I have a red zebra, I'm pretty sure its male but not 100%. I just purchased a smaller, I believe to be a cobalt blue zebra, My red just did the shaking and vibrating of its body in front of the blue. Does this mean my red is male? and my blue is female? or does it not matter? My red is roughly 4", and my blue, I just bought today is at about 2-3" if this helps?
male mbuna shakes?
- Thread starter Salty
- Start date
Either sexes will do it. It's sort of a challenge display. The shaker is telling newbie who the boss is.
Males will do it while luring a female into his breeding pit and while spawning but both will do it just to display.
Males will do it while luring a female into his breeding pit and while spawning but both will do it just to display.
That is the action of a male when trying to entice a female into his den. It is also the action he goes through once he has her in his den and they start the reproduction process. You will find he has what is commonly called "egg spots" on his anal fin and he is basically shaking these infront of the female so she thinks they are her eggs and in so doing he will release his stuff to fertlise the actual eggs she has laid and is picking up. The way they get all the eggs fertilised. Watched one of my breeding pairs go through this late yesterday.
It doesn't have to be breeding. It may or may not be. Rival females will do it to eachother as will rival males. In this case the dominant fish has just been faced with a new tankmate. In the fish's eyes, a challenger for his/her territory.
Many mbuna of both sexes may have eggspots. Breeding shaking from males involve a male mbuna shimmying in front of the female and then back to his pit, then back to the female, then back to the pit, repeatedly so that she is enticed in and submits to spawning. When the female does not comply a male will give chase, seemingly out of frustration. While the male is "luring" he is the only one shimmying. They will both shake while in the act if spawning but the breeding jumps are much shorter than those of display.
When challenging or arguing fish will shimmy and usually both fish will do it. They may also circle, neither wanting to back down.
It'll take a bit of observation but you'll soon learn how to interperate your fish's body language. Some folks like to think that the only appeal to these fish is their color but they have an entire language that is fascinating and fun to read.
Many mbuna of both sexes may have eggspots. Breeding shaking from males involve a male mbuna shimmying in front of the female and then back to his pit, then back to the female, then back to the pit, repeatedly so that she is enticed in and submits to spawning. When the female does not comply a male will give chase, seemingly out of frustration. While the male is "luring" he is the only one shimmying. They will both shake while in the act if spawning but the breeding jumps are much shorter than those of display.
When challenging or arguing fish will shimmy and usually both fish will do it. They may also circle, neither wanting to back down.
It'll take a bit of observation but you'll soon learn how to interperate your fish's body language. Some folks like to think that the only appeal to these fish is their color but they have an entire language that is fascinating and fun to read.
Thanx for the replies, I really enjoy watching this red in action, he's full of energy but not a psychopath like some other africans I've had such as bumblee and kenyi. As it stands now the cobalt is in hiding, and I just bought a 3" butti as well. the tank is a 40 g. high but I have lots of rockwork and plastic plants to provide cover. I have a 4" yellow lab in there as well with no problems.
Yea, I know the butti will eventually outgrow the tank. I'm already planning for a new tank. I just had to pick it up, the dealer had it in a bumblee african tank, It looked nothing like the others, I bought him for 4.00 and he's actually about 2" not 3" I was wrong.
