Half Beak Breeding Behavior

[guppymonkey]

I have finally observed the breeding behavior of my halfbeaks! I have a trio of Nomorhamphus ebrardtii, a male and two females, in a 20 gallon long tank. With my other pair (that are in a different tank) I have never seen any breeding behavior. I have just seen the fry appear after awhile. I just saw the male coming up from below the female and touching her belly with his beak. Then he tips his body with his head upwards at an angle and stays motionless like that for a few seconds. Then the female moves on and the male tries the whole thing again. I am going to have to keep an eye on the tank and try to get some video or pictures of it.

 

[nmonks]

Cool. Seen the males "flirt" but not actually seen the "act of love" so to speak. There's surprisingly little about halfbeak behaviour in the aquarium luterature, that every single observation is useful.

Cheers,

Neale

 

[guppymonkey]

I still haven't gotten a picture of them doing the "dance". I haven't seen them actually copulate. Every time the male tries to the female moves away. She must not be "in the mood" or maybe its the fact that I am watching?