Flabberghasted by Two PROVEN females getting ready to Spawn

[Trippy]

So I didn't take what I was seeing seriously until I saw the vents of two females protruding...

I have 3 females in a large aquarium. I've witnessed two of the three spawn numerous times over the past few years. However, both are parents that eat their young either on the cone or after a day of free swimming. There is no male in the tank as he has paired and spawned in a seperate aquarium. But as I type this, I am watching these two proven females shake, do the discus bow, and chase the third female out of their designated spawn site.

As I write this they are cleaning the wood and both have their vents protruding which up until this point, has always been the signal that a spawn is imminent. But as I mentioned before they are both... Females?!?!?

What am I missing here?!?! I'm truly flabberghasted by what I'm witnessing?

Should I film the spawn? Is this a normal occurence???

Also any advice?

Thanks?

[LizStreithorst]

It's normal. They have to spawn when their ready to spawn and if they can't find a willing gentleman they will settle for a willing lady.

[Trippy]

I had no idea. Absolutely none that Discus females would spawn with each other. It's a very surprising turn of events.

[peewee1]

now that you know the females if you find to males then you have a chance of a breeding pair.

[LizStreithorst]

You're right, Peewee. If Tippy were to put a gentleman fish in with them she/he would be able to watch a pair form. I wonder how a newly introduced male would react to a bunch of females who were in the mood. It would be fun to watch.

[peewee1]

I have the reverse, Liz. Two males that for the past 6 months have tried again and again to spawn. I have paired both males at various times with a known spawning female but none of the three seem attracted on one another. Just the two males.

[LizStreithorst]

I have the reverse, Liz. Two males that for the past 6 months have tried again and again to spawn. I have paired both males at various times with a known spawning female but none of the three seem attracted on one another. Just the two males.

Now that is unusual. I have had males get together but never if there was a lady fish in the tank.

[matt parsons]

I have four fish in a 55 in our living room. Two blue diamonds from one source and two reflections deeps from another source. They have paired off in the past 4 to 5 weeks p. Both pairs do all the usual head diving, twitching and being very protective of their sides of the tank. So in the past two weeks both pairs spawned when I was present. I was so happy as they are young fish and have just started to spawn. My smaller ones ( I assumed they were the females) both laid eggs. The larger of both pairs did not make runs which I thought was strange even for young pairs. Then my large, big, beautiful males laid eggs too. Lol.
Yep, I was shocked that all four were females. I have since put in a known male in that tank to see if one female may switch teams but so far that poor male is just getting the sh!t kicked outta him.
I guess until you have wrigglers you just can’t tell if you have a male and female pair.