I emptied my 1100G pond on Sunday.For the nine exCichlasoma beani in the pond, 'summer camp' was over. It looks as if there are five males and four females. They thrived in the four months they were out there, the males now ranging from 7 to 9", the females 5 to 6". No sooner had I moved them into their winter quarters, one of the males took up with a female. She began to show vertical barring on the sides, a blackening chest area, and a black patch on the anterior part of her dorsal. For the last few hours they have been courting, flaring, swimming together, tail slapping and staking out a territory. Here are a few pictures of the 'beani' couple (soon to be parents, I hope).
