Behavioral question.

[Jefft]

Another perhaps stupid question from a new fish keeper to all you old vets. I am sure you have all seen this behavior in your fish. They circle round and round each other in a tight circle is this aggression and fighting? As opposed to the face to face mouth to mouth pushing back and forth? Do these fish need to be separated? Two of my Metriaclimia callainos Nkhata Bay "Cobalts" are round and round. Separate them or is this some kind of mating thing?

 

[turfboss]

Is one a male and the other a female?? if so I think this is a mating ritual - my Stuartgranti flame tail male does that with the females and I keep waiting for eggs to appear.

 

[Avatar]

Just like a CCA meeting

Naw, it's probably just like William and Tony doing that "tough love" thing.

No experience with Africans but many if not most New World cichlids do the same thing, especially rams and eartheaters. Usually it's a same sex thing but unless someone starts shredding someone, I wouldn't stress about it. Assuming the tank is big enough for them to stay out of each other's way, it seems like a mutual choice. Buffaloing activity is generally harmless and just fish being fish, but if the circling is a courtship thing I would expect some shimmying or something from someone or some other sort of "come hither" moves.

Am sure someone who knows will weigh in soon...

 

[chriscoli]

I've seen my Mainganos do this pretty often....both male-female and male-male. In the first case, it's a little more of a casual, "hey, you checkin' me out?" kind of thing.....with the latter, it's a more tightly spiraled aggressive, "hey, you lookin' at ME?" kind of thing.

I'd leave them alone unless there's major harm being done. Most likely they're sizing each other up and establishing a pecking order. Females may do it to each other, too, I'm sure. They have their own social ranking, as well.

 

[Jefft]

Cool thank you folks! Neither fish have shown any signs of fin nips or undue stress. So all is good thanks again ya'll.