Ill just play dead in the corner here

[levia7han]

Im getting a 20L cycled soon. But in the mean time I have a pair of convicts in a 10g. They are little yet. But the female looks able to breed(coloration) and the male is kinda small yet. both fish are about 2 inches long. with the female being bigger. I have had them for 5 days now.

They seemed to be paired up when I put them in. Swimming and hanging around with eachother. But now, It seems the female has decided she dosent like the male at all. She has chased him into the corner of the tank, and he is playing dead. Sometimes he comes down and tries to hide in the rocks but she is always searching them. And will root him out and send him back to play dead.

What should I do. I should have the other tank soon, within the week, maybe next at the latest. Will things get better when they are in it. Or has she decided that she dosent want him. Do I need to find another male. My friend has a few more I could trade for.

Anyone know.
Lev

 

[equinom]

It's a pair - for sure!

I'm not sure how fish handle it - but sounds to me like they went and got married:
When they first met they hung out together and things were "kewl."
After a little bit of time - things started to change, she's hounding him about everything. She's bigger and could kick his butt if she wanted, but she would rather just make him miserable. He tries to get away and she forces him back to the corner.
Either that or you've got a Dominatrix in your tank. Does she have a little bull whip in her fin? That would have been the first clue....
When her biological clock starts ticking she becomes all lovey dovey again. Until them how about a tank devider?

 

[levia7han]

lol. there is this one pot that i cant see under... i wonder if she keeps the whips and chains there.

Ya. I thought about a tank devider. I was just wondering if there was anything else i should try first. either way i need to take a trip to the store tomarrow. And I have to remember to pick up more fish food.

thanks equinom

Lev

 

[levia7han]

well i see alot of you viewing this but no one talking. So I took the only advice I got and got them a tank devider. Its interesting.... The male thinks hes all bad now and will posture and try and lip lock with the female. Knowing full well that if she could get on his side she would have him in the corner again.

She was ramming the plate when i first put it in to get at him. But she has settled down and now just goes up to it and liplocks it like she really misses him and wants a kiss...... its like prison. I see why they are called convicts.

Is this going to happen when i put them in the 20 too. Or when the male gets a little bigger will they mellow out to each other.. Very interesting fish. I just dont know about them sometimes though

Lev

 

[cawah]

Hi! Sorry i dont know much about fish, but im glad that you fixed your problem!

Sometimes I think fish parallel humans a lot more than we think.

 

[bscaggs06]

My fish didn't exactly pair up at the start either. It was after I introduced a new fish into the tank that they teamed up.

 

[levia7han]

bscaggs are you talking about dithers and target fish... i have thought about adding some. But im going to wait untill they get to there new home to add them. In a 10, another fish wouldnt stand a chance against these fish unless they were hardcore. and even then.... ill wait and let them have some chance with the bigger tank.

Lev