Red Zebra Question

[johns51]

I have a Red Zebra, that based on the markings on the anal fin I thought was a male but now not sure.

It has been staying hidden and has not eaten ( at least not that we have seen) for almost two weeks. I am assuming it is eating at some time, maybe from the bottom as it does not appear to be losing any weight/size/girth

When it does come out its face looks swollen, just the face, not the rest of the body. I try to see in to it's mouth while it is facing me to see if there is any evidence of fry or eggs but can not see any.

Other then I may be wrong about it being male and it does have eggs/fry in its mouth can anyone think of anything else that may be going on?

It is in a 55gallon tank with about 30 other cichlids, mostly juveniles ( juveniles are less than 3 months old) and 5 other adults.

Ph is 7.8 Ammonia 0. Using Cichlid salt as directed and feeding top fin medium cichlid floating pellets and Omega 1 Cichlid Flakes, the flakes are more for the Juveniles, they try for the pellets but can't sallow them.

Thanks in advance.

John

 

[alexmuw]

A lot of info left out....

Is your Red Zebra an adult or juvenile (as you said under 3 months)?

How many Red Zebras do you have in the tank (adults? juveniles?)

What are the species of the other adult cichlids your have?

Why did you think is was a male? Egg spots on anal fin? How many egg spots? What color is the Red Zebra?

Post a photo if possible.


IMO, if it has less than 3-4 egg spots on its tail (and its fullgrown) then it's most likely a female [my fullgrown red zebra male has 6-7 egg spots on his tail].

"Puffy" face is a good indicator that your fish is holding eggs. More juveniles on the way!

 

[johns51]

A lot of info left out....

Is your Red Zebra an adult or juvenile (as you said under 3 months)?

How many Red Zebras do you have in the tank (adults? juveniles?)

What are the species of the other adult cichlids your have?

Why did you think is was a male? Egg spots on anal fin? How many egg spots? What color is the Red Zebra?

Post a photo if possible.


IMO, if it has less than 3-4 egg spots on its tail (and its fullgrown) then it's most likely a female [my fullgrown red zebra male has 6-7 egg spots on his tail].

"Puffy" face is a good indicator that your fish is holding eggs. More juveniles on the way!

Thanks for responding

The Red Zebra is Yellow not sure of the age as it was purchased from a LFS back in December. Its about 2 inches long

most the juveniles I have look exactly like this red zebra but I do have about 6 that are bronze/green with vertical stripes

There are 7 egg spots on the anal fin

I have no idea what the other 5 larger cichlids are as they were all purchased at a LFS and were in a community tank that said assorted African cichlids.

I was going to describe the other 5 to see if you could tell what they were but then I realized with Africans trying to describe them with out a photo would be like walking up to a sailor coming off an aircraft carrier with 6000 people on board and saying do you know John.

 

[johns51]

One other quick question,

How long does a female normally carry the eggs/fry before spitting them out?

The reason I ask is I have been told before that can't always go by the egg spots on the anal fin and that another way to try to decide sex is to look at the dorsal fin if it comes to a sharp point it is male, a rounded point means female. With this Red Zebra I have the egg spots but a rounded dorsal fin so kind of conflicting guides as to sex.

John

 

[alexmuw]

You brought up some good points. Now, I have no idea how to sex your red zebra.

You could wait to see if the eggs hatch. They hold eggs for 3-4 weeks. However, you should be able to see fry (will look likes worm with little tiny eyes) in the mothers mouth in 1-2 weeks.

Good luck and keep us updated!

 

[mike dunagan]

best way is to catch the fish, open the mouth with a tooth pic and see if there are eggs or fry. If not try flip over and vent.

 

[johns51]

best way is to catch the fish, open the mouth with a tooth pic and see if there are eggs or fry. If not try flip over and vent.

LOL...well trying to catch it is easier said then done, that is why the LOL. I have tried before and it was almost impossible. To many places for it to get in to that I can't. To many small fry swimming around that I may squish if I move rocks and so on.

We don't even know where these other fry came from. Just one day I looked and there some where.

I'll just wait and see what happens, as long as the one that I think is carrying fry doesn't start to act lethargic or starts to lose weight.


John

PS. I am actually getting ready to set up a bigger tank and will be relocating these as I transfer water from their present tank to the new one. At that time I will try to figure out the sex of all of the larger ones. New tank won't be going up until the end of June. Give this one a chance to spit out the fry first, if they are there.

 

[Red Devil]

i would say your having fry... and i would just keep an eye on her that she is doing okay..if your not interested in keeping the fry since they are probably hybrids then she can stay in tank... a few may survive.. but most will be eaten...unless your like me... and save them..

 

[johns51]

Well it is female, got fry, she is starting to expel them, she actually chased a huge albino Red Zebra out of the cave and then we saw some of the fry coming out and scurry under rocks and decorations.

So now I have one other quick question concerning red zebras.

I know I have three, ( well and about 20 juveniles right now) two yellow and one albino. Can the Red Zebras also be bronze with black vertical stripes? Some of my fry are that color and the do change color from bronze with black stripes to almost totally black. I also have one adult cichlid like that but it is always bronze with the black stripes

John