Hi Guys:
Yes I have a breeding colony/ I do have young various sizes...
I will tell you, this is not for the faint hearted....
As any of you know, when you covet/go after those harder to find fish,
there is always issues, particularily deep pockets.
I am actually putting together a lecture on my efforts with breeding zebras, the trials and tribulations.
I have not sold any yet, mainly because I need to make sure I have a good gene pool to work with. The group I have now are wild caught, (got them about 2 1/2 years ago, before the "well" dried up....
I would be happy to speak to anyone wanting to work with them, but Jesse brought up a very good point.....
If you haven't bred any hypancistrus, I would try an easier one first to get your feet wet.
Try L-333, L-260's, L-134's (although the 134's can be a bit tougher)
some of the trials and tribulations to breeding zebras, and why they are so darn expensive.
-In recent years they have been difficult to import in any numbers, and at this point, legally, virtually impossible.
-You can have a group that were breeding for you and for no reason, they just stop breeding.
- They do not have large egg clutches... typically 6-10 eggs is decent, with fewer on younger fish.
- While the male guards and tends to the newborns, you might not keep all of the clutch alive.
- They are VERY VERY slow to grow, so getting them to size is a long process.
-when they were being imported, there were many more males to females in the ratios, so only way to insure male/female ratio is in numbers.
couple tips:
buy from someone that you either know well, or was reccomended.
Personally, I would stay away from zebras under 1" unless you pick em up and see them eating and have fat bellies...
traditionally, 1" - 1 1/4" young can be sold for anywhere from $75-$150
I have seen cheaper prices, and little smaller fish sold, but boy, $100/inch is kind of chancy....
also, be prepared to find a glut of males in your colonies, unless it is a proven breeding group. Females are harder to find, and sort of more pricey.
I will give a plug here to FRESHWATER IMPORTS (in the midwest)
they have reasonable prices on their plecos, and you could buy a small group of one of the easier ones and won't break the bank....
Folks zebras are out there. Availability is a 'catch 22' to me. We need to keep the species alive and strong in the hobby,,,,but I am ever so hopeful they will not get to the point where box pet stores will have them for $35 bucks....
Yes I have a breeding colony/ I do have young various sizes...
I will tell you, this is not for the faint hearted....
As any of you know, when you covet/go after those harder to find fish,
there is always issues, particularily deep pockets.
I am actually putting together a lecture on my efforts with breeding zebras, the trials and tribulations.
I have not sold any yet, mainly because I need to make sure I have a good gene pool to work with. The group I have now are wild caught, (got them about 2 1/2 years ago, before the "well" dried up....
I would be happy to speak to anyone wanting to work with them, but Jesse brought up a very good point.....
If you haven't bred any hypancistrus, I would try an easier one first to get your feet wet.
Try L-333, L-260's, L-134's (although the 134's can be a bit tougher)
some of the trials and tribulations to breeding zebras, and why they are so darn expensive.
-In recent years they have been difficult to import in any numbers, and at this point, legally, virtually impossible.
-You can have a group that were breeding for you and for no reason, they just stop breeding.
- They do not have large egg clutches... typically 6-10 eggs is decent, with fewer on younger fish.
- While the male guards and tends to the newborns, you might not keep all of the clutch alive.
- They are VERY VERY slow to grow, so getting them to size is a long process.
-when they were being imported, there were many more males to females in the ratios, so only way to insure male/female ratio is in numbers.
couple tips:
buy from someone that you either know well, or was reccomended.
Personally, I would stay away from zebras under 1" unless you pick em up and see them eating and have fat bellies...
traditionally, 1" - 1 1/4" young can be sold for anywhere from $75-$150
I have seen cheaper prices, and little smaller fish sold, but boy, $100/inch is kind of chancy....
also, be prepared to find a glut of males in your colonies, unless it is a proven breeding group. Females are harder to find, and sort of more pricey.
I will give a plug here to FRESHWATER IMPORTS (in the midwest)
they have reasonable prices on their plecos, and you could buy a small group of one of the easier ones and won't break the bank....
Folks zebras are out there. Availability is a 'catch 22' to me. We need to keep the species alive and strong in the hobby,,,,but I am ever so hopeful they will not get to the point where box pet stores will have them for $35 bucks....
