Pair already?

[Amaroq]

Well I picked up 4 small Salvini cichlids abouts 4-5 days ago at a Petsmart. They range from 0.5" to 1.5" long and the two largest seem to have paired up but I'm not sure. I was hoping for a pair so thats why I bought 4 but is it possible that they have already got to together? I don't see the fish very often because I'm guessing they're still rather stressed out and are still moving in but when I do its usually the "pair". I've only seen one of Salvinis that isn't in the pair swimming around and its the smallest one, it is also usually incredibly washed out and doesn't look like a Sal at all, stress from the pair?

Now I've tried to sex them but everytime I see them they seem to have swapped genders! One has the black spot at the top middle of the fin and has a small what looks to be dot on the gill plate so this is my believed female. Yet sometimes when I see her she has that drab almost washed out look to her like some males, she also has pointed fin tips, and a redder belly then the "male".

The male has darker black stripes on him, less red, almost no blue, and rounded fin tips

I can't get pictures at this point in time as we currently don't have a working digital camera (You can thank Air Canada for that!) but my dad has been talking about getting a new and better camera like maybe a Canon Which means with a bit of practice I will be able to get you guys fairly good pictures.

Any ideas?

 

[Toby_H]

Sexing Juvenal fish is pretty unreliable... As they develope many things change and dots seem to move around...

True pairing is very unlikely at 1~1.5"... But young fish do understand the concept of safety in numbers... while also enjoy showing aggression to smaller fish...

For those reasons it's not uncommon for two or more juvis to band together and show aggression to fish outside the 'gang'... This could possibly be a male and a female, but could just as likely be two young males...

Regardless, do what you can to prevent them from streeing/killing the others and enjoy the display! They will soon mature and show you who is who and what is what

 

[Amaroq]

Almost every time I walk into my room they bolt into hiding so when I do get to see them it is a real pleasure to watch them. Would getting some dithers help bring them out more often? I know dithers help with aggression but would they help with that?

Thanks for the speedy reply!

 

[Citrinellus]

Since they're so small some zebra danio's would do the trick. Might give them more confidence to come out of hiding.

 

[Amaroq]

Also about what size should I expect to see actual pairing? Any ideas?

 

[Amaroq]

Well the "male" has dug out a little hide thing under a log and is slapping the "female" with its tail and sometimes flaring its gills at it, is that breeding behavior or just social chitter-chatter? Also again, what size should I expect breeding behavior/pairing if this isn't it already?

 

[Alexxxxsv14]

that sounds like breeding behavior to mee

 

[climacoolair]

I wouldn't expect breeding behaviour in Salvinis until at least 4 " but you will definitely see displays of aggression and dominance at any size, love those fiesty little salvinis.

Dave

 

[Amaroq]

Alright well I'm POSITIVE I have a pair. After I moved the other two Sals to a 20 gallon the two started cleaning off a piece of driftwood and have been dancing around it for hours. The believed female has a tube like thing hanging out of her; right before her anal fin, I think thats her egg tube? She hasn't gotten any out but shes trying. The male is dancing around by the looks of it waiting for eggs to fertilize. They both keep doing a quick shake through there body and while the female tries to lay eggs she is "vibrating".

So... think I have a pair? Any ideas when they will start to produce eggs and make fry?

Also normally whenever they would see me they would bolt... now they barely seem to notice me.

 

[Amaroq]

Well shes laying eggs!! I'm watching her as I type. After she lays a few the male swoops over the eggs and looks like he's trying to fertilize them but I'm not sure if he is or not, should it change the water colour in that area a little/look slightly different from the sperm?