Bart Hazes
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In the past month I have had at least 8 spawnings and often they came in pairs, either simultaneously or within a few days. Two A. ortegai in one tank, two A. rubrolineata in another and two Dicrossus filamentosus spawnings in a third. Today I had an A. macmasteri pair spawning but then noticed an A. rubrolineata pair were also going in/out a second coconut and if not spawning then at least engaging in foreplay.
I've heard people say hormones released during spawning can stimulate other fish to spawn. How common is this and is it normally working for fish of the same species, as I observed twice, or also for different species as with the macmasteri and rubrolineata.
Interestingly, I am 99% sure that I twice saw a small A. rubrolineata, presumably the small male, enter the coconut with the female A. macmasteri. More surprisingly, she did not immediately chase him out. He is kept from breeding with the A. rubrolineata females by two larger rubrolineata males, so perhaps he was trying to sneak in some sperm under the radar. Macs and rubros are sufficiently different that I would be very surprised if hybrids were viable but if I get weird offspring it would prove the observation.
Here is the macmasteri male entering the coconut to do his manly duties.
I've heard people say hormones released during spawning can stimulate other fish to spawn. How common is this and is it normally working for fish of the same species, as I observed twice, or also for different species as with the macmasteri and rubrolineata.
Interestingly, I am 99% sure that I twice saw a small A. rubrolineata, presumably the small male, enter the coconut with the female A. macmasteri. More surprisingly, she did not immediately chase him out. He is kept from breeding with the A. rubrolineata females by two larger rubrolineata males, so perhaps he was trying to sneak in some sperm under the radar. Macs and rubros are sufficiently different that I would be very surprised if hybrids were viable but if I get weird offspring it would prove the observation.
Here is the macmasteri male entering the coconut to do his manly duties.