Black & Whites

[David M]

Good news and bad... I have two mature pair of ocellaris, one pair both bw's and one pair female bw/ male orange. Neither pair has ever shown any spawning behavior. Out of nowhere yesterday afternoon we noticed BOTH females were swollen and both had extended oviposters. Sure enough, both started laying at around 5:30 last night. That is the good part. In both cases, the females would make a pass laying down the eggs and then move away. The males would come in and make their pass, eating every single egg. I watched in horror as this process was repeated over and over Oh well, at least it's a start

I know you all think it's equatorial here in So Cal but in fact it's been darned cold the past 5-6 days, the BS system temp has dropped about 4 degrees. Really have to wonder if this change inspired the spawn?

 

[Kathy55g]

i thought you were heating that room.

 

[mwp]

Wow...a run of mixed luck for you David!

When my folks called from Vegas earlier this week, it was actually colder there than here in Chicago! They fled to Hawaii

Matt

 

[David M]

I do heat the room but this is exceptionally cold weather for us, I'm just not set up for this. It will pass soon enough, but lately it has been at or below freezing at night. I know that doesn't mean much to a lot of you but it is really cold for San Diego. Have you seen the Gulf Stream lately? Holy cow !!!

Other than the surprise spawnings it's business as usual with all the other pairs, they don't seem to mind at all.

 

[clownfish75]

HI David

I have a suspision that things such as atmospheric pressures may help in the induction of spawning.

I is noted in freshwater fish as being a trigger in some species, and although in saltwater it doesnt as strongly corelate with the time of plenty it may well have some trigger for saltwater too.

most of my breeding pairs have begun spawning in the summer months, when weather systems become very extended and lows become very low (cyclone), and in the last months i have have had 3+ pairs start spawning. But i also have some higher tank temps happening now.

Christian

 

[David M]

Well hopefully this is just the beginning and they will both continue to spawn, eventually getting it right and providing us once and for all with the answer to the Big Question

( what do you get when you cross black & white ocellaris with orange? ) :lol:

 

[mwp]

Apparently, you get oranges according to someone who has a pair going right now..

Matt

 

[David M]

 

[mwp]

Don't fret, I've also heard you get a mix of both, and a third source suggests you get a "range". I trust the first source cited more than these two, but obviously there's still a "question" to be answered. If the melanistic trait is recessive i.e. like an albino, then it would make sense that one guy breeding black oc to reg oc gets all orange, while another gets a mix (and if it's 25% turn out black, viola, question answered decisively!)

Matt

 

[keefsama2003]

good luck david your doing better than me

MY female was passive with trying to clean the tile and it looks lke they are eating but now they are getting real picky.

they wont touch the fish mush i make and they are eating the flakes but i have to crush them if they are too big they just let them swim by and while i was watching them the other day the female went out of her way to make the males day miserable he would try tojoin her under the tile and she would chase him out kind of liike a face off but without jaw locking then he would back off and shimmy and she would charge out and he would shimmy then she would go back and they seem to do that when im around other than that they hang all day together when no one is watching from what i can sneak from around the corner and they sleep together once its lights out so im hoping this is something more and shes pushing in the right direction but im still waiting

 

[Peter Schmiedel]

David,

and if the temperature reduction is the key for your pairs you have to send them to vacation to me every winter time and they will be ready for you with tons of eggs

I truly believe that our steady temp and salinity levels are not always in favor of the fish. I often use cooler water for water change and can see the effects on reproducing behavior afterwards. Recently my Z. flavescens even start courtship behavior after salt abrand change combined with cooler water!

 

[David M]

Agreed, I should do more water changes. Last time it caused two new pairs to spawn. My problem is BS is about 900 gallons so to have any real impact is a major project, and I'm basically lazy