Can two male vieja pair up?

[FishKing5]

Is it possible for two male vieja synspilum/melanura to pair up? I requested two male synspilum from Jeff rapps a little while back and now added them in a tank that my dominant male is in that recently had a spawn but I removed the female since I want an male tank. I assume Jeff is good at sexing and venting his fish but not even a week later my dominant male melanura and one of these synspilum from rapps are now acting like they're forming a pair and preparing a spawning site. The rapps synspilum is also displaying its breeding colors, looks like an entirely different fish and they're pushing fish to one side of the tank. I'm really hoping these two are just confused haha. I really don't want to deal with spawning in my tank and have to remove the female before that happens. It's a really nice looking synspilum so I'm really hoping it's possible for two males to accidentally pair up.

 

[duanes]

There are a number of fish that change sex in the absence of others of the opposite sex.
Clown fish are well known for this, even in aquaria.
I know you may think I'm crazy, but I a had a female Alcolapia alcalicus (African soda lake cichlid) that had spawned and produced eggs and fry.
Later after all males in the tank were gone, she changed sex into a male, and spawned with a female.
The 2nd example is less clear.
I had a tank of Paratilapia polleni, that appeared to be 1 male and 2 females.
The alpha male died.
Within 48 hours one that I suspected of being female, grew a nuchal hump and changed into male coloration (whether it was originally a sneaker male, or actually changed sex in this instance is unclear)
It could be that your melanura presented all signs of being male, but it was a masquerade, or that in an all male tank, had the ability to change.
Sometimes under adverse conditions, nature evolves.

Above, the Alcolapia female holding eggs
below the same female, after changing colors, spawning with a female

 

[FishKing5]

There are a number of fish that change sex in the absence of others of the opposite sex.
Clown fish are well known for this, even in aquaria.
I know you may think I'm crazy, but I a had a female Alcolapia alcalicus (African soda lake cichlid) that had spawned and produced eggs and fry.
Later after all males in the tank were gone, she changed sex into a male, and spawned with a female.
The 2nd example is less clear.
I had a tank of Paratilapia polleni, that appeared to be 1 male and 2 females.
The alpha male died.
Within 48 hours one that I suspected of being female, grew a nuchal hump and changed into male coloration (whether it was originally a sneaker male, or actually changed sex in this instance is unclear)
It could be that your melanura presented all signs of being male, but it was a masquerade, or that in an all male tank, had the ability to change.
Sometimes under adverse conditions, nature evolves.

Above, the Alcolapia female holding eggs
below the same female, after changing colors, spawning with a female

Here's a pick of what's suppose to be a male from rapps. What do you think. My other dominant male is a for sure male with a nice nuchal hump and has spawned with a female before recently

 

[duanes]

Could be a female, could be a sneaker male.
There is an interesting chapter in George Barlows book, "The Cichlid Fishes, Natures Grand Experiment in Evolution" that questions the idea that all female cichlids choose large humped males or those with other exaggerated features, over more naturally formed males, among other subjects such as the use of sound some cichlid use in mate choice.
Well worth the $12 for a cichlidophile.

 

[kewpiefishypewpie]

 

[tiger15]

It's more common for two females to pair up and lay unfertilized eggs. But I had experienced twice two male Vieja of different species court each other with head shaking and site cleaning. The courtship is short term and violent, and don't form paring bond as in heterosexual or lesbian pairing. Here are videos of the courtship of a male synspillum with a male hartwegi, and a male pink fenestratus with the same male hartwegi. ( I have mis ID the hartwegi as blue fenestratus in the youtube made at the time)

https://www.youtube.com/edit?o=U&video_id=KacpYvuICzk