# Rbp behavior and colouration question....



## Blade (Feb 1, 2003)

well i have 12 8"ers rbps in my 125 until the day before yesterday 2 of them turned their colour grey/black and was flapping their tails and attacking the others....yesterday 1 more turned that colour and joined them!!! could the experts help me plz?


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## WebHostExpert (Jan 16, 2003)

how long they been in this tank? sounds like there starting to get over crouded, high tensions. or just playfull fun, mine do it sometimes.
MAD


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## Blade (Feb 1, 2003)

they are together for almost a year they never had any problems......they dont try to bite the others! just waving them away....


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## bobme (Feb 17, 2003)

prb just playing, maybe rearang the tank and let them go again?


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## Blade (Feb 1, 2003)

already did but the specific 2-3 rbps are turning grey/black again and go to the corner starting waving their tales and doing weird stuff.... they even move the gravel


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## Grosse Gurke (Jan 3, 2003)

Sounds like breeding behavior to me.


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## Hannibal (Dec 2, 2002)

maybe breeding behavior??


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## piranha 13 (Feb 16, 2003)

grosse gurke said:


> Sounds like breeding behavior to me.










Yep it does sound like they are breeding.


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## Blade (Feb 1, 2003)

omg! cool!!! i hope so!!! :biggrin:








any other thought?


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## RhomZilla (Feb 12, 2003)

Color change, mating dance, gravel arrangement, fighting for breeding partner... Yepps, the signs of breeding. NICE!!! Much props if you complete the process of raising frys.









If other than the signs of breeding, you have an overcrowded 125 gal tank full of 12 8"inch RBs giving off warnings or their turf.


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## Blade (Feb 1, 2003)

they are 10 now (i sold two of them to make some more space)


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## Blade (Feb 1, 2003)

sold them for 40 euros each (40 euros about 42$)


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## Blade (Feb 1, 2003)

sorry about the bad quality its just me :/ 
these pics were taken before 1 1/2 month


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## Blade (Feb 1, 2003)

full tank shot


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## Blade (Feb 1, 2003)

single rbp pic


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## Blade (Feb 1, 2003)

mooooooore


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## Blade (Feb 1, 2003)

face to face....


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## Blade (Feb 1, 2003)

rbps....and a kribensis with them!!!!!


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## Blade (Feb 1, 2003)

and the last pic is one full tank photo...after all i guess getting pictures with video cameras aint that good idea


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## Xenon (Nov 15, 2002)

I think this is a breeding issue as well. Nice tank set up though but with your tank being so overstocked, maybe you should get rid of some of the stuff in there to allow them to swim around more ?









just a thought.


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## Judazzz (Jan 13, 2003)

Nice tank and great looking fish you have









As for the coloration: my largest red is about 7" in length, and he has the same coloration as what I see in your photo's. Sometimes, usually in the morning, he seems to be darker than at other times, but in my case that has nothing to do with (pre-)breeding behaviour, because the other 5 reds I have are 4-5" in length, and not yet sexually mature...

btw: I also have a kribensis with them (used to have two, a breeding pair, but the male became too agressive, and was taken care of [ie. eaten







]).


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## Blade (Feb 1, 2003)

thx for the good words







well they are moving and swimming very well! they got plenty of space! maybe it doesnt seem so but they do!
these pics were taken before they start that behavior i am talking you about...


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## Judazzz (Jan 13, 2003)

Oh, I see; cool fish nonetheless!
Do you have any pictures of your fish with the darker coloration? I guess that would be pretty helpfull.

And is was my first thought too that the tank was pretty full with rocks and all, but when you say they're very active, move around all the time, and seem to have enough space, I guess it's fine...


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## Blade (Feb 1, 2003)

no i dont..... :/


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## Blade (Feb 1, 2003)

no one else likes them?


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## Hannibal (Dec 2, 2002)

I like the fish and you got a killer tank. The only thing is that I think you have a lot of space being taken up by the things you have on that back wall. I know you would have a lot more room if you would take some of that out. its your decision but Im sure you are losing like 20+ gallons of space w/all of those decorations. Space can help a lot of situations. Overall nice setup though man.


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## Blade (Feb 1, 2003)

anyway until that "pre-spawning" behavior started all of them was hanging around TOGETHER never split ways and never had any damage or fin nips! they were so happy! this spawning thingy is giving me my nerves.....if there wasnt all these driftwoods i think there would be more damage now from the "pre-spawning" behavior of the 3 ps i am refering.... so i guess it is more helpfull providing more hiding places!


