Zebra Danio female losing a scale?

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ShanLPardy

Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Joined
Oct 20, 2023
Messages
18
Location
Newfoundland, Canada
(30G Freshwater tank, EHEIM 2213 canister filter, 8 Zebra Danio, 5 Cardinal Minnows, 1 Clown Pleco, 2 Nerite Snails, AquaSky Tank Light, mixture of live and silk plants)



This female Zebra Danio is looking a little rough- she seems to have a scale on her body that's peeling off (reminds me of a snake shedding it's skin). It's just that one spot, just that one scale, but her fin on the other side seems to have a small rip. I have 8 Danios - 5 males and 3 females, and today the males are really harassing the females. I assume it's to spawn - they're trying to drive them into some low plants I have. Could this be from the males nipping, or the females going through rough spots? I'm hoping to get some more females soon and move the ratio in the female's favour, but I'm not sure right now if I should do anything other than maybe remove the males for a bit, let the girls rest?1000003735.jpg(The water looking green is just the greenish setting of my tank light.)


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The problem is the too many males. What you are describing is a typical spawning behavior. If you are not interested in having them spawning, you have to separate the males from the females with a tank divider or a separate tank. Females typically get a banged up when spawning as the male is trying to get her to go into a spawning spot. If you do not remove the adults after the spawning is completed, they will also eat their own eggs. There's a plus and minus to this. The minus is if they get all the eggs, there will be no young. The plus is that if they eat the eggs, they are a highly nutritious meal which can help the females recover from the spawning activity.
So it's your choice. (y)
 
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