Sewellia lineolata...Hillstreams

MaryJ · Post by **MaryJ** » Sun Jun 11, 2006 8:08 am

I had 3 Sewellia lineolata but 2 got into a vicious battle and one was killed. the remaining 2 seem to be spawning. 4 days ago they had formed a circular shallow hole in the sand next to a piece of driftwood. The were spawning sorta like cories, one poking it`s head into the others side. At times one was ontop of the others head. This went on for about an hour, then the went under the driftwood and stayed until lights came on in the morning. Can I be lucky enough to have a spawning pair? No eggs.

29 gal tank with pH6.0 temp is 70f nights and 72f days. Sand substrate with a few river ricks and heavily planted.
I started this tank for my spawning Panda Cories and their fry. I had to relocate a trio of threadfin rainbows and put them in with the cories. Since adding the threadfins my cories spawned again and fry survived their mouths. Hopefully the threadfins aren`t smart enough to catch fry.

Martin Thoene · Post by **Martin Thoene** » Sun Jun 11, 2006 9:36 am

This sounds perfectly possible MaryJ. Based on experience with other Hillstreams, you may find babies in around a week. The eggs are probably buried in the gravel (if they spawned) and the babies will stay in the gravel till they grow a bit. If the tank is well established, they will feed off the rockwork and microorganisms. One thing of note, cover filter intakes with sponge. I had baby Pseudogastromyzon in my cannister filters!

Oh....and if you do breed them I will be insanely jealous!

I'm amazed that one died after fighting. Generally, hillstreams don't get that violent. Don't really have the equipment to do damage. However, Emma's experience with photographing a fight shows they get pretty serious about it.

Martin.

Emma Turner · Post by **Emma Turner** » Sun Jun 11, 2006 10:54 am

Hi MaryJ,

Here's the link to the series of photographs I took of two male Sewellia lineolata fighting: http://forums.loaches.com/viewtopic.php?t=176&

Emma

Graeme Robson · Post by **Graeme Robson** » Sun Jun 11, 2006 11:22 am

I agree, it can be possible. It sounds as if it's one or the other. Time will tell.

Jim Powers · Post by **Jim Powers** » Sun Jun 11, 2006 12:16 pm

I'm already insanely jealous because you have them and I don't.

But it they have spawned....that would be fantastic.
Keep us posted.

MaryJ · Post by **MaryJ** » Sun Jun 11, 2006 1:07 pm

My cuties are doing great but I have no idea, now, as to what they were doing. They stay pretty close to each other and haven`t put on a show since then. They`re very active and haven`t seemed to be watching over any eggs. Do the Sewellia lineolata guard their eggs?

MaryJ · Post by **MaryJ** » Sun Jun 11, 2006 1:10 pm

Again I say Emma your Sewellia lineolatas are as cute as mine. I`m hoping they spawned.

Jim Powers · Post by **Jim Powers** » Sun Jun 11, 2006 2:22 pm

Since we don't know that much about Sewellia, we don't really know if they guard their eggs. The other hillstreams that are known to spawn in captivity (P. cheni and L. disparis) bury eggs in the gravel and leave them alone.

Emma Turner · Post by **Emma Turner** » Sun Jun 11, 2006 2:37 pm

Thanks MaryJ,

Can you see any male-female differences in your two fish?

Emma

Martin Thoene · Post by **Martin Thoene** » Sun Jun 11, 2006 5:19 pm

MaryJ, check here: http://forums.loaches.com/viewtopic.php?t=937 for sexual differences.

Martin.

MaryJ · Post by **MaryJ** » Sun Jun 11, 2006 9:01 pm

I`ll try to get a good look tomorrow, the lights are out now. Thanks bunches for all the help.

dlenn · Post by **dlenn** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 11:16 am

Hi,

Our Dominant pair of Hillstreams have been breeding for a while. For a couple of weeks the male will chase the female away (and everyone else) then for a few days they will 'snuggle' up, nosing at each other, going round and round each other, the male will dig a hole and encourage the female to go in. We have never seen them both in the hole at the same time although obviously they have been

It could have been a case of "have a look at the nice hole I have dug", trying it out for size before spawning in in for real. Or maybe they just wanted to cuddle last night.

MaryJ · Post by **MaryJ** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 12:19 pm

With my poor eye sight the only difference I see in the 2 is one has a longer tail. Oh well , they`re nice to look at even if they`re the same sexes. Good for me i`m not into breeding for a living.

I just love them Loaches.

Jim Powers · Post by **Jim Powers** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 3:54 pm

dlenn;
are you talking about Sewellia or some other type of hillstream?

Martin Thoene · Post by **Martin Thoene** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 5:34 pm

Sounds 100% like standard Pseudogastromyzon cheni behaviour IMO Jim.

How's Guildford dlenn? I used to live off Chesham Road

Martin.

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