My Keyholes Acting Wierd!

Big_eyes · Mar 13, 2010

The larger (older) of my 2 keyholes has been acting strangely this afternoon. At first I was panicking thinking that it was ill as it has been sitting on the bottom in the corner of my tank for the best part of the day. Tonight though, sitting and watching it seems to be that it is guarding the doorway to the coconut cave down in the far corner of the tank. Literally everytime another fish swims near it starts quivering and it's mouth opens up all wierd. :huh:

star4 · Mar 13, 2010

Sounds like it could be guarding eggs, the resting on the bottom it may have been recovering from spawning.

Big_eyes · Mar 13, 2010

star4 said:
Sounds like it could be guarding eggs, the resting on the bottom it may have been recovering from spawning.

From more obs it seems to be guarding 2 of the coconut caves but one more so. My clown loach seem to have a keen interest in them also, although the other keyhole doesn't really seem that fussed. Somethings definitely going on though. If they're going to start breeding I'm tempted to throw them in the empty 35 litre upstairs for a bit to see what happens.

star4 · Mar 13, 2010

I havnt bred keyholes (mine are teeny at the mo) but it sounds like the one is either looking to spawn or has spawned, which is doing the guarding the male or female?

Big_eyes · Mar 13, 2010

star4 said:
I havnt bred keyholes (mine are teeny at the mo) but it sounds like the one is either looking to spawn or has spawned, which is doing the guarding the male or female?

Its the female, the male at the mo is only at about two and a half inch and I presumed too young still to be breeding. Looking at the tank though now, she's at full flaired fins with full keyhole marking and chasing everything whilst occasionally going into the caves and sitting there. Can't see anything in the caves though.

Funny as it was only this morning that I was thinking that they would need some flat stones in there for them to try on.

star4 · Mar 13, 2010

It could possibly be she maybe ready to spawn and the male is not, I am only guessing because I dont know with keyholes, my female Ellioti was the one doing all the flaring (she still does now and I dont have a male at the mo). I know cichlids will sometimes spawn without a male, so she may do that or the male may be interested once she has chosen which cave she wants, she could be just testing which is the easiest to guard at the moment if there are no sign of any eggs my female convict did this till she was happy with a spawning site, then the let the male in. Word of warning if you do move them to another tank they may fight rather than spawn if she is being "grumpy" so be prepared to move one if necessary. As I said I dont know about Keyholes, just letting you know what I have experienced in the past. Hope it helps.