thedavidzoo
Members
I went into my fishroom/computer room to cut off the lights at 10pm. I noticed some strange behaviour. Turns out one of my smaller Cyprichromis leptosoma "Utinta" already had a huge mouth full of eggs. She and one of the males (my smallest, lowest ranking, ugliest) were doing a dance. It was neat to finally witness at least one part of spawning. Usually I wake up to mouths full of eggs, fish acting like nothing happened.
Anyway, the video I took sucked, and is not fit to show. Darn.
The male did his usual flashing thing and would rapidly extend his mouth and draw it back several times right parallel at the females flank, kind of like he was sucking water next to her. Then he would shimmy and show his egg spots. The female would then mouth near them, getting some milt, I suppose. They did this entire sequence numerous times. He would occasionally chase other fish away.
At one point, the female left that area to join the main school. My 2 biggest, prettiest, dominant males then took over, herding the same female, shimmying, etc. What was really neat was that I could clearly see, for the first time ever, the cloud of milt and the female taking some of it. Then she headed back to the sub-dom male and repeated it all for another several minutes.
Long story short, it seems obvious that the eggs can be fertilized by several males.
Does anyone know what the "extended mouth-sucking thing" by the male is supposed to do?
Anyway, although the ritual cost me 30 minutes of prime Borderlands II playing time, I enjoyed the show. Wish I could get good video.
Anyway, the video I took sucked, and is not fit to show. Darn.
The male did his usual flashing thing and would rapidly extend his mouth and draw it back several times right parallel at the females flank, kind of like he was sucking water next to her. Then he would shimmy and show his egg spots. The female would then mouth near them, getting some milt, I suppose. They did this entire sequence numerous times. He would occasionally chase other fish away.
At one point, the female left that area to join the main school. My 2 biggest, prettiest, dominant males then took over, herding the same female, shimmying, etc. What was really neat was that I could clearly see, for the first time ever, the cloud of milt and the female taking some of it. Then she headed back to the sub-dom male and repeated it all for another several minutes.
Long story short, it seems obvious that the eggs can be fertilized by several males.
Does anyone know what the "extended mouth-sucking thing" by the male is supposed to do?
Anyway, although the ritual cost me 30 minutes of prime Borderlands II playing time, I enjoyed the show. Wish I could get good video.
