Breeding of one pair over 2 days period?

[Pavel Chaloupka]

I would like to ask how normal that is. I have seen my paros breeding yesterday, even though I was not able to see the clutch in the cave (the ceiling is a little higher than the opening), I have seen both female and the male in the cave together and she had sexy eyes and was all pale. Later when checking for eggs, I have seen male turning in the cave and accidentaly dropping one eggs from the ceiling and putting it back there(no confusion, typical egg I have seen on pictures here). I checked again during the night with better flashlight and there was no male in the cave, no nothing on the ceiling that was now visible, no visible eggs or bubble nest or its residue. Today during feeding these two did not show up for feeding and they are again in the cave, courtship coloration and whats more clutch I would guess 15- 20 eggs on the place where there was nothing yesterday. There may be couple bubbles between them but its all whitish, so I think not much of a nest itself. There are two females in the tank, but as they are of a different size, I am guite sure its the same female as yesterday. As the female was parsuing the other smaller one for most of the afternoon and evening yesterday, could it be that they interrupted spawning becouse of that and when I added enough plants for the other female to hide better (its hardly possible to swim in there now :D)they just countinue where they cut off the day before? + The first part of the clutch was not fertilised as its their first spawn or the male just needs to learn how to take care of it better?

[Stefanie Rick]

Hello,

to me your observations seems quite normal. I never counted the matings but I usually watch courtship behaviour and matings in my paros during one or two (or three?) days, too. It’s not “all done” with one single spawning. I’ve watched the female in spawning colours with sexy eyes visiting the cave very secretive, almost trying to look inobtrusive to not upset the male which was already guarding the cave. If he lets her in they mate again – if not he chases her away and she has to try again later …………
After these “mating days” she loses interest in the cave and leaves the whole business – to care for the clutch – to the male.

I can not say how many eggs are produced in how many spawnings ………… I do not control the cave so closely.

[Pavel Chaloupka]

Hello Stefanie,

Thanks for explanation. I have already seen that behavior with the female. When she aproaches the cave to quickly, the males first instinct reaction seems to be striking fast attack. It was scary when I saw it for the first time.

[Stefanie Rick]

Yes, she has to appease him by showing the mating colours incl. sexy eyes and a very submissive behaviour. He is very high tempered guarding his cave and will attack whatever seems suspicious. She really has to steal her way into the cave. Once inside, there’s no aggression any more 🙂

[Davy Grenouillet]

When the female is ready to breed, the male leaves her to enter in the cave to breed with her even with eggs in the nest. Sometimes my females are ready again after 4-5 days since the last breed and there is already offsprings in the nest.

[Pavel Chaloupka]

Wow, just saw the female out of the cave with clearly empty belly so checked for the clutch and its all over the ceiling, no bubbles at all approximately 40 eggs.

[Author]

Posts