Bumblebee Cichlids sexing/mating or fighting?

CWO4GUNNER

CWO4GUNNER

USN/USCG 1974-2004 Weps
Apr 18, 2009
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Bullhead AZ
cwo4gunnerguscgretired.blogspot.com
Hi, its me again the new A. Cichlid keeper with another seemingly important question. In my 244 A. Cichlid community tank I have two bumblebees, the chaser is 4" muddled black and yellow with no definition and a couple egg spots on its anus fin and the other running constantly away is fatter 5" and is well defined yellow with black stripes and also has a couple egg spots but not as defined egg spots. Doing more race track then tight circles and the fat one resting by the out flow and heater occasionally.

Anyway to tell the difference between fighting and mating ritual or male and female, neither shows any sign of damage at all but its getting annoying?
 
The aggressive chasing/ posturing/ fighting is the way of life for Mbuna. Even the milder of the species need large groups in order to spread the aggression around. It makes for a hectic, active, and sometimes violent tank. If you're looking for relaxation try Tanganyikans. They're still cichlids but many are far more docile than any Mbuna. Even the Haps of Malawi ( peacocks, electric blues, etc ), are Harem spawners. Only one male will usually show bright coloration and they need a group of females or they will relentlessly harass a lone female to death. The chase is part of the male's way of showing his dominance, and any sub-dominant male will be chased away. Mbuna are rock dwelling herbivores. Therefore they must secure a prime area of algae and vigorously defend it from intruders. On the other hand, the peacocks and haps are open water carnivores... generally more concerned in establishing a harem of females and guarding them from intruders. Tangs get complicated, as there are representatives of both groups, with the Tropheus sp. resembling the behavior of Mbuna to a point, but also have species with colonial style social structures. These fish ( Brichardi/ Pulcher, shell- dwellers, etc ), will form a colony where the offspring stick around to help defend the subsequent spawns. In my experience, Lake Tanganyika has the most pair- bonding cichlids. These fish are great because you can keep just a pair, but they still become aggressive during spawning. These things, along with diet should be taken into consideration when planning your stock. www.cichlid-forum.com has a ton of species profiles.
 
Wow. I feel so ignorant LOL. Man that is so amazing, makes me appreciate this fish so much more the way they lay fertilize and pick up the eggs. In that video the one being chased looks so much like my female yellow and more defined and the chaser looks allot like that male darker and less defined. Only thing they haven't done any dance like that yet. Well its too late to get another female that big and besides I need to move them bot out of that tank in two weeks. But I think Im running out of time, maybe I should just take one of them out now to another divided tank for now.

Which should I separate (male/female) and which should I leave in the community for now, my guess is the female should stay in the community tank right?
 
I'm really not sure if your 2 bumblebees are a pair, GUNNER. If their circular motion is a non stoppable fast one, most probably it is a fight between 2 fishes of the same gender; if the circular motion is like in slow motion, a short stop, begins again and continues that way, then it is probably a mating dance between a pair.
 
I agree with Efors. Sub-dom males will often take on the coloration of females... hard to sex sometimes. At the sizes you've mentioned I would propose that you have 2 sexually mature males. Remove one and the tension should decrease, though he may focus more on the Julies.
 
You have a good point that maybe they are both male. The reason that I doubt it a little though is that the one being chased is bigger and fatter and Im wondering if it just that the female is not ready. I have on occasion seen them side by side leaning to in tward each other as if they are starting to circle but then the bigger one runs off. I saw similar behavior between my two Elect Blues before they matured but now the male (super blue) and female (drab) sleep in the same area of the tank and he no longer runs her off at feeding time.

In any event guess I better get out the tank divider and tell the Oscars to move on over for two weeks or so, and whether it is a pair or not get the aggressor out of there like I did the female Hap when she was rampaging the male Hap before he matured and put her in her palce. It will probubly ease tension in the tank as well.

Thanks
 
Afro i was so going to say that if you take one out the lone Bumblebee will focus on someone else..
 
Yeah GUNNER as I told you before, it would be better to remove 2 species from the tank: Bumblebees and Kenyi.
 
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