I just got 2 new scooter blennies a couple of weeks ago. They are definitely a mated pair. The past few nights the male has been displaying some spawning type behavior around the female - mostly when the actinics come on at night. When he sees her, the lower half of his body turns pale, then he flashes his beautiful dorsal (?) fin up and scoots his tail up next to her. Has anyone ever had Scooters successfully spawn in their tank? I feel like I'm prying on their private time, but it is so cool to watch.
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Scooter Blennies Spawning??
- Thread starter starrfish
- Start date
Hey Dawn -
That sounds so cool! I am still looking for a red female scooter for my male. They seem to be tough to find these days. Please keep a look out for me if you can.
My mandarin pair spawns right after the halides go out... when only the actinics are on. I don't ever notice a change in coloration in either fish... but they swim close together, rising vertically in the water column until they reach the surface. I would guess that the behavior you're seeing is something skin to spawning, if not actual spawning. What's the female doing while the male is turning colors and flapping his tail around?
bec
That sounds so cool! I am still looking for a red female scooter for my male. They seem to be tough to find these days. Please keep a look out for me if you can.
My mandarin pair spawns right after the halides go out... when only the actinics are on. I don't ever notice a change in coloration in either fish... but they swim close together, rising vertically in the water column until they reach the surface. I would guess that the behavior you're seeing is something skin to spawning, if not actual spawning. What's the female doing while the male is turning colors and flapping his tail around?
bec
Bec - you did it again - Dawn & Daire - our names are too similar! I think Marc has some red scooters - you should send him a PM. My female is a lot smaller than my male - seems a lot younger. She kind of ignores him so I'm not sure there's any ACTUAL spawning going on....but he sure is trying. No wise cracks from any of you guys out there!
You know... I really DO know the two of you apart. And I even thought I double-checked last night to make sure I didn't do that. My aplogies Daire (and Dawn too!). Its something in the typing fingers not communicating with the old brain... emphasis on 'old.'
DAIRE -
I asked about what the female was doing just for that reason. I'll bet she's just too young at the moment and has no interest/clue about what the male is dancing for... which makes him dance more. The good news is that if they aren't fighting, they are most certainly a pair. When my mandarins first got together, and she would ignore him when the actinics were on... sometimes he would start to chase her around for a bit, seemingly in frustration, but it never got any worse than that. It took about months, but now they're completely bonded.
bec
DAIRE -
I asked about what the female was doing just for that reason. I'll bet she's just too young at the moment and has no interest/clue about what the male is dancing for... which makes him dance more. The good news is that if they aren't fighting, they are most certainly a pair. When my mandarins first got together, and she would ignore him when the actinics were on... sometimes he would start to chase her around for a bit, seemingly in frustration, but it never got any worse than that. It took about months, but now they're completely bonded.
bec
Bec - no problem! They definitely don't fight. During the day, they do their own thing - typically on opposite ends of the tank. But as soon as the actinics come on, he finds her fast! She's a lot smaller, so you're probably right - too young. And I won't have any under-aged sex going on in my tank! I love the way his top fin goes up - it's really beautiful.
Marc, thanks for picking me a great pair!
Marc, thanks for picking me a great pair!
Hey Daire -
Yeah... I'll bet its a maturity thing. My mandarins began spending more time together when all the lights were on as they bonded. I'm sure your blennies will do the same. Please keep us posted.
I need a red scooter female!
Marc - Please let me know if you have any come in down there.
Thanks,
bec
Yeah... I'll bet its a maturity thing. My mandarins began spending more time together when all the lights were on as they bonded. I'm sure your blennies will do the same. Please keep us posted.
I need a red scooter female!
Marc - Please let me know if you have any come in down there.
Thanks,
bec
ok, I got a couple of pics. They aren't great, but you get the idea. As soon as the daylights go out, the male chases the little female around the entire tank displaying his top fin and kicking up a lot of sand. I also took a short video which came out really cool, but it's too large to post. Here's the first pic of the male alone - notice the bottom half of his body - it's usually dark black with white spots. During this mating ritual it turns an olive green with white spots.
