Pregnant female?

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
S

SpeshulEd

Fire Eel
MFK Member
May 7, 2009
1,262
2
66
in a yellow submarine
speshuled.smugmug.com
Noticed this lump on the one side of my ray this weekend. Thought it was odd that it was just one side. I stared at it all weekend and every now and then it looks like it moves, but it could just be from her movement.

Here's a vid, shot it with my cell, so sorry about quality.
[YT]<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/9_SCqQRBH8k&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/9_SCqQRBH8k&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>[/YT]

Thoughts, could she be pregnant? She's a WC ray from Rapps I got last Oct. The male is also WC. I wasn't planning on anything happening for quite some time.
 
few questions, that might help you answer. just give yes no answers, and it will help everyone chime in with their 2cents.

Obviously if you see movement its a no brainier, but until then answer these please.

a) Does your female have any bite marks on her disc?
b) Does the female have any bite marks on her pelvic (feet) fins?
c) Was the male chasing her a around at any point in the last few weeks? (5-8) weeks ago?
d) Have you noticed an increase in apatite?
e) Was that video taken after eating a big meal?
f) If the you answered Yes to c), Does the male leave the female alone now?
g) Is your male's claspers fully rolled yet?
h) Hows old is your female, if known..
i) How big is your female (disc size)


Cheers,
Iz
 
a) Does your female have any bite marks on her disc?

Well, not actual marks that look like he chewed the disk, but she has light marks around her disk: (Female on top)
748936846_YvDiN-M.jpg


b) Does the female have any bite marks on her pelvic (feet) fins?

Not that I've noticed.

c) Was the male chasing her a around at any point in the last few weeks? (5-8) weeks ago?

Yes and no...yes, but no more than normal I'd say.

d) Have you noticed an increase in apatite?

She's the only one in the tank that will touch the NLS 10mm pellets so far. She will easily eat 15-20 without thinking twice.

e) Was that video taken after eating a big meal?

Video was Friday evening after I cleaned the tank. They had not eaten since Thursday evening, when they were fed no more than normal.

f) If the you answered Yes to c), Does the male leave the female alone now?

They always play with one another, he'll top her, she'll top him, they'll run around the tank. She hasn't hit the stage where she rests yet like I've read they do when they get close to giving birth.

g) Is your male's claspers fully rolled yet?

To be honest, I've never seen a male motoro in real life before, besides mine. I'd say yes, they're roughly 2 inches long. Not the best picture, but:
831451058_mCBrP-M.jpg


h) Hows old is your female, if known..

I got them both from Rapp's last October. Their disc size was roughly 12 inches for both of them. She is now slightly larger, pushing 14 inches in diameter....roughly. Not really sure about age.

i) How big is your female (disc size)

See above...roughly 14 inches.
 
From what you have answered, and the pics you have provided,

looks like your male is mature, and it is very likely that she could be pregnant.
Keep feeding her heaps is all i can say. you will know soon enough.

Good stuff,
 
hmm true, your right it looks like rolling ends at the tip. Good eye,
but can a male ray still mate with the female if his claspers are not fully rolled?
Not talking about getting pregnant, will they still do the dead? or they only mate with females when they are sexually ready?

can some of the pros provide some information, im curious my self.
 
skylineiz;4147969; said:
hmm true, your right it looks like rolling ends at the tip. Good eye,
but can a male ray still mate with the female if his claspers are not fully rolled?
Not talking about getting pregnant, will they still do the dead? or they only mate with females when they are sexually ready?

can some of the pros provide some information, im curious my self.
Click to expand...
I've wondered about this too, since we can usually see some less severe damage done to the female as if she had been courted, before the male is actually mature, I don't see why they wouldnt be able to just do the deed anyways.
 
Hard to tell from the video if she is pregnant. My female would show on one side or the other, but the bump didn't look quite as pronounced as on your female. Bite marks on her do look like they are from the male. The first time my female was pregnant, I didn't realize it until I saw the pup moving; she didn't have any bite marks.
The male does look mature.
Keep an eye out for movement to know for sure if she is pregnant.
 
Yea as spotfin said when my female motoro got pregnant the first time there was absolutely no bite wounds on the female at all. The rest of the time he mated with her there was
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
MonsterFishKeepers.com
Top Bottom