Gold Sevs

[jb12288]

my two gold sevs have been displaying some behavior that makes me think that they are courting. they swim around rubbing against each other, gaurding one part of the aquarium, and lip locking. are they courting and about to pair off to breed?

 

[ox5477]

This is a part of the mating ritual, but it also could just be territorial fighting. How old are they, how big, and do you know the sex of your sevs? Post pics if you can

 

[jb12288]

they are about 4". I am not sure of the sex, but i am pretty sure that the one with the more brighter yellow body and bright red snake skin pattern is a male and the female is the one with the dull yellow color and dull red snake skin pattern. I will try to get some photos up within the next two days. my sister is in florida so i have no camera. if my girlfriend comes over today i will use her camera

 

[jb12288]

i think this may be the male

i think this may be the female

just thought i would add this photo of one of my rotkeils

 

[duncs]

Yeah I'm confident that your sexing diagnoses are accurate If the male and female were lip-locking, you might be looking at some breeding Severums shortly, congrats

 

[jb12288]

thanks man, i will be able to sell the baby sevs to my lfs, since in my town they are hard to get. i had to drive 45 miles for these.

 

[duncs]

Ahh man.. just been chatting to a mate, who's a much more knowledgeable fishkeeper than myself, and he reckons lip-locking is nearly always territorial in Sevs

Will just have to wait and see Hopefully they don't start battering each other!

 

[Monkeyseemonkeydo]

I was under the impression that lip-locking was more a sign of territoriality than sexual behaviour? I'm just a monkey though so don't mind me

 

[jb12288]

but the thing is, they are sharing a cave together. then they will come out swim around and rub against each other then lip lock. but hey it could be territorial

 

[Monkeyseemonkeydo]

Hi jb. I checked and in fact was wrong. Lip-locking in Heros can indeed be a sign of courtship behaviour. Sorry about that.

 

[jb12288]

well hey this is a good thing. that means i am doing something right. ha...everytime i get a fish in groups i always seem to have a breeding pair. i had convicts and within 2 days there were eggs, which didnt surprise me; my firemouths paired off within a week; and now my gold sevs are pairing off in about 2 1/2 months.