question for balzani owers

[peathenster]

Got a group of 8 around new year when they were 2". Two grew very fast and are now closing in on 5", one is probably 3.5", but the other 5 are still under 3". They all eat well and the smaller ones are not bullied at all. No major hump on any of them yet.

I guess the three bigger ones may be males and the rest females...just wondering if anyone who raised balzani from fry had similar experience? And will they show some serious aggression at some point? They are in a 220 with various peaceful SA tank mates.

 

[duanes]

Although not balzani, I have Gymno sp. paso pache, and have found the alpha mala easily out grew all other males and the females by at least an inch. And though there is not overt aggression, the alpha male rules, and gets the lions share, thereby restricting his competitors food and the most ideal territory.

 

[peathenster]

Right. My bigger ones are actually very mellow...never chased the smaller ones...and food shouldn't be an issue...

I know adult males are a lot bigger than females, but am wondering what to expect when they grow up...

 

[edburress]

Felipe Cantera had a female that was 5" (I believe Ken took it home with the huge male we caught). I think the general trend is that males develop faster even when food availability is not an issue (more genetic basis, less ecological), and as the fish mature and stop growing the discrepancy between the sexes will be less. All the Gymnogeophagus we caught the males were much bigger, obviously the G. gymnogenys is rather significant, but even the G. balzanii, and rhabdotus-types that I brought home, males are bigger; and this is also a trend, even if less so, with Geophagus. The pair of G. balzanii we caught, the males was twice the length of the female and probably 4 times the mass, so I think you can expect the discrepancy between sexes to remain quite significant (genetic factor), but that sub-dominant males will slowly catch up with the largest one (ecological factor). I wish I could speak from extensive experience with the species, but thats what I gather from observing what we collected and my experiences with raising Geophagus.

Your smaller G. balzanii sound like they are growing at a similar rate as my female, and from the others growth rate it sounds like you're doing a fine job raising them!

Ed

 

[peathenster]

Thanks Ed. I hope the 2-3 bigger ones are males so we can swap!

 

[edburress]

I hope the 2-3 bigger ones are males so we can swap!

Me too! I did end up with a pair of G. 'rhabdotus' sp. "Paso Pache" and a pair of G. sp. "High Dorsal North". All of their vents are down but I doubt they will spawn with all the other Gymnogeophagus and the Crenicichla celidochilus around, but we will see. I dropped the temperature down a lot and that seems to have sparked their interest. Stay in touch about the trading and we'll work something out.

Ed