I know any answers I receive will be mostly educated guesses since we've yet to pull off successful captive breedings, but I'm still curious about what you guys think...
I have a 14'' male Koliba, and judging by the size of his fin, he had gone through puberty before I got him. I also have a 12'' male Endli who I THOUGHT had already gone through his puberty stage, swimming around and flexing/cupping his suddenly-quite-large fin. Both of them were calm and quiet for months together and didn't do any displays or flirting with anyone. I got my female 14'' Bichir Bichir about a month ago, and she originally wasn't getting along very well with the Koliba. She seemed to be the aggressor, but we let them work it out. Now, he swims around her almost obsessively, lining up next to her (sometimes head to head, sometimes head to tail) and vibrating his entire body and trying to breed. She pays no attention, and actually pulls her fins in to her body like she's trying to protect herself from bites. He pushes her around the bottom of the tank like a stick and she just tolerates him. The Endli has also started doing displays again, though he seems to be just trying to show off to the Koliba, kinda like "hey I got a peter too!"
He hasn't seemed to bother with her too much, or at least he isn't as pushy as the Koliba.
Does anyone think the two bigger fish are old enough or big enough? I know the Endli may not be, even if he IS doing displays... but the thought of EndliBichirs or KolibaBichirs is getting me a bit excited.
Keeper
I have a 14'' male Koliba, and judging by the size of his fin, he had gone through puberty before I got him. I also have a 12'' male Endli who I THOUGHT had already gone through his puberty stage, swimming around and flexing/cupping his suddenly-quite-large fin. Both of them were calm and quiet for months together and didn't do any displays or flirting with anyone. I got my female 14'' Bichir Bichir about a month ago, and she originally wasn't getting along very well with the Koliba. She seemed to be the aggressor, but we let them work it out. Now, he swims around her almost obsessively, lining up next to her (sometimes head to head, sometimes head to tail) and vibrating his entire body and trying to breed. She pays no attention, and actually pulls her fins in to her body like she's trying to protect herself from bites. He pushes her around the bottom of the tank like a stick and she just tolerates him. The Endli has also started doing displays again, though he seems to be just trying to show off to the Koliba, kinda like "hey I got a peter too!"
He hasn't seemed to bother with her too much, or at least he isn't as pushy as the Koliba. Does anyone think the two bigger fish are old enough or big enough? I know the Endli may not be, even if he IS doing displays... but the thought of EndliBichirs or KolibaBichirs is getting me a bit excited.
Keeper
