Justmeingardner
Member
- Messages
- 32
- Location
- Gardner, MA
I have a male A. agassizi with a pair of females in a 30L tank. There was another female, with whom the male had spawned with twice, but both times, he overpowered her eventually and ate the eggs. She was set up in a 10G with a nicer (attitude and looks) male, she is getting ripe with eggs, and both are playing nice.
So, the OTHER male (bad dad), has lost his favorite female and lost no time in fertilizing eggs for one or both females.that he has always harassed. They are much smaller than the original female and honestly didn't look ready to spawn yet (likely the first for both). They have caves at opposite ends of tank, and are easily keeping "bad dad" at bay. One is in spawning colors, the other is not. I can't see the eggs, but they both are guarding caves, as well as patrolling territories that the 'deadbeat dad" would normally do.
Question is: is it unusual for a female apisto to be guarding eggs and NOT be in brood coloration? And is it common for a male to fertilize more than one set of eggs at same time? Since I haven't seen eggs, it has occurred to me also that maybe there aren't any (normal colored female)? Maybe a "sympathy pregnancy" or this female has adopted this as a defense mechanism against the male that used to 'bully' her? She IS out and about around her cave much, much more than she used to be, protecting her 'territory'. Or maybe they are working together as payback to the big, bad bully? Whatever it is, these little girls are certainly "empowered" now and taking care of business. Fascinating creatures, no doubt. Makes me wish I were a 'Fish Whisperer'...lol.
So, the OTHER male (bad dad), has lost his favorite female and lost no time in fertilizing eggs for one or both females.that he has always harassed. They are much smaller than the original female and honestly didn't look ready to spawn yet (likely the first for both). They have caves at opposite ends of tank, and are easily keeping "bad dad" at bay. One is in spawning colors, the other is not. I can't see the eggs, but they both are guarding caves, as well as patrolling territories that the 'deadbeat dad" would normally do.
Question is: is it unusual for a female apisto to be guarding eggs and NOT be in brood coloration? And is it common for a male to fertilize more than one set of eggs at same time? Since I haven't seen eggs, it has occurred to me also that maybe there aren't any (normal colored female)? Maybe a "sympathy pregnancy" or this female has adopted this as a defense mechanism against the male that used to 'bully' her? She IS out and about around her cave much, much more than she used to be, protecting her 'territory'. Or maybe they are working together as payback to the big, bad bully? Whatever it is, these little girls are certainly "empowered" now and taking care of business. Fascinating creatures, no doubt. Makes me wish I were a 'Fish Whisperer'...lol.
