Beani Keepers??

[fishman09]

duanes ......... what exactly is the point of keeping sub dominant beani in with the dom beani, if the end result is fish that get the tar beat out of them on a regular basis? Why not just remove them?

I've had a lot of sub dom fish in tanks over the years, but never any that looked as rough as those.

Was going to ask this as well. Hopefully if I get a pair to form they will be solo and I will be removing any sub dominant fish.


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[duanes]

Beani pair bonds are very tenuous, the subs help hold the main pair bond together. Without something to chase, I have found after spawning, male beani almost immediately kill the female.
And the others have been impossible to catch, even if I wanted to, and I have tried.

 

[RD.]

That's what God created target fish for. But I guess if you can't catch the sub dom beani, then it is what it is. Not much of a life for those poor buggers.

 

[trace]

That's what God created target fish for. But I guess if you can't catch the sub dom beani, then it is what it is. Not much of a life for those poor buggers.

I agree to a point but how is using a target fish of another species any better? Life is life and I'm sure another species would take the abuse better and maybe get less dished out to it, but if a tinfoil barb gets beat and killed, is it any better than if a cichlid does? Not trying to seem argumentative just curious to hear your logic. Unless there are no target fish at all I don't see how it betters the situation. Sometimes you just do what you have to do. Again I'm not condemning either side just find the topic somewhat interesting


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[duanes]

It is an interesting dilemma, what to sacrifice? or what will provide the impetus to give enough competition, yet without being so strong that they create too much stress to the pair? (the incomplete divider method was unsuccessful with beani for me in the past)
I am also growing out Tomocichla asfraci, which I have found to be consummate mate killers.
Luckily, some of their siblings are a bit deformed, so rather than culling them now, I plan to use the mutants as dither/targets, if spawning is in the cards, in the future. And if the mutants survive.
normal asfraci

deformed, and seriously stunted compared to their normal siblings.

 

[RD.]

I'm sure another species would take the abuse better and maybe get less dished out to it

And there you have it, you just answered your own question. Typically fish used as targets are more capable at avoiding and absorbing the attacks, and aren't viewed with the same vengeance as conspecifics so the level of aggression aimed at them isn't as high to begin with.

 

[trace]

And there you have it, you just answered your own question. Typically fish used as targets are more capable at avoiding and absorbing the attacks, and aren't viewed with the same vengeance as conspecifics so the level of aggression aimed at them isn't as high to begin with.

But often with difficult to breed aggressive fish they don't channel the anger enough to save their mates. I feel that some pairs take a more direct threat to preoccupy them enough to direct the aggression away from the female. In those cases I feel the best option is to split the pair and try again with a different pair. Some species are worse than others and maybe beani are bad enough that good pairs all but don't exist. I have no experience with them. Sometimes that may just not be feasible and Someone has to breed them and I guarantee most large scale breeders keep pairs and dithers in worse combos and conditions in a lot of cases. If it's what it takes to have these fish in the hobby somebody will fill the niche.


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[fishman09]

There will be no target fish in my scenario. The way I see it is if targets are neccessary for a pair not to kill each other then they're probably not the best pair to be together. So i will not be keeping a pair if they wont get along and may end up with just a solo male which I am perfectly fine with also. Hopefully ill get a successful pair and possibly a trio and the rest will be removed to avoid aggression issues.

 

[trace]

There will be no target fish in my scenario. The way I see it is if targets are neccessary for a pair not to kill each other then they're probably not the best pair to be together. So i will not be keeping a pair if they wont get along and may end up with just a solo male which I am perfectly fine with also. Hopefully ill get a successful pair and possibly a trio and the rest will be removed to avoid aggression issues.

Definitely the way to go from a hobbyists standpoint. Why deal with the headache just to see them breed? Not all fish we keep need to be pairs. Good luck bro I wish you the best of it in yours search for a pair/ show male!


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[fishman09]

Definitely the way to go from a hobbyists standpoint. Why deal with the headache just to see them breed? Not all fish we keep need to be pairs. Good luck bro I wish you the best of it in yours search for a pair/ show male!


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Thanks man. Should be here tomorrow!! super pumped!