Nannacara Anomala Behaviour

[Jonny Googs]

My nans are facing each other off in their tank, pretty much as usual. However, I've just seen one of them turn dark, flare its gills and shake itself whilst moving backwards. Its the first time I've seen this.

Is this just aggressive behaviour, or is it a breeding ritual of some description?

Thanks,
Jon

[Mike Wise]

It probably is an aggressive movement if they were the same sex. Apistos often use this movement (either sex) to lure the opposite sex to its preferred spawning site.

If you are intersted in display methods in Nannacara anomala, you might want to look up the following:

Hurd, Peter L. 1997. Cooperative signalling between opponents in fish fights. Animal Behaviour. 54:1309-1315. It might be on the internet. Look under the author's name.

[Fishboy93]

Hi, im new to the forums and have some qs. on anomala also...................
I am picking up a trio of them and hope to breed them in a 29gallon planted
with 6 harlequin rasboras, 1 Golden Wonder Killies, 2 Otos, and 3 Flying Fox.
Will they breed? The Rasboras are also breeding but have never attempted to raise the fry they are usually eaten.....Will this work? and am I the only young one..13?

[aspen]

hello fishboy93. nannacara anomola are not harem breeders. they are pair breeders, ie, 1 girl/1boy. ime, the odd fish/less agressive fish will be driven away or killed if the tank is not big enough. i lost a male from jumping out of the tank on the first day i had them. you will be better off just getting the 2 of them. and remember, it is the females that are the mean ones of this species.

rasbora's are egg scatterers, like most tetras. when they breed, the eggs pretty much just become food for the other fish. if you want to breed them, most people put the prospective parents into their own tank, and pull them back out after they have laid their eggs, then care for the babies separately.

i have never kept flying foxes, i'm not sure they are great tankmates for dwarf cichlids esp fish that you want to breed. the parents will be able to defend their babies from the other fish provided that you leave a night light on for them.

nannacara's are pretty easy fish to breed. maybe you should try to get some brine shrimp eggs and practice hatching them, so the fry will have something to eat when they are ready. adult rasboras and dwarf cichlids will eat them too, so you needn't waste them.

have fun, rick

[Fishboy93]

Thanks for the reply. The only reason i plan to buy three of them is because i called my lfs and they said they werent old enough to sex. I will attempt to breed the rasboras but i have swordtail fry in my 5 gal Fry Raiser... By night light do you mean just a light pointed in the direction of the fish? or a whole seperate unit type thing? Thanks i will look into bbs

[KenL]

I wouldn't describe N.anomala as pair breeders. To me that suggests that the male helps protect the fry. In my experience the female will do her best to drive all fish away from her eggs fry, especially the male anomala.

I have a trio in a 3 foot tank at present with a few killies. There is no obvious pair bond between the male and any female. In fact the only thing he seems interested in is food!

[Mike Wise]

A night light is just that; one of those lamps that holds a 3W bulb. This is just enough light to allow the female to see what's happening at night.