My Serverums Have Turned Almost Black!

[star4]

I posted a while back that I thought my 2 male servs were acting odd, dancing and shaking at each other. They were having showdowns with the Ellioti pair (who occupy the other end of the tank). However since last Thursday I have barely seen my servs. Last Thursday someone bought my 4 blue texas and to catch them I had to remove the plastic plants and the large bit of bogwood. Once the chap left I did a large water change and moved a couple of rocks so under the large bit of bogwood was like a cave with the plastic plant behind it. Now the 2 servs have taken up residence under the bogwood and only come out one at a time snatch some food and dart back under the wood. (I have been trying to get pictures of them for over a week now!!) but they are both almost black? apart from the one that has like red "shoulders" and blue "cheeks" he also has red markings accross his face like squiggly lines, but the other one doesnt have these markings and not so much red. I am starting to get the feeling they are a male and a female not 2 males and was wondering if the turning black is breeding colours? if I am right am I going to get problems as the Ellioti are also a pair?.

They are in a 400L tank!

 

[snowflake311]

Yeah my gues is you dint have 2 males you have a pair. Yes they turn a very deep green when spawning. But turning black can mean stress. My little severum turned black when she had ich and was stressed out from being moved.

But when you said you saw them flirting with each other and you did just do a large water change and that can often help get them in the mood. I would bet money you have a pair and they are guardig the nest right now.

 

[star4]

Thanks snowflake, they could be dark green, they are just very dark coloured. Its hard to see under the bogwood and they only appear for a short time for food. I have put in some sinking food by the bogwood so if they are guarding a nest they dont have to come out too far. I dont expect any babies as this would be their first spawning.

This is really exciting and wonderful news for me as I thought I would have to seperate them being 2 males, now they can stay together woooohooooooo.

That is unless I am going to have to seperate them if they have spawned?

 

[minxfishy]

Hi Lesley, indeed the colouration change may well be down to spawning, if so, Hooray for you

Or it could be they are annoyed by the change in the tank, I know they used to hate it everytime I do a w/c and moved the decor around and would go very dark as if sulking.

If they are guarding under the wood, lift it up gently to see if there is anything under there, if they have laid eggs, you would see some and possibly after this time some wrigglers.

 

[markandhisfish]

yep the colour change is usually a reflection of mood. my green sev always gos extremely dark when its got the hump . then sulks in the corner!!

 

[snowflake311]

one other thing

"apart from the one that has like red "shoulders" and blue "cheeks" he also has red markings accross his face like squiggly lines, but the other one doesnt have these markings and not so much red."

you just described a male being the one with more color and the markings on the cheeks. The females have less color and little to no cheek marks.

 

[snowflake311]

one other thing

"apart from the one that has like red "shoulders" and blue "cheeks" he also has red markings accross his face like squiggly lines, but the other one doesnt have these markings and not so much red."

you just described a male being the one with more color and the markings on the cheeks. The females have less color and little to no cheek marks.

 

[star4]

Update: They are definately male and female I saw some tiny wrigglers last night when I gently moved the bogwood, but doing that I think I upset them because this morning there are no wrigglers . (smacks self for looking!).

They are both feeding well this morning and happily swimming about it the main tank again. I am keeping watch just in case they start fighting. If they do squabble is it best to remove the male or female?

 

[snowflake311]

No don't separate them you have a pair. Fighting is part of Courting. So just keep them together. UNLESS they end up doing major damage to each other. But a few nips and lip locking is all part of falling in love for a cichlid or maybe it is more like Foreplay for them.

If they spawned once they probably will go at it again.

 

[Lace]

Congrats on having a pair, and the spawn, good luck for next time

Just for info I have a breeding pair of Ellioti and sometimes Dad wants to spawn a couple of weeks after they have already spawned. He harrasses Mum something rotten, so I keep a close eye on them and if Mum is appearing too stressed and is not ready I seperate Dad off with a partition for a while. They can be quite brutal towards each other and he has beat up on her quite bad previously, so I would say keep a close eye on them and be prepared to seperate if needed.

Lace