Johanni Looking for a Mate?

[Coyote251]

I have a Blue Johanni that in the past week has dug out a bunch of sand in one of the caves of my tank and started to have what I perceive as seizures. He has also been protecting this new cave he built fiercely from anyone that comes near it. From what I have read this is indicative of him trying to find a mate and wanting to breed. I am just wondering if this would mean that there is a female in the tank that would make him act like this? If there was no female would he still do the same thing? I really don't want to breed any hybrids, but I guess if i do it's free food. What should I be looking for in the other fish to see if they have eggs?

 

[ohiomalawi]

I have the same thing going on right now in my aquarium with the same fish (or a Maingano, hard to tell). I believe that two other fish in the aquarium have "fallen in love" and he is trying to break up the relationship. In my aquarium, he is the tank boss, so he's going to do whatever he wants and dare the other fish to stop him - he may dig a spot just to mark his territory and it may have nothing to do with breeding. I think if you have a female with eggs than he will be enticing her to his "love cave" --- perhaps striking her at a 90 degree angle. He will try to get her to put the eggs on the bottom of his love cave, she will pick them up and he will try to fool her into thinking his egg spots are eggs she missed. He will release his man goo into her mouth and that's where the eggs will fertilize. You will soon know the results, one way or another.

 

[Beardo86]

I have the same situation going on too. He's been way more aggressive than normal to all the the other fish except 1. I'm assuming that's his female and he's claiming her.

 

[ohiomalawi]

If he's beating your other fish (relentlessly) than I would suggest moving some of your decor around and adding a few more hiding places (I'm a big rock fan and adding plants causes some pause for examination). My Johanni/Maingano chases everyone, but chases my Acei the most. Doesn't look like he's out to kill, just marking the entire aquarium as his territory.