measurable anymore.

My RD doesn't have a male around, either. unless you count convicts in the tank, but she's not paird up with any. they don't get along so good.

So it sounds like I should wait for the inevitable spawn before getting a male then. I want my precious to be as big as possible before I get her a bf. She is currently around 4 to 5 inches.

 

[TrikkyMakk]

And this is my precious, she is around 4 to 5 inches now

 

[pcfriedrich]

Hell, if it were me, I'd wait till she either spawns on her own, or until she reaches at least 8" before introducing a male. the bigger she gets, the better.

 

[TrikkyMakk]

Hell, if it were me, I'd wait till she either spawns on her own, or until she reaches at least 8" before introducing a male. the bigger she gets, the better.

And that has been my plan. Thanks.

 

[big train]

U will be waiting years to get 8" out of a female gt it's not likely to happen not impossiable but that size would be out of out of the norm imo.

 

[TrikkyMakk]

U will be waiting years to get 8" out of a female gt it's not likely to happen not impossiable but that size would be out of out of the norm imo.

I'm actually going to wait until I have had her at least a year and then start looking for a male saum.