Female Cockatoo Cichlid, weird behavior

[EEk]

Hi everyone, I hope this is the right forum for this..

I have a female Apistogramma Cacatuoide that is behaving weird. She measures just under a full inch, appears healthy and nice bright coloration (yellow with black stripes)

Today I was watching her interact with the Male (1.25") and the male would charge and kinda nip at her (sometimes when she swam near his 'home' sometimes when they happened to be eyeing the same flake food). As she swam away, she kinda tilted on her side and swam.. crooked. I'd like to think this is some kind of mating thing, but I don't think they are big/old enough yet. I don't want to assume that it's not an illness of some sort, but she only does that sideways swim after the male nips at her. Other wise shes a strong swimmer, going under the plants and through the parts of the tank with stronger current without problem (basically what she's been doing all along).

Should I be worried? Is she sick or just *ahem* excited?

 

[Allivymar]

My guess (and I am only guessing; never had Cacatuoides before) that they are not quite ready to mate, and she is trying to appease the male/reduce aggression/kowtowing by reducing her profile to him. The nipping behavior is a sign of prebreeding, but I can't find any info on the sideways swimming. Is she a bright yellow? That too is a sign of eminent breeding.

I don't think she's ill tho.

 

[Menagerie]

It sounds like LOVE
My Mbuna do that all the time (although I only see it in the sexually mature ones). I don't know what size A Cacatuoide becomes mature, but some fish start early!

 

[EEk]

According to what I've found, my two fish are just a tad too small for what they (or she) is doing.. *sigh* kids these days.. no morals, i blame MTV now to get them a hotel room.. sheesh!

atleast shes not sick..

Thanks everyone

 

[Allivymar]

Mwahahaha. I bought 4 rams a coupla months ago as additions to my mated angelfish tank. Thought they would do well, and I would only have to worry about the angels having babies as the rams were small (about an inch long). Hah! They obviously didn't get the memo about growing up before having sex, and breed regularly LOL