Angry yet flirting? [Archive]

nicholas76

01-15-2004, 06:36 AM

HI guys,

im back . I was able to find a female for my big red lonley melon and have experienced somthing that i havent seen before.

I have seen them punch up big time, both parties gaining dominance at diffrent times.
However they also bow flirt and tonight she was shivering and her tube is out.

what explains the fighting and then the courtship stuff. She will beat him up and then before you know it she is bowing?

she apparently is a proven breeder just like he is. I dare say its normal behaviour for fish with past history???

your opinions?

regards

nick

RyanH

01-15-2004, 03:18 PM

I am not a expert on breeding by any means but I can say that I have had pairs form that seems to be beating the hell out of eachother at first. Apparently it was just flirting behavior because now they spawn every week. Both pairs are still young (less than a year old) so no wigglers yet but they do a great job taking care of the infertile eggs. :)

nicholas76

01-15-2004, 05:32 PM

HI Ryan,

im actually needing to movethere tank. should i hold off till there first spawn? or is it ok to move the tank now do you think

nick

RyanH

01-17-2004, 02:55 AM

There are many people on here more qualified than I to answer your questions Nick but I don't think it will be a problem as long as you take steps to keep their stress level as low as possible. Simply netting them out and putting them into another tank that has the same water parameters would probably be easiest. But iff that is not an option for you...

-I would probably drain the tank down most of the way.

-Drain some of the water into a pail with a heater and an airstone.

-Keep the fish in the pail with a lid or something to cover it until the move is complete.

-finish draining the tank until you can carry it.

-Move the tank and refill it with warm (same temp as the pail), dechlorinated tapwater. If your tap water needs to be aged, allow it to sit over night.

-Drop the fish into the moved tank.

DO NOT ATTEMPT TO MOVE THE TANK WITH THE FISH IN IT!

They will hate your guts for a very long time. Trust me on this one.

hth
-Ryan