Alright well... it looks like my new brood stock is already mating! I've only had them in the tank about a week and I swear one already is brooding with eggs in her mouth.

I observed some behavior today and I wanted to post it so you guys can confirm this was mating.


Tank Setting:

90 Gallon Tank
8 fish (1 7-8" male long, 1 female about 6-7" long, 6 fish about 4-6" depending on the fish)
Let's refer to the 7-8" male as just "male" and the 6-7" female as "female" lol...

Alright so the sand had "nests" in it today which before it didn't. The nest was down to the bare glass like a crater.

The male was swimming with the female in these nests in the following manner. He would swim in a circle and she was swimming after him as if he was releasing sperm and she was fertilizing the eggs she had in her mouth. You definitely see the bulge under her mouth and her mouth looks full.

The other 6 fish were at the top of the aquarium hiding as the male was acting aggressively and spreading his fins to chase the others away.


Now it seems like the female is with the rest of the clan and the male is still swimming in the center of tank alone chasing most all the fish away. I am going to transfer the other 6 fish in the 55 Gallon I have so the pair can get time to themselves with no stress from the male needing to territorial.