Mandarin behavior

[Troubleman]

What type of behavior is to be expected when introducing a female spotted manderin into a tank with an established male? It appears the male is showboating his territory and picking at the female. How long will this last? He occasionally follows her around in this manner. I introduce her 1/2 hour ago, after being in the fuge for 2 weeks to fatten her up.

thanks
bob

 

[~Flighty~]

He can follow her around, sometimes nipping her tail. A little fraying of her fins from the attention is normal. He will display a lot more, often to his reflection when she is near. They won't do much dramatic until near "sunset" (whatever that is with your light cycle) then they might start courting. Then they hook fins and spiral to the surface over and over.

If you see one grab the other in their mouth and drag them around the tank, you probably are dealing with two males or with a female that is too healthy and strong for a younger or ill male.

A word of caution, spotteds seem to be much harder to tell the males from the females. Can we see pics?

 

[Troubleman]

Ok, so throughout the day, I would check in on them, and on a couple occasions found the male "attacking" or "courting" the female. He would nip or what look like drag her. Unfortuantely I have yet to get a good pic of her dorsal fin up, but I do know there is no spike..... These pics where taken moments ago. And on the advice of another, I have temporarily put the male in the fuge (He may be acting territorial, so this banishment for a week or so may re-establish a less dominant role in the main tank). If not, it's a good chance for the female to gain confidence in her new surroundings.

so here's the pics:

 

[~Flighty~]

Looks like male on male behaviour. Like I said, It is really hard to tell juvi males from females with the spotteds, but that going at the side and grabbing on is what males do to each other. A female will be mostly ignored with a little following around and tail nipping if anything. Think of it this way, the males herd the female into their territory and try not to let her leave, but they fight a male and try to prove they are stronger.

 

[~Flighty~]

do you have a close up of the third to last photo? I think that might show the one in front is a male if it was zoomed in a little, and the second to last shows the one in the background as a male.

 

[reefinghabit]

i believe the third pic down shows male to male aggresion. im no expert here, but they both apper to be the same. and i have seen them locking lips and biting necks before. i dont belive the male will attack the female in this manner.