My group of aurantimaculata

[Joao M]

I have been preparing for these guys for a while as you may see in this thread: http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/f...for-channa-(aurantimaculata-or-pleurophtalma)

I finally was able to get a nice group of 5 aurantis (believe they are 2F and 3M) between 8 and 10"

So, here are the first pics.


"the den"

aclimation

day after

The goal is to get a pair and move from there. It would be wonderful to have some breeding...

The natural selection has already begun as you may see in this video
[YT]ElEdbKrn2QM[/YT]

 

[Miguel]

Now I am envious João. More so after seeing these critters live, as well as your Bleheri tank!!

 

[Joao M]

Prepare one of your tanks Miguel.
IF the dominant female leaves anyone alive when selecting her male, it will go to your place

 

[-DC-]

Nice group! Wont take long for them to pair up at that size ! Watch closely, it does not take long at all for those little fights to turn bad!

 

[Joao M]

Hi Devon,

This morning before coming to work I checked on them and "something" already started. I saw 2 of them (supposed male and female) rolling together like two snakes and then one would bump its head against the other one´s body. No bitting,
Then they split, swam a little and got back to it.

Could this be courtship?

 

[-DC-]

Yes, that sounds like courtship !

I think if she was going to reject him you'd have known right away it's quite violent, I've seen a male attempt that one time on a female and she came around and bit his tail clean off! Since that didn't happen it is likely that those 2 are pairing up. If you have another tank I'd separate the other 3 and see what happens , left in the tank they will be beat on while the other 2 go through courtship then killed off over night when they decide they want to be alone. My current pair formed quickly as well, as soon as they went into the tank they paired up stuck together and drove the other 3 off. I had to remove the other 3 right away.

Mine didn't start nuzzling and balling up until after i removed the other 3, but i did it so quickly they really had no chance too. I wouldn't get hopes up for fry i doubt it's breeding just courtship but still it's a pair forming which is good. It's the first step, Then a long winter and a gut wrenching spring when you have too hope that they stay friendly when the breeding starts.

EDIT : Also did you treat preemptively with Melafix/pimafix ? If not I'd recommend it, Looks like a couple grey patches on the back on the head on one of them in that video. Really hard to say in a video might just be a scrape or something but I wouldn't chance it with auranti!

 

[Joao M]

Tks Devon,

The problem is I am leaving for the weekend...and possibly on Sunday afternoon it will be too late, no?
I was not getting hopes for breeding 3 days after arrival, lol. That would be like winning the lotery. I only mentioned my idea is to have a pair in this aquarium (and hope for breeding later...down the road)

 

[-DC-]

Can chance it with enough hiding spots the other might get ignored for a while , but i see some tattered fins already in the video. If there's any way to separate then i would even into a large rubber made with a sponge filter and a bunch of PVC chunks that sorta thing....

Also i think i was editing my post while you replied... did you see the Q about the grey spot ?

 

[-DC-]

Tank look's awesome by the way, Perfect setup for the species which probably went a long way in getting a pair to form so quickly!

 

[Joao M]

In fact, I didin´t see the Q before posting.

Those spots are scratches in one f the females head but I´ll add melafix anyway.

The tattered fins happened the first night. I believe it was a quarell between 2 of the males and not with a female, because the alleged pair is with a male with the more thorned fins.

Anyway I´ll be home in an hour or so and I´ll see if the behaviour continues. If so, I have some eggcrate at home and will try to separate the pair from the other 3.

Edit. tks reg the tank. But it is still a work in progress. I am looking for more plants to add