Shayesmommy Posted March 16, 2007 Report Share Posted March 16, 2007 I have two different pairs of shell dwellers. In two different tanks Ocellatus golds and multis. i've read lots of articles on breeding them. Basically based on judgement of the fish behavours i came to the conclusion that i have 1m and 1f of each group. Anyways i would like advice on breeding these and anything else. Both sets have been showing strange behaviour and no fighting or aggression what so ever. I have one of each that will stay in the first shell they picked and of course one of each that wonders from shell to shell. Couple of times i caught them in the same shell. Im just curious if maybe they are hiding babies and how the heck i would find out.. They seem to be contently gaurding shells now which they never really did before. Thanks Jen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGr8Blade Posted March 16, 2007 Report Share Posted March 16, 2007 -roll- My first advise...DON'T SHAKE THE SHELL LOL! Been there Done that! It takes a few weeks until they let the little buggers come out and start grazing. I have multies myself and caught a glimpse of a fry...about 1 cm long but it was only a split second and then his mom rushed him back to the shell. My brevis, they are different. They hide the babies for weeks upon weeks. The male hardly lets the female out to eat. The fry seem to sneak out when mom comes out for a snack and then you will see them jetting around the tank. My occelatus haven't bred yet but will come back to update eventually. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shayesmommy Posted March 16, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 16, 2007 why did they eat the babies or bite you? My gold bit me once and omg scared the :cuss: right out of me. I just dont really have patients. I really want to know if i actually have pairs or not. Mine is only a guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGr8Blade Posted March 16, 2007 Report Share Posted March 16, 2007 why did they eat the babies or bite you?My gold bit me once and omg scared the :cuss: right out of me. I just dont really have patients. I really want to know if i actually have pairs or not. Mine is only a guess. Never had one bite or nip me before. They usually are in the shells before I open the lid LOL! The norm is if a bigger one and a smaller one are going in and out of the same shell. I would say YES you will have fry. Takes a few weeks to be big enough to see them scooting around the tank. I didn't have patience either and landed up waiting much longer. I think they eat them if they get stressed (shaking the shells or moving them, did that and the fry swam out but none of them survived :cry: )(hands in the tank). Also I have read some do better with lowered lighting (like dusk). I leave the tank beside the shellies tank on and turn the one they are in off. I turn the one they are in on later and off earlier sorta thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shayesmommy Posted March 16, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 16, 2007 well im pretty sure they are doing something weird. LOL The golds are certianly not afraid of me. They only have the light that the room lets off as i dont have a top that fits the tank. The multis one turned darker in color and has been spending alot of time with the other one. They also did a rehaul of the tank recently and moved every thing in it. They moved all the sand into huge piles and took a fake plant i had floating and put it right above there shells. Its kind of amusing watching how much they do. Thanks for all you help wendy. Gives me more to think about and every day im keeping an eye out for little ones. i can only hope. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGr8Blade Posted March 16, 2007 Report Share Posted March 16, 2007 Curiosity killed the cat! Well in this case the fry LOL! Another thing, I put mega mega shells in the tank. They will only have babies if there is enough shells for everybody LOL! I read that somewhere. Whether it is true or not, who knows. Very good pre-parenting I guess . Should have done that when I decided to have 3 kids too LOL! -roll- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Posted March 16, 2007 Report Share Posted March 16, 2007 yes, the more shells the better for breeding shellies. Ocellatus will sometimes eat babies so more shells are needed for them. Multi. will form colony and are good parents. If they bite you and guard the same shell all the time, you might have eggs or frys there. Curiosity killed the cat! Well in this case the fry LOL!Another thing, I put mega mega shells in the tank. They will only have babies if there is enough shells for everybody LOL! I read that somewhere. Whether it is true or not, who knows. Very good pre-parenting I guess . Should have done that when I decided to have 3 kids too LOL! -roll- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shayesmommy Posted March 16, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 16, 2007 well i have lots of shells for them about 7-10 each tank maybe i should just cover the bottom. i have a all different shapes and sizes? maybe i should stick to smaller shells? And my grandmother in law from b.c just went out and collected me some more. she just needs to send them. So they will have lots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Posted March 16, 2007 Report Share Posted March 16, 2007 well i have lots of shells for them about 7-10 each tank maybe i should just cover the bottom. i have a all different shapes and sizes? maybe i should stick to smaller shells? And my grandmother in law from b.c just went out and collected me some more. she just needs to send them. So they will have lots. You need to be careful about the type of shells for shellies. The shell needs to be a big opening and guickly turn into a small inside (example, escargot shells). Shell that is with big opening and slowly turn into small inside will get your fish stuck (example, clone shells). I cover my tank with in half with shells for breeding shellies. They do not only use the shells but also the base of shells (frys). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shayesmommy Posted March 16, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 16, 2007 Most of my shells are very large. Openings and insides. They have the small ones that they came in from the store, but they are attached. I will one day remove them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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