Serverum Behaviour Questions

[star4]

I am completely new to Servs and am looking for a little advice, I have 2 Heros in a 300l tank and I know at some point I will have to seperate them, but for now they seem quite happy (I think). What I dont understand is their colour changes I have tried looking up what their colours mean as to their mood, but am lost.

The first one he has a fantastic large point on his dorsal fin seems to stay quite dark in colour with only a faint showing of his black stripes. He is the more dominant one and spends most of his time looking utterly gorgous in the middle of the tank.

The second one has a slightly more rounded point to his dorsal fin, but he seems to be showing his orange colour with the black stripes more often, he likes to stay in the plastic plant around the bogwood. I was wondering is this just camouflage as he likes to hide more than the other one or is it a submissive upset colouration?

Tonight though they have both been in the middle of the tank swimming in circles? and the one with the pointier dorsal fin shakes sometimes. Is this the start of them getting agressive towards one another? I have had no problems with them so far, they tend to leave each other well alone. I just done want to end up with one of them getting hurt.

Their other tank mates are a red tailed black shark and a firemouth.

Thanks in advance

 

[minxfishy]

Hey, seems they have changed positions since moving to your tanks, as the darker one was the submissive one in my tank, the lighter along with my red spot sev, were dominant towards him and kept him hidden alot.

I assume that the ligher comes out to feed and swims around a bit? If he stays hidden all the time and isnt eating, then you have a problem, if its just the case that he likes it there, but is eating well and swims around freely without being stressed by the other, then its just a case that he has claimed that part of the tank as his own and nothing to worry about.

The meeting in the middle and shaking is them trying to decide basically whos boss, its a dominance display, most likely they will not touch or if they do they will lip lock occassionally then break freee and swim away.

 

[star4]

Hiya.

They are both feeding well, so no problems there. When the lighter one does come out the darker one usually just flares up all his fins. The seem to stop and have a staring out match them swim off again. I havnt seen them lip lock yet, I guess its bound to happen.

The one with the little mark I asked you about, its all cleared up I was worrying over nothing lol.

Thanks for putting my mind at rest, again lol

 

[minxfishy]

No problem, sounds like what they used to do with me, unless they actually start harming each other or one stops eating then there is nothing to worry about.

Glad the mark has cleared up, must have just knocked himself on something