From: Jody <fishbox@bellsouth.net>
Reply-To: apisto@listbox.com
To: apisto@listbox.com
Subject: Re: Evolution in a microcosm
Date: Tue, 12 Mar 2002 15:18:47 -0500
Tony,
Good luck with your rams, but I don't think that was really evolution at
work - just a hungry fish. And it could have been any fish. Now if the
rams were able to hatch an amphibian, that would be different. Personally,
I don't think that will ever or has ever happened. Anyway, I hope you get
a successful spawn!
-Jody
>
> From: "Anthony Baker" <anthony_w_baker@hotmail.com>
> Date: 2002/03/12 Tue AM 10:05:14 EST
> To: apisto@listbox.com
> CC: bakera506@earthlink.net
> Subject: Evolution in a microcosm
>
> So, last night I witnessed Evolution at work in my 29G plant tank. The
tank
> contains a trio of Blue Rams, a couple black neons, 3 molly fry, 3
ottos, 2
> SAEs and ~12 ghost shrimp, bunch of red ramshorn snails and MTS.
Because
> this is a aquascaped tank, I didn't have any "normal" spawning
locations,
> just a few artistically placed rocks and driftwood.
>
> The tank stats are:
> KH / GH: 3-4/6
> CO2: 25-35ppm
> pH: 6.65-6.70
> NO3 - ~5-10 (added weekly for plants)
> PO4 - ~0.5
> Weekly water changes.
> Temp ~81F
>
> Anyhow, after I fed the fish their allotment of live blackworms, I moved
on
> to feed my other tanks. I returned 15 minutes later, and sure enough,
the
> male and the "alpha" female were dancing around a little depression in
the
> substrate (flourite) hidden behind some tall plants. I peered in and
could
> see ~75-100 eggs (not bad for a tiny female) right on the flourite. The
> male was busy fanning the eggs. The interesting part: the "beta"
female,
> who lately has been chased by both the a-female and the male, kept
coming up
> to the pit and appeared to "entice" the male away from the eggs. Then,
she
> would circle around the whole tank while being pursued by either the
male or
> both the male and a-female. A few times, the b-female would circle back
to
> the pit and quickly gobble down a few eggs! The male would chase her
away
> again, and the whole thing would start again! The male also began
chasing
> the a-female around, allowing the beta-female even more snack time!
>
> Evolution at work! The b-female was clearly eating the eggs to increase
her
> fitness level and simultaneously reducing the chance of the a-female
> spreading her genes! Very interesting! Another consideration is that
it is
> quite likely that the trio are genetically related -- probably even
siblings
> -- as I got them from the LFS. In many higher animals, genetically
related
> conspecifics often take _some_ responsibility for care of young -- eg.
> "aunt" chimps often take turns caring for baby chimps or watching
juveniles
> while the mother gets some relaxation. Apparently not so with Rams!
>
> I also think I was pretty lucky to get two true females and one male --
I
> was a bit worried after reading about the lack of females being imported
> from the Far East. Perhaps the trio was even from a local breeder.
>
> Well, an hour later, I checked back on the tank and noticed that the
male
> and alpha-female were doing a "spawning dance" on the other side of the
tank
> near the driftwood. The female's ovipositor was still very extended and
> both had full coloration. The beta-female was no where in sight, and it
> looked like most of the eggs were gone. So, I am hoping they do better
on
> the next round!
>
> I am not prepared space-wise to dedicate a tank to breed these fish, but
> wouldn't mind having a successful spawn in their present tank. If
anyone
> has suggestions that might help, I would appreciate it. I could pull
out
> the other female, but think that she might be next in line to lay eggs!
I
> added a small clay tray (for flower pots) with some fine sand in it, so
> maybe the Rams will like that more?
>
> TIA,
> Tony
> BTW - My new pair of A. trifasciata is settling in nicely and my new
male
> double-red aggie is adjusting to his new home... Still seems a bit
ragged,
> but hopefully some good food will fix him up soon!
>
>
>
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