Tiger Barbs Mating?

[cathat143]

Two of my largest tiger barbs which I just got yesterday seem to be frantically making out. They are mostly mouth to mouth but sometimes one will run it's mouth all over the other ones body. They don't seem to be biting.

Also their black stripes have turned green. Is this the mating ritual or some kind of battle for hierarchy? Whatever it is, it is interesting to watch.

 

[Kovatch]

Video Tape it, Name it something Provocative, Slap on a 18+ sticker and you've got yourself a license to Print Money.


HAHAHA

 

[hotonlad]

they either go green when they are mating or when they are trying to become the sort of alpha of the group. mine seem to be constantly bloody green so they are either perminently horny or perminently pi%*ed off!!

 

[Kovatch]

Let's hope it's Horny and not pissed off...

Nothing Worse than a pissed off Woman... HAHA!

 

[saltynay]

pervert

 

[Kovatch]

pervert

It's not a pervert thing.. I was just trying to be funny...

 

[saltynay]

I was refferring to the OP

 

[Kovatch]

I was refferring to the OP

haha Ok Sorry mate

 

[cathat143]

I was refferring to the OP

Hey there, I wasn't trying to be perverted. This is actually what is happening. Maybe this is a less offensive description of the behavior:

Two of my tiger barbs are making rapid and continued mouth to mouth contact, and occasionally one will rapidly touch the other one with its mouth in the following places: chin, base of pectoral fin, side, anal fin, and even as far as the caudal peduncle. What could this behavior mean?

 

[Kovatch]

I was refferring to the OP

Hey there, I wasn't trying to be perverted. This is actually what is happening. Maybe this is a less offensive description of the behavior:

Two of my tiger barbs are making rapid and continued mouth to mouth contact, and occasionally one will rapidly touch the other one with its mouth in the following places: chin, base of pectoral fin, side, anal fin, and even as far as the caudal peduncle. What could this behavior mean?

this sounds a bit like territory to me.

 

[DiscusKeeper403]

pervert

Umm was that really necessary? Obviously people are just kidding around...

 

[Bignose]

Mouth to mouth sounds a little more like they are trying to figure out which fish will be alpha, and which will be under in the chain. Especially since you said they are the two biggest, it really sounds like a dominance thing, to me.

I've had tiger barbs mate before, and they don't mate mouth to mouth. They swim around each other in circles, with the female spewing eggs and the male spewing milt. They also usually only did it at dawn or dusk.

I'd suggest you sex the barbs to see if it is two males or actually a male and a female.

 

[Kovatch]

Mouth to mouth sounds a little more like they are trying to figure out which fish will be alpha, and which will be under in the chain. Especially since you said they are the two biggest, it really sounds like a dominance thing, to me.

I've had tiger barbs mate before, and they don't mate mouth to mouth. They swim around each other in circles, with the female spewing eggs and the male spewing milt. They also usually only did it at dawn or dusk.

I'd suggest you sex the barbs to see if it is two males or actually a male and a female.

Well Said