A few pics of Bullies

[Stella]

Yeah the fish will quickly let you know if a tank is too small for the numbers or just right!

I would be most interested to hear how your tank with just males goes. I have never had male bullies on their own. Hard to predict if they would be less territorial or the same.

Just to add to your reading list here is a really interesting lab-experiment looking at nest preference behaviours of upland bullies:

Threat-sensitive Nest Preferences in Male Upland Bullies, Gobiomorphus breviceps

William J. Hamilton

ABSTRACT

A male's ability to acquire and defend a nest site against competitors is an important requirement for successful breeding in many fish species. In the upland bully Gobiomorphus breviceps (Eleotridae), not all males are successful in gaining ownership of nesting rocks; therefore, male-male competition may be important in nest acquisition. Although larger nests have the potential to hold more eggs, in nature there is a preferred nest size well below the maximum available. I found that in over 88% of dyadic contests, the larger male was successful in acquiring the single nesting site provided. When males were individually given a choice of two artificial nest rocks, they consistently preferred the larger nest. These results suggest that larger males have the ability to occupy the largest nests. In the presence of a trout predator, males preferred nests with three closed sides 93% of the time. This preference disappeared when the threat was a conspecific. This shows that while males were choosing the larger nests their decisions were also threat-sensitive.

(Let me know if you can't access the .pdf, I can't get it at home but can at school. That goes for anyone, BTW. I will email you the file.)

So, are you studying too? I am doing master's in Ecology at Massey uni. Halfway through my first year

[flatfish]

great pics. very nice

[CodKing]

Thanks Flatfish!

Last couple of days I've seen a bit of biffo in the males tank. I think I need to seperate them, which means having 3 tanks Might be time to take a few back to where they came from. The slightly bigger tank seems to be spot on for the others. I don't see the female much, she's been hidding the past few days but the males don't seem do mind the setup. The boys take turns at feeding time which is new!

That's a pretty cool article, can I find these on Scopus you think? I'll have a go on Monday anywho.

Yip I'm just starting second year of BSc in Geog. GIS papers and backing them with a few Biol. Probably get some more ecology in there. Masters aye, hard out! I'm not sure my academic life will be that in depth, just have to see how it goes next exam season.