Breeding?

[Kay1123]

I just woke up this morning to find my two half beaks in a mouth to mouth embrass. One was pretty much dragging the other around the tank.

I did a general search and found that someone ended up with babies shortly after this happened.

I just want to make sure it's that and I'm not even sure which is the female.

Any idea on how long it will be before babies? I'd like to get her into a different area before the babies are born, if it is infact an act of breeding.

 

[nmonks]

Could equally easily be fighting. Sexing halfbeaks is easy: males are smaller and have brighter colours, and they have a modified anal fin that looks somewhat like the gonopodium of a guppy. Females are bigger, typically have shorter beaks and less colour, and have regular, triangle-shaped anal fins.

Gestation period for most halfbeaks is around a month. Remember, never, ever put a halfbeak in a breeding trap. Unless you want a dead halfbeak and miscarried fry. If you must move her, move her using a jar (not a net) and place her in another aquarium. But it's better to simply put lots of floating plants in the tank, and remove the fry as you find them. The fry are *huge* and generally avoid being eaten if they have lots of cover.

Cheers, Neale