Perhaps I should in a few words explain why ornaticauda is in focus here.
It is one of the three species with a very special courtship behaviour; head up. The others are parvulus and (most striking) sumatranus, which even stands upright more than 90%.
But this is not the main point. P. sumatranus (regularly) and often P. parvulus are easier to be bred as P. ornaticauda. Even very experienced breeders have from time to time problems with breeding ornaticauda. Sometimes, it works as if there would be no problem at all. But then the series stops. And it seems to be nearly impossible to get offspring.
It is this strange irregularity that is most annoying with this attractive species. Are there simpy “good pairs” and “bad pairs” or what else is the clue to this problem? In most other P.-species we do not have such irregularities than here with ornaticauda. Up to the present day we do not succeed with establishing a sound, growing stock. On the other hand, the species is obviously present in nature with good numbers. From time to time they are exported in huge numbers.
This is the task: to solve the riddle of its irregularity in breeding success in captivity. Therefore we must try to find the explanation.