Festae Love Triangle

[sbrady5pts]

Hi MFK!

I have been growing out a group of festae and now have 2 males and 1 female left.
One of the males is staying in breeding colors all the time with black bars and bright colors. The strange thing is that the female has NO interest in him and is chasing the other male around... That male has not displayed bars or much interest in the female.

I have grown out tons of pairs in my life but have never seen this kind of love triangle and am worried there is going to be tragedy..

Has anyone experienced this? Should I remove anyone? Do you think the female is at risk?

 

[Deadeye]

Pics? Usually dark bars is more of a female trait, though this isn’t always the case.
It isn’t impossible that the female is not responsive to the seemingly better male, cichlids are weird.

 

[stiker]

As mentioned above, it isn’t impossible for the female to not be interested in the male wanting to spawn.

I have been growing out a group of 8 M. Festae for around a year. About 4 months ago they spawned for the first time (dominate male + dominate female). Since then two other females are much larger and more dominate and constantly want to spawn with the male, but he shows not interest in them. The only interest he shows is the former dominate female (their spawn was also unsuccessful)

 

[sbrady5pts]

That’s helpful. Do you think the less dominant male will spawn with the dominant male lurking?

 

[Deadeye]

Anything can happen! Wouldn’t surprise me at all.