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Blackbanded sunfish spawning


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#1 Guest_octavio_*

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Posted 03 March 2008 - 11:32 PM

Over the weeked I noticed one of the blackbanded acting very aggressive towards all the other fish that would get close to one of the driftwood were he has been hanging out. I got home today and went to feed them and noticed him faning the java moss thats on the driftwood he has been protecting.He would go from faning to chasing,I payed closer attention to the java moss and noticed some eggs on it. I then noticed he would go from faning to picking and eating the eggs. One of the females keeps on going over to where he is at and they do the spawning dance over the java moss,but I have not seen any more egss deposited. Will he continue to eat the eggs if they deposite more,do I need to remove them? All advice would be appreciated!


Thank's Octavio :sad:

#2 Guest_drewish_*

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Posted 03 March 2008 - 11:35 PM

Have you seen this thread? http://forum.nanfa.o...?showtopic=1205

#3 Guest_octavio_*

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Posted 04 March 2008 - 12:03 AM

Have you seen this thread? http://forum.nanfa.o...?showtopic=1205


Thank's for the quick response drew.

#4 Guest_smbass_*

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Posted 04 March 2008 - 09:54 AM

no need to say much more, if you have any specific questions about the spawn I had feel free to ask. They did hatch in the tank several times and I removed both fry and eggs several times. It seemed as long as a lot of food was given and temperature was kept constant they continued to spawn every 6-7 days.

#5 Guest_octavio_*

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Posted 04 March 2008 - 09:21 PM

no need to say much more, if you have any specific questions about the spawn I had feel free to ask. They did hatch in the tank several times and I removed both fry and eggs several times. It seemed as long as a lot of food was given and temperature was kept constant they continued to spawn every 6-7 days.


Thank's Brian. I was wondering if the male eating the eggs was a normal thing to do? I thought he was supposed to protect them! Is it that he may be to young? He is only around 1.5 in size. It's amazing how they were doing every thing that yours were doing. He was spawnig with 2 of the females, at times with only 1 and at others with the 2 but I haven't seen any more eggs. All of this was last night .

Thank's Octavio

#6 Guest_Newt_*

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Posted 04 March 2008 - 09:34 PM

I don't know if that's what was happening here, but some animals will eat dead or unfertilized eggs from their clutch to prevent the other eggs from being infected by the microbes growing on the dead eggs.

#7 Guest_centrarchid_*

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Posted 04 March 2008 - 09:34 PM

Octavio and smbass,

Are you certain both of the females spawning are females? From the pictures of the blackbanded, I can not distinguish the cuckholder antics my bluegill and longear female mimics pull when stealing fertilizations.

#8 Guest_smbass_*

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Posted 04 March 2008 - 10:53 PM

yes I am possitive they were both females. I could see them both depositing eggs (not at the exact same time but close to it) and they were obviously more plump than the male.

Octavio, Newt may be onto something, the male may very well have been eating unfertilized or dead eggs. They have very small clear eggs and they are very difficult to see. I took a little pipet and poked around in the moss on the driftwood to find the eggs and removed them with that. Also keep in mind if you keep the conditions constant it is likely that the female will be ready again in a week or so.

#9 Guest_octavio_*

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Posted 04 March 2008 - 11:03 PM

Octavio and smbass,

Are you certain both of the females spawning are females? From the pictures of the blackbanded, I can not distinguish the cuckholder antics my bluegill and longear female mimics pull when stealing fertilizations.


Thank's Newt, that makes sense! I would have to say that they are females because he won't allow the other 3 near the spawning area, and when he is done with them he chases them away into a corner were there's another smaller male that also tries to spawn with them, but they Ignore him. My guess is because he doesn't have a nest. The 2 that I think are males have lost all color and bands the other 4 still have thier bright colors. The 2 females that are spawning are realy big and fat.

#10 Guest_Newt_*

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Posted 05 March 2008 - 10:17 AM

Heh, that's Centrarchid's suggestion, not mine. Which is all to the good: he's the sunfish expert!

#11 Guest_centrarchid_*

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Posted 05 March 2008 - 04:00 PM

Octavio,

Notice any color pattern changes in the male(s) tending brood?

#12 Guest_octavio_*

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Posted 05 March 2008 - 11:43 PM

Sorry Newt the beginning of the thread was meant for you and the rest of it was for centrarchid. Sorry I put it all together, my bad.

Got home from work today and there is more eggs on the java moss. Look's good so far. He's protecting and fanning them, still trying to spawn some more with the two females.




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