Submission And Dominance

[§tudz]

Hi,

Well I took back my Black Shark as he was becoming VERY aggressive, yet again I get the agressive fish from a docile species. I wasn't going to replace him, but there has been a female senegalus in the not-so-lfs for a few months, she looked all lonely in the tank. so I exchanged the B.Shark for her, plus £5.99

She looks a little battered, but so did my male when I bought him all those months ago. She has some damage to her nostrils, but I'm sure it will heal.

Anyway onto the point of this thread.

The male is a darker colour than the female, and his colour darkened when she was added. There has been NO fighting or anything between them. The only contact I've seen, it brushing their bodies together and rubbing heads.

Now from what I understand of submission in animals, I don't know if it applies to fish, is that the more dominant will raise its head and the lower ranking animal put their heads towards the ground.

I say this because the famle keeps lowering her head, and the male putting his over hers. I would imagine this is to determin the new pecking order which will need to be established in the tank?

anyone have any light to shine on this or any of their experiences with the same sort of thing?

Many Thanks,

 

[CFC]

Well I took back my Black Shark as he was becoming VERY aggressive, yet again I get the agressive fish from a docile species.

Black sharks are known for being some of the most aggressive fish around, who on earth told you they were normally docile?

I dont know about the behaviour your bichirs are showing but whether two bichirs will get along in a tank is very much dependent on the tank size, the smaller the tank the more likely there will be aggression.

 

[§tudz]

Well I took back my Black Shark as he was becoming VERY aggressive, yet again I get the agressive fish from a docile species.

Black sharks are known for being some of the most aggressive fish around, who on earth told you they were normally docile?

I dont know about the behaviour your bichirs are showing but whether two bichirs will get along in a tank is very much dependent on the tank size, the smaller the tank the more likely there will be aggression.

/me smacks all the stuff he read on Black Sharks, naughty websites and books!!

I read a lot on the net says black sharks were peaceful, I have kept a rainbow shark before and he was reasonably agressive. As far as I knew only the red-tails and rainbows were mean. oh well, he has a nice new home anyway.

ITs been a few hours since the female was put in the tank, and they are both milling about the tank together showing little sign of aggression, which is looking to be a good thing.

there are a lot of hiding places as well, so they should be grand in there. maybe in the future I might be able to breed them, but thats a few years off

 

[beblondie]

Senegals are usually breedable at approx.1 year of age.Now whether they will or not can be a whole nother issue lol.Actually you are seeing his attempt to get her in the mood to wink wink nudge nudge say no more.
Its actually common male behavior towards a female.Even if they are sexually inmature.I had an inmature delhezi that did the same thing with a female P.p.polli.Has he gone to the surface arched his back and show off his dorsal fins as he slowly floats back down to her yet? the whole breeding display can be quite the show-Anne

 

[§tudz]

Senegals are usually breedable at approx.1 year of age.Now whether they will or not can be a whole nother issue lol.Actually you are seeing his attempt to get her in the mood to wink wink nudge nudge say no more.
Its actually common male behavior towards a female.Even if they are sexually inmature.I had an inmature delhezi that did the same thing with a female P.p.polli.Has he gone to the surface arched his back and show off his dorsal fins as he slowly floats back down to her yet? the whole breeding display can be quite the show-Anne

well maybe thats a good sign for the future then, B)
They are driving my younger brother crazy, as I he keeps telling me there are now two of those 'snake' fish in the tank, and I keep saying 'nah! theres only one, your seeing things'

its keeping him busy and outta trouble any way.

Anne - Have you ever had any of your hundreds of polys have problems with their nostrils? she looks like she has been racing around the aquarium she was in, in the shop, and bashed her face, which has broken them.
one, was bleeding but has since stopped. The other is very bent and looks to have started to heal. just asking in case you can help me that problem,

Cheers

 

[beblondie]

Yup been there done that got freaked out at first but bichirs have amazing regenerative powers.It will grow back so don't worry just keep the tank as clean as possible and water parameters good as you can-Anne

any questions feel free to ask