Orange flash harassment (Mating?) *Pictures added 8/6*

[JRagg]

Well as some of you may know I have had some problems getting a pair of Orange Flash Apistos. I was originally sent three males via mail order, and after some searching found a local breeder who supplies to a local fish store. I went by after work today and gave them my smaller male (1/2") and bought a female.

There is absolutely no doubt at all that this is a female. The male has been harassing her since I put her in the tank. He's going up next to her and flaring constantly. She doesn't seem too upset by it since she isn'trunning away or anything, and sometimes she follows him around. He hasn't nipped at her, he's just trying to be the big man on campus (campus = my little tank).

Anyways, here's a short video. My "commentary" didn't transfer through, and I don't want to re-encode the video. My video camera is much better than my still camera, so I figured I would post a short clip of the flaring.

Thanks YouTube
Here's the Video!

Oh, and sorry about the nasty roots they're near. I can't seem to get my watersprite's roots to stay underground or look decent. It's only there to provide some cover for the shrimp.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

Cool video.....

 

[Jchillin]

Nice work JRagg, she is definitely interested. Followed him into the foliage.

 

[maxwell1295]

Yep, it looks like you might have a breeding pair. That male is stunning.....he is most definitely strutting his stuff!

 

[JRagg]

I'll try to get a better video tonight. I wasn't trying to get them in the front of the tank, and I had my camera in widescreen mode, which YouTube just butchers.

I think if I take a regular 4:3 video, it will come out better. The original on my PC is good, but it's about 6 mb, which is too big for me to host locally (my upload speed isn't too good).

Really sad that my video camera takes better shots (and stills) than my digital camera.

 

[Guest]

Very nice vedio Raggs, Look for some eggs in about 10 to 12 days. Now. If he's doing that then after the lights goes out the real spawning starts. Now the guy you got your female off of. Did he tell you it was a orange flash female and that. Just because it is that not to look for all orande flash fry. I have a few males that come out with the orange flash coloring on the dorsal and anual fins. But has the cockato markings in them as well. here's a picture of them. Now I thank they are beaytiful and the orange in the fins fellowed by the fire markings in those fins. Just sets him off and is stunning in my books.

as you cn see the orange just sets the red and black flame look off to me.

 

[JRagg]

He said she was an orange flash female. So hopefully that's what she actually is. She has a couple of small orange markings on the dorsal and tail fin, but nothing that looks like the double/triple red markings.

That hybrid is really pretty neat looking. I'm guessing that's all the same fish?

I didn't get any video last night since he wasn't doing it anymore, and I didn't continue to watch after lights out. I would be really surprised if I see eggs soon, mainly because the male is still so young. He's about the same size as the female.

I'll keep my eyes open though, and if I see something else good I'll get either some video or some stills. I finally figured out how to use the macro function on my camera, so I'm getting some shots that are a little better.

 

[maxwell1295]

Wow! That is one beautiful fish!

 

[Zagz]

Definately looks like mating behaviour to me. Those are gorgeous looking fish. Congrats.

 

[verucaproduce]

Awww. That video was cute! Beautiful fish. The markings are great!

 

[JRagg]

Since the quality on the video came out so bad, I made an attempt at photography. Armed with my new knowledge of the macro function and a very large memory card I went for it. Very few came out good, but there were a couple that I wasn't embarrased to post.

Sorry about the tubing in the background. I still haven't bothered to get a border for the tank, and as of right now I'm just trying to grow plants so asthetics aren't at the top of my list.

And without further adu