cychlid behavior

[brotherd]

Just an observation.I picked up a Krib and put him in with my Fueleborni yesterday.What followed was an impressive display of "saber rattling".Both fish showed amazing changes in color,stripes,fins etc.Wow!The Fueli was actually vibrating!Thakfully that was as far as it went.Alittle chasing but that was it.No actual fighting.Now today they are back to normal appearance.Pretty cool.

 

[targaboy78]

I have seen that before. However, only within the same species and only as a "mating ritual".

I have a pair of Kribensis, I have noticed the color change you are describing (the females belly turns bright crimson which makes her tummy seem larger). I have also seen that when she swims past the male she bends sideways to make her stomach seem even larger and rounder... sort of like "Hey Big Boy... Look at the huge number of eggs that I have for you". The "vibrating" that you describe is usually done by both the male and the female. Fascinating fish.

 

[nejsux]

My Gouramis change color drastically around spawning tme. It's amazing to see how drastic their color changes are. My 2 (male) albino paradise fish sometimes get darker red and do the same dance as the spawning gouramis sometimes. Its fun to watch them chases each other in tiny circles & flare their fins & gills. Too bad they are both male.