I know not many have experience with ornatum but what's courting behavior typically like with other cichlids like this? My 7-8" male ornatum appears to be courting his female she is showing great interest in him gently pushing him around with her snout and she is much smaller at 5.5". They lay together in a little hole beside driftwood and plants, swim around together and do almost like a dance swirling around eachother. I don't see any lip locking tho and there is no aggressive chasing or nipping. Anytime another fish comes by it will get aggressivly chased away by the female. They are divided from the other fish in a 150g waiting for the other 150g to cycle, so the other fish she chases are behind the divider. Ill try to get a video this afternoon when I get off work. Has anyone had experience with a pair of these or have success breeding?
question on courting ornatum
- Thread starter freebyrd
- Start date
That's not courting bro. It seems like they already paired off and are getting ready to spawn. The initial courting will involve lip locking and scrapping. And once that's settled they will start showing more spawning affection like pushing bellies, head shaking, rubbing bellies on rocks and stuff. Sounds to me like things are in your favor
keep up the good work. What else is in the tank?
keep up the good work. What else is in the tank?
Ok I just read that the other fish are behind a divider, I would leave them and try to let ornatums spawn before putting the other fish in different tank, allowing the pair to form a stronger bond. Otherwise if you remove the other fish to soon the pair might turn on each other
i agree, these fish are obviously a pair, the male is flaring now at the others behind the divider, and wont let the female leave her 'area' ive taken some video, but i cant catch the exciting stuff, because it doesnt happen but every so often. their area is heavy fake vegitation and driftwood, if she wanders to far out of the area he almost corals her gently back to the area and flares at anyone who comes near the divider.
here is a few teaser pix, ive been waiting for a few hours and had to charge my phone as its all i have to record. i was also on the phone with my dad, hes had his umbee spawn this afternoon he is pretty excited.
the male, a real stunner:
Standing gaurd of 'the spot'
and the lovely female, notice her markings is slightly different, yet she is just as beautiful. she isnt as lime green as the male but more teal, her spangles on the gill plates are alot heavier than the male (reminds me of dempseys) the reds in her dorsal and anal is much less, and there is virtually no red in the caudal.
and the two together. like i said before they dont always hangout right together, the male kinda patrols the 'area' while the female chills in the bushes or behind the driftwood. they both eat hikari and NLS pellets like champs. notice the trailers on the males dorsal and anal fins here, they are a good 2" long!!
the male, a real stunner:
Standing gaurd of 'the spot'
and the lovely female, notice her markings is slightly different, yet she is just as beautiful. she isnt as lime green as the male but more teal, her spangles on the gill plates are alot heavier than the male (reminds me of dempseys) the reds in her dorsal and anal is much less, and there is virtually no red in the caudal.
and the two together. like i said before they dont always hangout right together, the male kinda patrols the 'area' while the female chills in the bushes or behind the driftwood. they both eat hikari and NLS pellets like champs. notice the trailers on the males dorsal and anal fins here, they are a good 2" long!!
Lucky you
Ive had a group of 4 since january and they're now 3-3.5" and I vented them yesterday... All male
so now I need to find some females. But your pair looks really good!
Ive had a group of 4 since january and they're now 3-3.5" and I vented them yesterday... All male so now I need to find some females. But your pair looks really good!