Interesting bit of fish behaviour for the aquarists

[otolith]

Earlier today, I spotted one of the male rainbowfish in my smaller planted tank getting a bit excitable - displaying and chasing behaviour. I initially thought there was something wrong with it, because it had a yellow/orange streak down the top of the head and back which it doesn't usually have, but soon saw that it can turn this on and off at will. You can see it appear and disappear in the video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ugwv43K6P6Y

(sorry about the water marks on the glass, but I would have disturbed the fish if I'd wiped it before filming)

[TRB]

Courtship.

Eggs will get eaten by other tank mates if you don't put them in their own container.

[ryanjohnstott]

Nice tank

[otolith]

ryanjohnstott said:

Nice tank

Cheers

[otolith]

TRB said:

Courtship.

Oh definitely. None of the females look gravid, but that male definitely has the horn

The tank is heavily planted, so there may be some fry survival if they do spawn, but I'm not particularly looking to breed them.

[RobDickinson]

TRB said:

Courtship.

Eggs will get eaten by other tank mates if you don't put them in their own container.

Not if they are watched over by my breeding pair of kirbensis! Like rotweilers they are!

[otolith]

These are egg scatterers with sticky eggs and no parental care.

[Mobile Chicane]

That's amazing. The fishy equivalent of ordering Cristal in a nightclub. See how the girly fishies flock.