Interesting topic. I'll add my observations based on my hystrix pair. The female has had four litters in the past years; the first mating with male A and the last three matings with male B. Each time the pair mated in late winter/early spring and the female gave birth in late fall/early winter. Perhaps this is related to the light cycle, but that is another topic.
Activity leading up to mating is typical of what we have all seen; the male biting the female, the female dragging the male around the tank, the male finally getting under the female, and ending in copulation. I have found the "sperm plug", or remnants of it, after mating has taken place most instances, although I have yet to see my pair actually mate (this last litter I watched the male attempt to mate but he just missed the mark). As noted, the other fishes usually consume any left over material. Any further mating activity by the males has stopped after finding the sperm plugs. I don't believe the material I found in the tank was fetus material as she wasn't pregnant at the time. Also, this last litter included 3 dead fetuses that were about half developed. One was aborted with the five live pups while the remaining two were aborted a week later.
Mother Nature sure works in mysterious ways. Some things we may never understand.
Activity leading up to mating is typical of what we have all seen; the male biting the female, the female dragging the male around the tank, the male finally getting under the female, and ending in copulation. I have found the "sperm plug", or remnants of it, after mating has taken place most instances, although I have yet to see my pair actually mate (this last litter I watched the male attempt to mate but he just missed the mark). As noted, the other fishes usually consume any left over material. Any further mating activity by the males has stopped after finding the sperm plugs. I don't believe the material I found in the tank was fetus material as she wasn't pregnant at the time. Also, this last litter included 3 dead fetuses that were about half developed. One was aborted with the five live pups while the remaining two were aborted a week later.
Mother Nature sure works in mysterious ways. Some things we may never understand.
