Capital Exotic Fish

Guianacara sp. behavior

Becca

Becca

Members
So my two largest Guianacara started "dancing" yesterday evening, after a meal of Repashy Spawn n' Grow and some Morning Wood they stole from my L052s.

I'm not really sure what species they are, actually, maybe no one is, since their official moniker was "Guianacara sp. undescribed" when I bought them.

I noticed the two bigguns sidling up to each other and thrashing tails, flaring gills, and putting on black beards (edges of gills, underside of "neck" turning black).

The other fish were sort of rolling their eyes like, "hey, check out those idiots."

My first guess is that these are two males trying to decide who's the big man on campus, but any thoughts are, as always, appreciated. I've had these guys since Christmastime and I don't think they are anywhere near adult size yet, but I know very little about them.

The only other notable thing to mention is that the biggest one in the tank (one of the sparring two) lacks the black spot on the back half of its body that all of the other fish have. This fish is just slightly larger than its challenger.

Some (lousy) pics of these guys are below.

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dogofwar

dogofwar

CCA Members
Hard to ID them from your pictures but check here when you can see the dots and lines on their sides: http://www.ciklid.org/artregister/artreg_visa_slakte.php?ID=9

It's not definitive but will give you some idea.

They're breeding size and are cave spawners. Max size about 5".

I've had them spawn in overturned flowerpots and ceramic logs in cichlid community settings. They definitely establish a pecking order and pairs will defend their caves. If I remember, they had big green eggs and decent-sized babies.

When they spawn the puffers and other little fish will get the beat down...

Matt
 
Becca

Becca

Members
You can see some of the spots better here:
[YT]/Km8H0mwtjUc[/YT]

I've compared them to this and a similar chart I found elsewhere before, and I always feel like "close, but no cigar" in terms of placement of the spot.

At around 1:07 you can see the one with no spot.
 
Becca

Becca

Members
They're definitely not sphenoza because the front of the dorsal fin is jet black. It's just hard to see when they're not sticking the fin up. Also, their spots are at or beneath the lateral line.

They do look like they're wearing lipstick on their lower lip when they open their mouths. The first time I noticed it I freaked out because I thought it was hemorrhaging, but then I realized they all have it and it changes along with their other colors.

Whatever they are, they're pretty fun. Guess I'd better figure out a spawning site for the if they're up to no good.
 
Becca

Becca

Members
Got home last night and found the water cloudy because the fish had been spitting sand everywhere (yay playsand). I took a few minutes to do a 40% water change and chip the bottom out of a 6" clay pot. The pot went upside down in the tank, and the new water was just slightly cooler than the tank water. Just as I was finishing up, it started to pour. Perfect timing.

I saw the two bigguns going in and out of the pot and in and out of a tube-shaped pleco cave. They were more around the pot this AM. I haven't spotted any eggs, but one of them is mostly sticking in the pot and poking its head out. There are times that both leave the pot. This leads me to believe they're still trying to figure out exactly what they do.

Oddly, I have this strange feeling they're two very confused males, based on head shape and overall size... but I really don't have much other than my "gut" to go on.
 
Localzoo

Localzoo

Board of Directors
Lol maybe they are. Or maybe they are doing what all new couples do when they move - argue about where the furniture in the flower pot will go and question if the neighbors in the pleco cave have more room....

I think they are prepping the site, making sure no new changes will occur. Def sounds like they are trying to get accommodated for something, either spawning or drawing territory lines


Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
 
JLW

JLW

CCA Members
You definitely want to spawn these guys. They're F1, Undescribed Guinos -- I think you'd win BAP by default. ;)
 
Becca

Becca

Members
JLW said:
You definitely want to spawn these guys. They're F1, Undescribed Guinos -- I think you'd win BAP by default. ;)
Click to expand...

LOL - yeah, maybe, if I could figure out how to fill out the form and save the data!

Right now they just seem dedicated to spitting sand out of the hole in the bottom of an upside-down pot.

I think Will may be right, that they're sorting out territory in preparation for living more adult lives.

I'll have to find some more pots/different shapes and sizes to see what the others do.

The two bigguns are still sort of taking turns in the pot, but the one with a spot spends more time in there than the one with no spot and can frequently be seen poking its head out of the hole in the top. I haven't seen any eggs in the pot, nor do the fish stay in the pot all the time like they are guarding eggs.

I wanted to put up some video of them, but learned the hard way that I left the charger for my camera battery at my parents' place in Philly.
 
neut

neut

Members
From my group of six the big male and the largest female formed a pair in this manner: There was total chaos in the tank for maybe 20 minutes while the females fought it out chasing the largest male around the tank; the other (suspected) male kept a low profile during all this ruckus. Then the 'winner' female did her determined best to kick butt on the big male. After he stood up to her onslaughts for probably another 20-30 minutes, they started acting like a pair, running off the others, etc. Since then they've spawned multiple times in a variety of spots, including a flat, vertical rock.

(I've left them to their own devices and haven't tried to save the fry.)
 
Becca

Becca

Members
neut said:
From my group of six the big male and the largest female formed a pair in this manner: There was total chaos in the tank for maybe 20 minutes while the females fought it out chasing the largest male around the tank; the other (suspected) male kept a low profile during all this ruckus. Then the 'winner' female did her determined best to kick butt on the big male. After he stood up to her onslaughts for probably another 20-30 minutes, they started acting like a pair, running off the others, etc. Since then they've spawned multiple times in a variety of spots, including a flat, vertical rock.

(I've left them to their own devices and haven't tried to save the fry.)
Click to expand...

What species do you have? Mine have been going on with the behavior I've described for the better part of a week now with the two biggest fish alternating between who is playing "whack-a-mole" in the upside down flower part.
 
neut

neut

Members
Becca said:
What species do you have? Mine have been going on with the behavior I've described for the better part of a week now with the two biggest fish alternating between who is playing "whack-a-mole" in the upside down flower part.
Click to expand...
If I had to guess I'd say stergiosi, but they were sold to me as sphenozona from a fairly reliable source. But when it comes to guianacara I'm not betting the farm on trying to Id them. To me they look like some of the stergiosi photos/descriptions I've seen.

Just happened to be in the room when the behavior I described took place. Took place quite suddenly and dramatically and without a discernible hint it was coming, at least not from casual observation. One minute the tank seemed normal and the next minute it was sudden chaos, lasted maybe 45 minutes. If I hadn't been there at exactly that particular time I'd have missed it-- their subsequent behavior was similar to what you described. Just what I observed, not like I'm a guianacara expert, as these are the first ones I've kept.
 
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Becca

Becca

Members
festaedan said:
Thats awesome! Definitely post pics of the green eggs.
Also, that is a sharp looking tank :)
Click to expand...

Thanks!

I wish I could get pics but the location is such that I can only see them if I lift up the lid and shine a flashlight into the pot.

There's not a ton of eggs- maybe 30-40 - and I noticed one of the Puntius gemellus swimming around with a black eye this morning. The other fish are steering pretty well clear of the pot at this point.
 
Becca

Becca

Members
Well, I don't see any eggs this AM and I don't see any babies... My guess is that they ate them or failed to guard them, but they're young, so hopefully this is the first of many (increasingly successful???) attempts.

Eventually they'll get the hang of it.
 
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