Zebra Danio males chasing each other?

[TacomaToker]

Hello, I have a 15 gallon with 6 skirt tetras and 5 zebra danios (2 young males, 1 young female, 1 really old massive female, 1 young unknown: has a slightly bigger stomach than the males, not as big as the confirmed females though).

Yesterday morning, I saw one of the males breeding with the one young female. Most of the eggs were eaten by Tetras, but a good amount managed to get lodged within the rocks. This morning, the 2 males are in non-stop conflict. Endless high speed chases around the tank, completely ignoring the 2(or 3 females). The young female looks much less bloated than she did yesterday while spawning. What exactly is going on here? With at least 2 females nearby, why are 2 males raging at each other? Is it cause the females spawned eggs yesterday and aren’t ready to go again today? Thanks!

Separate question: Can the young, small male Danios breed with the older, very large female?


Ph: 7.2
Ammonia: 0-.1
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 20
GH: 54-72

 

[Derekshatch]

You should probably get more female danios to prevent them from fighting. But even if you do the males will always chase each other no matter what. You just dont want the males to become to aggressive so adding more females should calm them down a bit more.And also the females are full of eggs and look very big but once they spawn their bellys shrink untill they make more eggs. my older female danio female does sometimes spawn with the younger males but in my experience the young males like the young females a little better. If you want the eggs to survive I would use a turkey baster to collect and seperate the eggs and that has worked for me because I have some fry right now.

 

[TacomaToker]

You should probably get more female danios to prevent them from fighting. But even if you do the males will always chase each other no matter what. You just dont want the males to become to aggressive so adding more females should calm them down a bit more.And also the females are full of eggs and look very big but once they spawn their bellys shrink untill they make more eggs. my older female danio female does sometimes spawn with the younger males but in my experience the young males like the young females a little better. If you want the eggs to survive I would use a turkey baster to collect and seperate the eggs and that has worked for me because I have some fry right now.

Thanks for the info, have you ever had any danio fry spawn in your community tank? I've seen them breeding and dropping eggs but I think the tetras are learning to eat the eggs, lol

 

[Retired Viking]

Tetras like to eat eggs, not sure if danio do but most fish seem to except betta and a few others.

 

[TacomaToker]

Tetras like to eat eggs, not sure if danio do but most fish seem to except betta and a few others.

Seems like you are definitely right. The dominant tetra likes to hover above the main breeding spot and pig out on eggs. Its pretty hilarious

 

[Retired Viking]

I have a tetra tank and have had a few fry but my tetras and cory really do go after the eggs. I am planning on a breeding tank to try and have some fry survive

 

[JuiceBox52]

If you want to save a batch use another tank or plastic tub, keep them in there until you see them spawn and drop eggs and then remove them and wait for the eggs to hatch. I always want more babies of what ever fish lol

 

[Derekshatch]

[/QUOTE]

Thanks for the info, have you ever had any danio fry spawn in your community tank? I've seen them breeding and dropping eggs but I think the tetras are learning to eat the eggs, lol

I have had the my danios in a community tank with lots of other fish but I noticed that the fry/larvea were getting eaten so I tranfered them over to a seperate tank. Every morning I use a turkey baster to collect the fry that are attached to the glass. I then seperate them to a different tank and they do great. I would suggest big gravel so that the fry can hide. But I havent had any that survived in the tank with the danios. Mine spawn every day because I feed them alot and bloodworms realley help them get plump so that they can drop eggs. Also I never realley had a problem with my tetras or corys eating the danio eggs in my community tank but they defenitely ate the fry.

 

[Retired Viking]

I have had the my danios in a community tank with lots of other fish but I noticed that the fry/larvea were getting eaten so I tranfered them over to a seperate tank. Every morning I use a turkey baster to collect the fry that are attached to the glass. I then seperate them to a different tank and they do great. I would suggest big gravel so that the fry can hide. But I havent had any that survived in the tank with the danios. Mine spawn every day because I feed them alot and bloodworms realley help them get plump so that they can drop eggs. Also I never realley had a problem with my tetras or corys eating the danio eggs in my community tank but they defenitely ate the fry.
[/QUOTE]
They sure do go after fry too, wish they were like my guppies and left the fry alone.

 

[TacomaToker]

If you want to save a batch use another tank or plastic tub, keep them in there until you see them spawn and drop eggs and then remove them and wait for the eggs to hatch. I always want more babies of what ever fish lol

How can I remove them from the community tank without stressing them? Will they still breed if stressed in a plastic container?

 

[Derekshatch]

They are realley fast and I stressed my danios a little bit when I transfered them to a new tank to breed. But when I did they layed tons of eggs the next morning so they should breed even when stressed just try to net them when you feed them or do it someway that doesent stress them that much. The one reason that I dont transfer them for breeding purposes anymore is because it stresses them but if you want to go right ahead. I just like to keep them as happy as possible because I dont want to risk any of them dying so I try not to move any of my fish unless I need to. Also they probably wont lay eggs in a plastic container unless you have some type of moss or something that they can lay the eggs into.