breeding ,fighting,or what???

Oct 22, 2002
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#1
Ok i have two paradise fish,both of equal coloration and finnage. Untill now i thought i had two males. The dominate male is a little darker than the other most the time. And the dominate one is a little bigger because he hogs the food. The dominate one used to occasionally chase the smaller one ..no big deal.
I dont know if this has anything to do with it,but recently i raised the tempature in the tank, and the paradise fish have gotten more aggressive. The smaller one doesnt swim away now but fights back.  
They swim side by side ,quivering and circleing one another. I read that males and FEMALES do this during courtship. Its been going on for hours now! twice they have locked lips for a long time. I tryed to feed them, the stopped to eat and went back at it.
I didnt want them to continue untill one dies, so i removed the smaller one for a while. Well while one was out, the dominate male started what looks like a small bubble nest. After a while i put the other fish back in(at the opposite side of the tank) The fish i put back in went directly to the bigger fish and it all started over again!!! Its been almost 8 hours since it first started today. What do i do? Do i have two fighting males or a male and a very colorful female wanting to breed???        I have had them for a year and never have they done this before.              
ps   besides the two paradise fish i have with them 3 gouramis and a chinese algea eater and pictus catfish. They all live in a 55 gallon tank. with plenty of plants and caves for hiding places.
 

Rune

New Fish
Oct 22, 2002
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#2
I think that paradise fish should always be kept alone. Being chased by the dominate male will stress your littler one and make him prone to illness. I'm not sure how to tell paradise fish apart, but I think that the females have a tiny white 'egg spot' between their bottom front fins...don't know what they're called. ^^
You should probably keep them apart no matter what gender they are. They are not getting alone well at all.
 

Oct 22, 2002
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#4
Ok,todays update........there is definatly a bubble nest in the tank now. Im thinking these are two males fighting for the attention of a female that doesnt exist.........i would still like everyones opinon though.
 

Oct 22, 2002
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#6
update........ok today a bought what i hope are two young females..........the two i bought today had noticable smaller tails than the others in the tank. And not as dark in color. They are a small compared to the two i already have ,because they are younger. Introducing these new fish have lessened the fighting between my two males......but the new ones are getting chased a little....i hope its just because they are new and not because they are also males! :eek:
 

Oct 22, 2002
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#7
How big are the small ones, if you bought them at about 1/2 to a inch size it will be hard to tell male from female/ But females are smaller in comparison to the males even f the same age.  Watch and see if the females atart to wigle at each other........


http://sites.centralpets.com/fish/nonamethefish/parafish.html

Heres part of my site that has some pics of paradise fish. There is one female mongst these pics..can you spot her?

There are also some one month old paradise fish pics, which are the skleton fish ;D
 

Oct 22, 2002
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#9
Yup, thats a female.


You could help me by givin  it a name.

An inch and a half is to small to sex them accurately, but the filaments should be growing in. On centralpets page, there is also a big pic at the bottom, scroll around, and you'll find a male pfish of about yours size, I raised him myself ;D