Weird rbp behavior...what do you make of this?

[mhansen76]

Hey everyone, My rbps are divided: 5 4'' on one side and 4 6-8'' on the other of a 190gal. I fed everyone today then all of a sudden the smaller guys started rubbing their butts against the divider, almost trying to shove their fins through the holes. The big guys came over and have just been watching ever since ...bout' 35 minutes! What is going on? Here are some pics...sorry for the poor quality of photos

Missy

 

[mhansen76]

Here are some more pics....

 

[jp80911]

i've never divided pygos shoals before so no idea what that behavior is for, maybe they just want to join the big guys???

 

[Zfishies]

LET THEM BE TOGETHER!!!!!! RBP RIGHTS!!!!

 

[Foster]

Could feed them really really well for about a week and try putting them together.

Only devided tank I had was convicts and they beat themselves up on the plastic until I coverd it up so they couldnt see. Then they just got ick.

 

[pyromaniac]

maybe there was a water current flowing through that gap which carried smell of food from one side to the other,piranhas can detect scent in the water very well and this may have led to this behaviour.
cant see any other plausible explanation.

 

[taninsama]

sexy times?

 

[mhansen76]

sexy times?

Possibly sexy time! I dunno I am very new to rbp keeping. But the big 8'' has started to pair off with one of the 6'' circling each other... but as for the 4-5''babies could they breed already?

 

[duster1971]

I beleave they are not sexualy mature untill they are one year old and at least six inches in length.

 

[Foster]

Everyone thinks its about the baby making, maybe its piranha war and they are trying to expand their territory by finding weak spots to crash into?

Yeah ok, I know be quiet.