Is chasing normal?

ELewandowski · 04-10-2009, 12:59 PM

My new male/female pair of little convicts spend a lot of time chasing. Actually its the female that is chasing the male. They are only about 1.5". So I am assuming they are only a few months old at most. The female is definately more in control of the tank. Is it normal behavior for her to chase him around like this?

RHole · 04-10-2009, 01:07 PM

Cichlids chase - they're territorially aggressive. If there are two fish in the tank, then they will chase each other. One will end up being dominant (in your case, the female).

Make sure the male has plenty of hiding places (rocks, plants, etc), and as long as he's allowed by her to come out and feed, the chasing is not non-stop and she's not actually biting, then he "Should" be okay.

Watch for ragged fins and the male cowering in a corner - especially a top back corner - for any length of time. Those are danger signals.

ELewandowski · 04-10-2009, 01:19 PM

thanks for the quick reply. They eat together, and they sleep together(side by side) they spend time together swimming around, but every now and then she just starts chasing him, and he ends up hiding in the java moss usually. I dont think she is biting him, but i will keep and eye out on his fins. In fact she is chasing him as i type this. lol

RHole · 04-10-2009, 01:21 PM

Ah, that's just normal chasing then. That's almost "play" for convicts.

ELewandowski · 04-10-2009, 02:09 PM

ok, cool. I love their personality, especially the female. If i pull a chair up to the tank and sit down, she comes to the glass and follows me around the glass. They are very cool fish.

woodyg3 · 04-11-2009, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ELewandowski

ok, cool. I love their personality, especially the female. If i pull a chair up to the tank and sit down, she comes to the glass and follows me around the glass. They are very cool fish.

That sounds pretty normal. With any Cichlid, you just need to keep an eye on behavior. It can change as they get older. Later if they pair off and breed, watch closely because one parent will sometimes "distrust" the other with eggs or fry and beat them up badly. I lost a beautiful female black angelfish once when her mate beat her to death.

ELewandowski · 04-11-2009, 05:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by woodyg3

That sounds pretty normal. With any Cichlid, you just need to keep an eye on behavior. It can change as they get older. Later if they pair off and breed, watch closely because one parent will sometimes "distrust" the other with eggs or fry and beat them up badly. I lost a beautiful female black angelfish once when her mate beat her to death.

oh wow, i will definately keep an eye on them.

04-10-2009, 12:59 PM	#1 (permalink)
ELewandowski Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 192 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Welcome to Aquarium Forum" 0 Times Said "Thanks" 6 Times Was Thanked 26 Times in 22 Posts	Is chasing normal? My new male/female pair of little convicts spend a lot of time chasing. Actually its the female that is chasing the male. They are only about 1.5". So I am assuming they are only a few months old at most. The female is definately more in control of the tank. Is it normal behavior for her to chase him around like this? __________________ 10 Tanks Running ?? Fish swimming-Lost Count Check profile for my fish stock

04-10-2009, 01:07 PM	#2 (permalink)
RHole Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 12 My location Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Welcome to Aquarium Forum" 0 Times Said "Thanks" 0 Times Was Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Re: Is chasing normal? Cichlids chase - they're territorially aggressive. If there are two fish in the tank, then they will chase each other. One will end up being dominant (in your case, the female). Make sure the male has plenty of hiding places (rocks, plants, etc), and as long as he's allowed by her to come out and feed, the chasing is not non-stop and she's not actually biting, then he "Should" be okay. Watch for ragged fins and the male cowering in a corner - especially a top back corner - for any length of time. Those are danger signals.

04-10-2009, 01:19 PM	#3 (permalink)
ELewandowski Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 192 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Welcome to Aquarium Forum" 0 Times Said "Thanks" 6 Times Was Thanked 26 Times in 22 Posts	Re: Is chasing normal? thanks for the quick reply. They eat together, and they sleep together(side by side) they spend time together swimming around, but every now and then she just starts chasing him, and he ends up hiding in the java moss usually. I dont think she is biting him, but i will keep and eye out on his fins. In fact she is chasing him as i type this. lol __________________ 10 Tanks Running ?? Fish swimming-Lost Count Check profile for my fish stock

04-10-2009, 01:21 PM	#4 (permalink)
RHole Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 12 My location Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Welcome to Aquarium Forum" 0 Times Said "Thanks" 0 Times Was Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Re: Is chasing normal? Ah, that's just normal chasing then. That's almost "play" for convicts.

04-10-2009, 02:09 PM	#5 (permalink)
ELewandowski Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 192 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Welcome to Aquarium Forum" 0 Times Said "Thanks" 6 Times Was Thanked 26 Times in 22 Posts	Re: Is chasing normal? ok, cool. I love their personality, especially the female. If i pull a chair up to the tank and sit down, she comes to the glass and follows me around the glass. They are very cool fish. __________________ 10 Tanks Running ?? Fish swimming-Lost Count Check profile for my fish stock

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