Shaking Cichlids

[kennygater]

hi i have about 14 cichlids in my juewl 350 trigon, a few of them have started shaking when they get close to each other, is that aggresion or is it a sign of breeding. thanks

 

[Cheffi]

Sounds like breeding to me all of mine are at it at the moment.

 

[nightswimmer]

Hi Ken,
I would say it's more aggression than anything else. I have a male kennyi right now that's moving gravel (dropping it from upper part of the tank) and he's shaking and moving at everyone which in turn seems to make the other more aggressive ones do it to it to the others. Kinda like the "Domino effect". They will even chase each other head to tail for quite a long time while the others watch. Reminds me of a Greek arena where all the spectators watch the fight. I had thought that all had found their spots in my tank. But the alpha male can change and when it does it seems to change the others in the tank. My male Demasoni was the Alpha, but "Kenny" took his spot and now "Demon" is hiding and not in his usual cave. Plus cichilds change aggression as they get older.

If it's the same species, could be mating. but if all are doing it....
Hope it helps, I'm sure others can give greater info than myself.

 

[Nick Sw]

The Males do the "shimmying" in front of the females in an atempt to get them to spawn.
It can help sexing the cichlids as well.

Flashing is a sign of terratorial aggression (sort of flicking off rocks and sand)

 

[Ferris]

The shaking can easily be aggressive behaviour or part of a mating ritual. It all depends on the circumstances, if its a male doing it to another male, you have your answer.

 

[vile]

Firstly I like to refer this shaking to dancing. But any way if they do it in front of a males its aggression and always the males will start lip locking and swimmimg in circles with one another and then nipping etc. If its dancing infront of a female usually none of the behaviors happen as mentioned above.

 

[callum_parsons]

my kribs are always shaking themselves and always breed so i would say it is a sigh of breeding or wanting to breed it tends to be more females shaking towards my males