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Territorial behaviour – sexual differences?

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  • #5300
    Stefanie Rick
    Participant

    Thank you again!!

    This is all very interesting. And of course I have seen certain colouration states in my pair of nagyi – the states that are usually shown by a pair …..

    It’s a bit more difficult in my 4 new paros – which neither reveal their sexes nor their species affiliation.

    And I have some additonal questions:
    – I understand that state 2 of males is similar to state 3 of females – is that right?
    – Do I get it right, Peter, that only females may (in state 4) show some sort of speckled markings? There are no speckles in males?

    I took the part concerning my “mysterious paros” out and will place it in the corresponding thread. Don’t want to mix it with this thread to keep up it’s general purpose.

    #5305
    Peter Finke
    Participant

    [quote=”Stefanie” post=1966](…)
    – I understand that state 2 of males is similar to state 3 of females – is that right?
    – Do I get it right, Peter, that only females may (in state 4) show some sort of speckled markings? There are no speckles in males?[/quote]

    If you mean that females of state 3 resemble somewhat superficially males of state 2, then you are right. But this female resemblance is only partly to be seen and does never show the full brilliance of male´s state 2. We therefore should prefer to speak of the correspondence of state 2 male to state 2 female and the corresondence of state 3 male to state 3 female, although the colouring might suggest something different. More improtant than similar colouring is the similarity or correspondence of mood. Even if it leads to different sexual consequences in colouring. I arranged my explications in that order: similarity of mood.

    #5314
    Stefanie Rick
    Participant

    May I show you this:

    This individual shows very drab colouration, all very brownish – while angrily chasing away another one (not being chased!!). I don’t know how to interprete it, and I am not sure how to assign it to one of the male/ female moods described above.

    #5341
    Ted L. Dutcher
    Participant

    Two new coloration patterns on my spec Ampah’s

    Their body gets very pale and shows alternating rectangles on each side of the lateral line.

    One gets very dark fins, the other has almost clear fins but with a bright border on the unpaired fins… or seems so. The palest one seems to be very aggressive??? Any ideas???

    Maybe they are finally maturing?, I got them as very young fish in December 2012.

    #5344
    bartian
    Participant

    Paros get those blotches when in stress. Not a good sign, if you ask me.

    #5345
    Ted L. Dutcher
    Participant

    Yes , I’ve seen it in pictures of fresh netted fish. Normally they are ok so it’s time to find the the aggressor… maybe dominant male? There are 6 in the tank only those 2 males occasionaly show that! I haven’t noticed any serious fighting other than just sparring off.

    All water parameters good, I’ll keep a closer eye on them.

    #5532
    Stefanie Rick
    Participant

    Something has gained my attention before, and my impression has been confirmed when I got two new paro pairs of different species some days ago:

    I reported about my 4 paros (Thread “New paros at my home”) I received from trade which all came out to be females. Due to this it is not possible to determine form or species. What attracted my attention was the fact that all four individuals never (and I mean never!) show this slowly swaying up and down along the axis of the eyes which is so typical.
    Watching my new paros confirmed this observation: P. nagyi, pahuensis, quindecim – all show this slow seesawing movement, even in this short time I have them. I think the females do it a bit more often than the males. But I have never seen one of the four single “girls” doing this.

    Now – is it a behaviour typical only for some species/ forms? Or is it a behaviour only shown when different sexes are together?
    Some of you also have only males/females of certain species – have you observed the same? Do your fish all show the seesawing movement – no matter if the different sex is around?

    #5543
    bartian
    Participant

    Remarkable. All paros I have do this. It seems very typical for paros, as even Betta don’t do it. I wouldn’t be surprised if it is a population/form typical feature.

    #5553
    Lennart Friedritz
    Participant

    Hey Stefanie and Bartian,
    I don’t really get what motion you are talking about!?

    Could you please explain it a litte more precise to me? (or maybe in german, in a PM?)

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