ok cheers guys i feel a bit better now. the room they are in is now out of bounds and i haven't been back in to see what is going on but fingers crossed they are getting it right.
If this is the first time that you have seen them both inside and are sure it s the first time, most likely nothing will happen. Its happened to me a couple of times and the female was in the cave for about 2 days! Someone told me that its more of a test for the male to see if he can keep the female in! But no worries a week or 2 later they were breeding! So your on the right track!!
I went to turn the lights off at about 8 and she was out eating but i have just been back in there and she is back in the cave with him is this normal? i am now not sure.
Yep, totally normal. Actually a good sign even. They just need to practice a bit before they figure out how it all works . Definitely lose your flashlight for the next couple weeks and just keep an eye on how much time she spends with him. I had a pair take more than a month before they figured it out. I thought I'd have a seizure before they finally figured out what it was all about .
Now i am even more nervous than before!
What should i do about water changes as the tank is due a clean this weekend shall i put it off or just do a small one?
Well she is not in there this morning and i don't think there are any eggs but i can't be sure. I am going to do a 25% water change today and then just leave them alone fingers crossed they were just practising for the real thing.
I've spent most of this weekend looking at the same thing...my biggest male has one trapped in his cave, and at least since I notice yesterday about 24 hours ago.
He seems to every 30 seconds or so wiggle his tail and try to nudge further into the cave or raise the front of himself by resting on his pelvic fins while inside...
I'll wait and see what happens
He seems to every 30 seconds or so wiggle his tail and try to nudge further into the cave or raise the front of himself by resting on his pelvic fins while inside...
thats what mine is doing with her tail sticking out from underneath him it looks like he is giving her a hug