Mrs Frog Posted January 11, 2008 Report Share Posted January 11, 2008 look like?? I have searched on the web for a good description but :-? I'm wanting to know this because the dynamics between my redhead cichlids has changed. SHE is now guarding the cave, he is in another, both of them have all their fins standing up on end and she does a sideways shimmer type movement in the cave and I wondering what she is doing. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim r Posted January 11, 2008 Report Share Posted January 11, 2008 sounds like she has had her fun and kicked him out :lol: "fanning" the fish will hover a bit like a helicopter in one place using their gills to generate movement over the eggs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frog Posted January 11, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 11, 2008 aah okay, I am watching her carefully at the moment as I would love to breed off these too. She also won't let the severum in the cave and he used to often hang out in there with the male redhead...shes claimed the cave and told them all to back off lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted January 11, 2008 Report Share Posted January 11, 2008 They hover in front of the eggs and fan water over them using their pectoral fins. They also pick up the eggs in their mouth, clean them and put them back. This looks like they are eating them which if you are lucky they are not, or unlucky they are. They will however often eat non fertile eggs. The fanning keeps fresh oxygenated water over the eggs and this is why an airstone is used if the eggs are removed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanjury Posted January 11, 2008 Report Share Posted January 11, 2008 Yeah sounds like a good description.. When the other member of the pair approaches they do twitch and stuff like that, I think its some sort of primitive communication to let them know which one is their partner.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frog Posted January 12, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2008 wow interesting, thanks , so next question...what do the eggs look like and should I be able to see them or not? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted January 12, 2008 Report Share Posted January 12, 2008 The shimmer is part of the pair bonding behaviour. You will see the eggs if you can see where they have been laid Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim r Posted January 12, 2008 Report Share Posted January 12, 2008 The eggs will be amber in colour (if fertile) and turn white if fungassed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frog Posted January 12, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2008 The eggs will be amber in colour (if fertile) and turn white if fungassed. Thanks, could be hard to see if she has laid them underneath terracotta lol. I think they might still just be playing around Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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