Elaine2
Fish Fanatic
Over the last couple of months I have been slowly moving my fish into a new, large tank, which means that fish who were formally separated in different aquaria are now housed together. The tank is 7.5 ft long X 2.5 ft wide and 2 ft deep. Because of the move my two large plecs are now in the same living space. One is believed to be a common plec and is around 2 years and and 9" overall length approximately. The other is about 11" long overall and about 9 years old. I've never satisfactorily identified this fish but it has sailfin-like markings, though the dorsal fin is not overly large. The younger fish is definitely male, the older one I am not 100% sure about.
They have been fine together in the new tank for the last week or so (the younger fish was introduced first), even sharing space under the same, large piece of bogwood. However, over the last 24 hours or so there has been a lot of chasing around the tank, physical shoving of oneanother and a certain amount of twining around oneanother. The older fish has managed to scratch him/herself a little on the bogwood as a result.
My question is, is this a delayed onset of aggression/terratorial dispute or an attempt at breeding behaviour? I ask the later as I have corydoras breeding in there at the moment and sometimes the release of hormones has affected the behaviour of tank mates. I don't want either of the fish getting injured or stressed so am wondering whether I need to move one of them back out. The plants are having a pretty rough time of it as well!
I can try and get some photos later if that helps - both for a more definite ID and to try and show behaviour.
They have been fine together in the new tank for the last week or so (the younger fish was introduced first), even sharing space under the same, large piece of bogwood. However, over the last 24 hours or so there has been a lot of chasing around the tank, physical shoving of oneanother and a certain amount of twining around oneanother. The older fish has managed to scratch him/herself a little on the bogwood as a result.
My question is, is this a delayed onset of aggression/terratorial dispute or an attempt at breeding behaviour? I ask the later as I have corydoras breeding in there at the moment and sometimes the release of hormones has affected the behaviour of tank mates. I don't want either of the fish getting injured or stressed so am wondering whether I need to move one of them back out. The plants are having a pretty rough time of it as well!
I can try and get some photos later if that helps - both for a more definite ID and to try and show behaviour.
