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juvies fighting like mad :(

Posted: Sun Apr 07, 2013 10:02 pm
by craigzeb
never had juvies before got 3 diff groups of them from 3 diff spawns and got a few fights goin on real mad ones goin at it for ages anyone know if they will kill each other or what ???? naughty kids :loldude: :loldude:

Re: juvies fighting like mad :(

Posted: Tue Apr 16, 2013 9:06 pm
by TwoTankAmin
OK - here is the thing about creating a colony. they need to work out a pecking order. And this does not just mean establishing the alpha male and the top fm. There is an order all the way from the top down that must be worked out for both sexes. So even if the top dogs are set the rest still work things out.

And sometimes #1 and #2 have to do it a few times to convince #2. Males are more likely to kill each other than females. the closer they get to spawning age/size and cave claiming, the more the potential for this increases.

Interestingly enough, many folks find their alpha males is not the absolute biggest, just the toughest. The females are the most likely to eat eggs or wigglers. The lesser females use it as a way to have a shot at the alpha male. If they can do it, the male will be free to spawn with her before the number 1# fm is again ready to spawn. They has been a problem for me in a Pekoltia compta tank.

On balance if you have all juvies, then they are likely now starting to squabble for rank end territory since they are all recent acquisitions into one tank. Just keep an eye on them and more cover never hurts. GL.

Re: juvies fighting like mad :(

Posted: Thu Apr 18, 2013 2:27 am
by wu19
Very interesting TTA. You mentioned the alpha male doesn't have to be the biggest but the toughest. I just mixed 5 new Zebras about a month or 2, with 2 already there. There's a little guy I call pesto from my new batch that goes around pecking at every zebra in the tank. It was so funny because he would fight anyone. What made me laugh was that he could be eating at one moment and my male who I thought was the alpha male would be in his cave half sticking out and pesto would shoot to fight my alpha male? Mostly hitting the corner of the cave. Now that you say that. Pesto is the first to eat and he doesn't like anyone near him. Pesto likes picking fights. Things quiet down a little but how would I definitely know? Only by spawning? Or is there other ways. Based on what I've been reading pesto suits the alpha role? My other males are shy and are always in their caves.

Re: juvies fighting like mad :(

Posted: Thu Apr 18, 2013 10:29 pm
by craigzeb
yeh my alpha male is the smaller 1 i have a big chunky male but he is trying to mop up the leftovers :loldude: once my male is in cave with eggs my big male then tries it on with the females but still having no luck the poor boy if i could get him going too it be good.