Multie Behavior

[phOOey]

I got my 3 neo. multifasciatus last thursday and there doing great. I just wanted to talk about some of the behavior i've been seeing from these great little fish.

Two of the three of them have laid claim to a couple of shells each and have been busily digging a pit around them, normal behavior right.

Whereas the third one hasn't really tried to claim any shells for itself, it just swims around the whole tank not really being that bothred about getting a home. Also instead of digging a pit around its own shell, it seems to take turns in helping both the others with there pits, but never gets round to doing its own. It has however dug a random pit next to a rock which doesnt seem to serve any purpose.

When i ordered them i did ask for them to try to get me 1 male 2 females, and the one that hasnt got a shell is atleast 1/2 cm bigger than the other 2, so will it maybe be something to do with breeding or something, or is this normal behavior for males?

Thanks

 

[Purple]

I suspect the large one considers the females shells as his territory anyway - so he's checking out the tank for competition (other males)

all sounds normal to me.....

 

[MrsPurple]

I had a male that thought all the shells where his and a female that would never take 1 shell as hers... just watch it will become clear who is who ;-)

 

[phOOey]

Thanks, i think purple might be right, but they have only been in the tank for 5 days, i guess time will tell...

 

[Orion]

all sounds within the norm to me. It seems that the males are never as interested in securing there own shell as the females are. They are happy to just duck in what ever is close if any danger comes its way.

 

[TaffyFish]

Yes, all correct here - the bigger one is the male and he might prefer a place near the rockwork rather than a shell to call his own. Your females are digging away nicely, it all sounds very promosing indeed - less than 2 weeks from your first spawn I would say. If the tank is newly set up then I would recommend that you get some fry food ready. Good luck and enjoy the show. Can we please see pics?!

How are they dealing with the shrimp - ignoring them?

 

[phOOey]

cool thanks taffyfish, i'm glad to here that everything is normal, yes the bigger one does just hang by the rockwork and normally darts into there if he gets scared ( or the closest shell ). Spawning in 2 weeks! wow, i new they were easy to spawn but i wasnt expecting it that quick, i will go get some fry food this weekend.

About the shrimp, i know putting them in there was a risk, and yes the multies do chase them away from their shells, but at the moment its not to bad, and the shrimps are learning that its best just to stay away and only come out when the lights are out. If it gets any worse once they start breeding, i have a friend who has a 10g with just neons and platies and lots of places to hide who will gladly take them from me.

I wish i could get pics up but my stuipid digi-cam decided to break, just my luck, the one time i have something i wanna show you all i cant.

 

[Orion]

IMO, you cant beat live BBS for a cichlid fry food. Adults love it, and the fry grow much faster on this stuff compared to just a flake diet. Plus its always fun to grow sea monkeys!