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## hastatus (Jan 16, 2003)

> "spawning" behavior


 Wrong usage of term. Spawning behavior means they are already laying eggs. _Breeding behavior_ is where fishes are displaying colors or other type of show which indicates they are male/female and then more aptly used term would be _pre-spawning_ behavior would apply.


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## Blade (Feb 1, 2003)




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## Judazzz (Jan 13, 2003)

I advise you to take out some of the decorations to create more swimming space, and to re-arrange the items you want to keep, to break up existing territories. And try to create a somewhat covered area/corner for the breeing ones to pair off, a bit out of sight of the rest.


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## Blade (Feb 1, 2003)

they are already out of site... but they seem to go "for" the others.... this is why i will probably follow the RHOM ...


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## Blade (Feb 1, 2003)

i mean the RHOM solution....


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## Judazzz (Jan 13, 2003)

It's *not* a solution, and the result will exactly the same as the thing you were ranting against in the "whats a piraya? and how- " thread (ie. mutilated and injured, or "freak" piranha's)...


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## Blade (Feb 1, 2003)

but THIS IS THE ONLY SOLUTION I GOT!!! NO ONE BUYS THEM OR WANTS THEM IN GREECE! DOH... (sorry for caps)








and i dont want him to kill half of them and i keep the other i CANT give them away!!!! just cant so the only solution is to just get the Rhom i always wanted to have.... hmm i will buy either 2 Rhoms or 4 spilos


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## RhomZilla (Feb 12, 2003)

Hope you have separate tanks for your Rhoms and Spilos.


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## Blade (Feb 1, 2003)

Rhoms are tough to make them be more than one in the same tank but spilos arent that hard... seen lots of ppl shoaling them


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## Grosse Gurke (Jan 3, 2003)

Blade,
You are making no senes at all in this thread. First you discribe this behavior and are excited that it may be breeding

"







omg! cool!!! i hope so!!! :biggrin:

The next day you are all pissed about this new behavior and are talking about adding a 1 or 2 rhoms, or 4 spilos to kill your reds because

"THIS IS THE ONLY SOLUTION I GOT!!! NO ONE BUYS THEM OR WANTS THEM IN GREECE! DOH... (sorry for caps)"

Yet in an earlier post you just stated you sold 2 reds.

You say you dont have the cash for another tank because you dumped all you cash into your 400 and 800 gallon tanks, yet you want to spend at least $400.00 on a couple rhoms to kill you reds.

None of this makes any sense to me.


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## Blade (Feb 1, 2003)

LOL YOU SOUND SO FUNNY! pfft 400$ for two rhoms??? hahah 
anyway those 2 reds was sold after a month that i posted "selling 12 rbps solid or all together about 18cm each" ....
yes i was excited but then i didnt like it..... they dont look as good as they were before a couple of weeks..... so it is my fish .... i wish you will never be in my position cuz god help you i will flame you to death ... thx







:







:


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## Grosse Gurke (Jan 3, 2003)

Blade said:


> i wish you will never be in my position cuz god help you i will flame you to death ... thx
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 Where did I flame you?

All I said is that I dont understand the excitement at the prospect of having fry one minute and then wanting to kill them the next.
They are your fish, do what you want, I was just trying to get the entire picture as to why killing your fish is your only option.

Oh, and if I am ever in your position, you will be the first to know so you can "flame me to death"


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## Blade (Feb 1, 2003)

okies!!! 
well just dont like the sight .... i was watching them being a "Real" Bloodpack and now they are the couple vs the others... and i dont like to have a battlefield in my tank... thats all


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## marco (Jan 2, 2003)

my reds do the same thing. when they go black tho. they all go black. for some reason i cant see them spawning in that tank. it looks to over crowded. heres a picture of my 180gal . im expecting a spawn somethime in june.


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## Blade (Feb 1, 2003)

how many rbps you got dude?

also i changed my mind (i love the bastards) i took off all the deco from the tank added 25 feeders (though they didnt touch even one) and 3 plecos they are all together again... i guess the lots of hiding space did the damage... :/


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## Blade (Feb 1, 2003)

damn no luck.... all the plecos are eaten and only two and a half from the goldfish are alive...


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## Judazzz (Jan 13, 2003)

marco said:


> im expecting a spawn somethime in june.


 Just wondering: what makes you think so?


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