It seems that it's fairly easy to find females but the males are hard to come by. Does anyone know if this is a coincidence? Do the males have a shorter lifespan? Is it that they're more susceptible to predators due to their size?
Has anyone else noticed this?
Gambusia
Started by
Guest_Eyebiter_*
, Mar 30 2007 08:31 AM
7 replies to this topic
#2
Guest_Kanus_*
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Posted 30 March 2007 - 10:28 AM
It seems that it's fairly easy to find females but the males are hard to come by. Does anyone know if this is a coincidence? Do the males have a shorter lifespan? Is it that they're more susceptible to predators due to their size?
Has anyone else noticed this?
In practice catching them from the wild, I have definately noticed this. However, I work at an LFS and grabbed a bunch of them that came in with a shipment of rosey reds, and the sex ratio was more even, though definately not 50/50. Probably closer to 1/4 to 1/3 males.
#3
Guest_keepnatives_*
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Posted 30 March 2007 - 10:45 AM
Try a smaller mesh net, the males are much smaller many are likely slipping through.In practice catching them from the wild, I have definately noticed this. However, I work at an LFS and grabbed a bunch of them that came in with a shipment of rosey reds, and the sex ratio was more even, though definately not 50/50. Probably closer to 1/4 to 1/3 males.
#4
Guest_Kanus_*
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Posted 30 March 2007 - 11:11 AM
Try a smaller mesh net, the males are much smaller many are likely slipping through.
Since my last one broke, I haven't properly outfitted myself with a dipnet and have been using aquarium nets with very fine mesh. Just as an observer I see this often too though. I have many times seen schools of gambusia, mostly comprised of pregnant females, with one or two males amongst them. They are relatively easy to tell apart while still in the water.
#5
Guest_fishlvr_*
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Posted 07 June 2007 - 10:53 PM
The ratio of males to females is a lot more even at my creek compared to ya'll's. The male-female ratio here is more like 3:5. I guess that's because their main predators here are dragonfly nymphs. Some of the more still and deep parts of the creek have redbreast, bluegill, warmouth, and LMB, but most of the gambusia are in the shallower(</= 6") and in vegetation.
#6
Guest_fuzzyletters_*
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Posted 10 June 2007 - 07:39 PM
I've got a local population of affinis that I could collect from for a 55 gal aquarium... do these guys do well mixed in with other species (probably minnows of some kind) or should I try to keep them in a 10 gal species tank?
#8
Guest_Eyebiter_*
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Posted 12 June 2007 - 04:39 PM
Right now, in a 20g High, I have a harem of 20 or so females, 3 males, 8 sm Blue Fins, and a small tadpole madtom. They seem to be all okay except for the male gambusia that seem to keep each other at bay. They were fighting in the bag when I brought them home. I plan on splitting the gambusia into two small schools soon.
I should add that I have a big hygro plant that helps keep the peace by providing huge amounts of cover and hiding spots. When I first added the bluefins they didn't leave the interior of the plant for a week. Now they're mostly on the lower half of the tank and the affinis occupy the top.
I should add that I have a big hygro plant that helps keep the peace by providing huge amounts of cover and hiding spots. When I first added the bluefins they didn't leave the interior of the plant for a week. Now they're mostly on the lower half of the tank and the affinis occupy the top.
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