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Logperch Spawning

Started by Guest_farmertodd_* , Feb 27 2007 03:37 PM

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11 replies to this topic

#1 Guest_farmertodd_*

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Posted 27 February 2007 - 03:37 PM

Well my logperch are all randy here this afternoon. I've got two males and a female. They seem to be community spawners, I didn't see any real aggression between the males. The female digs a pit into the sand under a largish rock, and then they all line up sideways to it. They do their deed (it's really not the most colorful thing) and then back off the hole. Other fish raid. But then the most curious thing happened.

I've been finding all these 50 cent piece sized flat rocks that were pulled out from under the surface laying against rocks. I just FILMED how this happens.

The female SETS the rock over the spawning cavity!!!

Has this ever been documented?

Here's some photos (I'm editing)

logperch_spawn.jpg 63.34KB 11 downloads

The female is in the forward position, the males keep approaching from the rear.

rocks.jpg 46.44KB 9 downloads

This is the earlier site. That's a BIG rainbow darter, btw.

Todd

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#2 Guest_nativeplanter_*

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Posted 27 February 2007 - 04:32 PM

So.... where's the film.....?

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#3 Guest_viridari_*

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Posted 27 February 2007 - 05:07 PM

I am waiting for the youtube link with fishbaited breath.

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#4 Guest_ashtonmj_*

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Posted 27 February 2007 - 06:10 PM

Hmmm... I've had a pair that were barely 2 inches last fall when I got them. One is noticeably fatter. They've been getting really friendly lately and moving alot of substrate. They've been pissing me off because i cleared alot of gravel off of a few areas to make open sand bowls for my 1" hog chockers and one part in general where they've hung out alot they've burried with a few of the flatter stones. I'll keep watching see if its just similar behavior or if mine are getting it on too.

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#5 Guest_farmertodd_*

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Posted 27 February 2007 - 07:12 PM

They were busy while I was napping...

rocks_later.jpg 49.39KB 6 downloads

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#6 Guest_sandtiger_*

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Posted 27 February 2007 - 07:19 PM

I look forward to the video, I don't recall areading anything about covering the spawning site, not even in my book "American Aquarium Fishes" by R. J. Goldstein
Care to share the details on how you got them to do it?

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#7 Guest_farmertodd_*

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Posted 27 February 2007 - 08:44 PM

Care to share the details on how you got them to do it?

I feed a lot and provide natural substrates?

Okay, by popular demand, I went and figured out why my firewire card wasn't installing and all that computer crap I hate doing (I'm retired from that life). I also don't feel like setting up YouTube or anything, so I'm just going to dump low res on my website. I appologize to those who have dial up.

Remember... Right click, save as, lots less trouble!

Here's where it started:

http://www.farmertod...perch/spawn.wmv (5.3 mb)

Look where they left the rock in the slot bare, and where the white rock is to the left. That'll be important in a second. Then I changed tapes just for the heck of it, and hit record.

http://www.farmertod...ch/rockflip.wmv (4.8 mb)

This literally happened right after I leisurely hit record.

More activity:

http://www.farmertod...rch/loggies.wmv (5.1 mb)

http://www.farmertod...ch/loggies2.wmv (5.4 mb)

And then I had to take my nap. But when I came back, I could see that they were busy. In fact, they're still at it, but I'm over here typing at you all. Anywhere, here's all the nest raiders.

http://www.farmertod...est_raiders.wmv (4.8 mb)

I'll try and get more as it happens. I may add some rocks to the top of the bar (downstream) to see if they roll them down into the divot.

Todd

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#8 Guest_sandtiger_*

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Posted 27 February 2007 - 09:28 PM

I feed a lot and provide natural substrates?

Everything I read says they require a cooling period.

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#9 Guest_smbass_*

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Posted 28 February 2007 - 12:23 AM

you probably do have a "cool season" more or less since your tanks are located in sort of a patio room don't you todd? Do you know what the coolest temp your tanks reach durring the winter is?

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#10 Guest_farmertodd_*

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Posted 28 February 2007 - 10:21 AM

Everything I read says they require a cooling period.

There is no reason to believe the eggs are viable, they're shooting blanks for all I know. I only sustained the tank at 58 F for a week which is far too high a temp within the constraints of the published literature and hobbyist experiences.

But that doesn't stop them from trying. The temps and photoperiod are getting right for them. The temps might even be too high. I had the tank at 21.6 C last night and 18.1 C this morning (~65-70 F).

Hornyhead chubs got in the mood yesterday. He started building a nest, she's about twice as thick this morning. I was just getting to wonder why I was keeping all these huge fish I never see because they hide under the driftwood lol. Hopefully this will get all the southern redbelly dace fired up again. They're flashing yellow in the fins, hopefully they'll turn on the red shortly.

Spring is in the air!

Todd

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#11 Guest_TomNear_*

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Posted 26 March 2007 - 12:55 PM

Parental care in logperch? Who would have thought.....

There is a description of Percina macrolepida attaching eggs to aquatic plants in an aquaria. It is in Moyle's California fish book. The species is introduced in CA. I would catch scores of them in Putah Creek outside of Davis.

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#12 Guest_farmertodd_*

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Posted 27 March 2007 - 12:43 PM

Hey Tom, welcome to the forum. Good to see you parusing around here

Yeah pretty crazy thing. Quick update... Unfortunately, one of the males has since passed on, so the activity is much more sparse, as the remaining male waits for the female, and she's far enough down the road that she's not real interested in doing her business in front of me.

This other crazy thing started two weeks ago where a male bronze darter (P. palmaris) and a female slenderhead (P. phoxocephala) were getting some business on. In fact I filmed them during our St. Patricks Day party. Boy was that funny. I think that certified me as complete geek, no questions asked. Sorry guys, my fish are taking a roll in the hay, can you get out of my light?"

I'll try and get all that up online shortly. Thesis is handed off, so my life suddenly became less complex for the rest of the semester.

Todd