Strange calvus behavior

Poekin

Gambusia
MFK Member
Oct 17, 2008
154
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16
Baltimore, Maryland
I have 3 white calvus. They are pretty small, about 1" in size. Tonight i was watching 2 of them swimming around one another. They were kinda circling one another. And then, one would strike the other fish. The other fish wouldn't run away... they would just keep circling each other and taking turns striking one another.

Can someone explain this behavior to me? I though that calvus were supposed to be pretty timid.
 

junglej

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Dec 23, 2007
521
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appleton,wi
This is actually quite normall, nothing to worry about. At only 1" they are just trying to assert dominance. It could be that these two are of the same sex, but at only 1" it might ONLY be a territorial thing. My only question is the size of the tank they are in.
 

Poekin

Gambusia
MFK Member
Oct 17, 2008
154
0
16
Baltimore, Maryland
They are in a 75 gallon and should have plenty of room. I have a pretty big rockscape for them with plenty of hiding places as well.

I've never kept calvus before and didn't know if it was a territorial or a pairing thing.
 

junglej

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Dec 23, 2007
521
0
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appleton,wi
Yeah, plenty of room! just a territorial thing dont worry. and their flanks have quite a bit of armor on them so if that is where they are attacking, it is really no biggy.
 

Poekin

Gambusia
MFK Member
Oct 17, 2008
154
0
16
Baltimore, Maryland
Oh ok, it didn't seem like they were hurting each other because neither was running away. I watched them for a good 10 minutes and it was a pretty good show :popcorn::popcorn::popcorn:
 

nuggets

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Oct 15, 2008
279
3
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cichlid world
there ok try putting in some different tank mates if its just them. it will give them something else to do :popcorn:
 

Poekin

Gambusia
MFK Member
Oct 17, 2008
154
0
16
Baltimore, Maryland
They have 6 two month old moba frontosa to hang out with. Everyone gets along great and this is the first sign of any aggression that i have seen.
 

MalawiTango

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Sep 29, 2008
765
2
0
N Virginia
Its really cool when they do that. One thing I didnt know about that when they turn their side towards an agressor they are not submitting but really pointing the sharp edge of their scales towards the aggressor.
 

Poekin

Gambusia
MFK Member
Oct 17, 2008
154
0
16
Baltimore, Maryland
I took a video of them doing this last night. I should be able to upload it to youtube sometime this weekend and i'll be sure to post the link in this thread. They really are beautiful fish. :)
 
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