Interruptus courtship behavior?

Maximus · 05/20/2006, 12:21 AM

I just saw something that I have never seen before. I have had a pair of interruptus angels for the past year and a half and it seemed like the male was courting the female tonight. He would dance around her with his fins flared up, while his color was changing. His color was actually getting pale. I would think that if a male fish wanted to attract a female, the color would get brighter? Does this make any sense? The male was swimming like a madman weaving in and out of rocks and circling the female. What do you guys think? Was it some sort of courtship ritual?

Vili_Shark · 05/20/2006, 02:08 AM

The male will swim around the female and try to "block" her way while displaying.
If it'll get to the point of spawning, the female will show she is interested, so she will react to his display and turn around him.
It will get to the point when the male will put his head next to the female's side of the body.
From there there will shoot up releasing eggs and sperm.

I have it here with few of my Angels just few minutes before light shuts off.
If you change your lighting shutting off time you will lose this for while.

The main problem is that there's nothing to do with the eggs.

I have a friend who was siphoning the eggs and sperm of his Flame Angels but was never able to raise the young.

Maximus · 05/20/2006, 10:49 AM

Thanks Vili. Yes, he was definitely trying to block her way. I know that even if they do spawn, there is 0% chance that I could raise the young. It's just very cool observing the behavior.

Vili_Shark · 05/20/2006, 05:44 PM

My friend who has quite alot of experience breeding marine species, could not breed those.
He was breeding perculas already in the late eighties , right now he have small Bangai cardinals, Clarckiis Clowns, Fridmanis, soon on the way are Maroons gold bands and Flavivertex.
HeÃƒÂ¤s doing all those from home, just for the hobby, when he got to the flame angels he couldnt raise them from a certain day (14th if Im not mistaken but not sure), he showed them to me in the microscope.
When asked Mr.Baench who you bought your fish from, he didnt want to help him, when my friend was in holidays in Hawaii , Mr.Baench didnt want to meet him.

Maximus · 05/20/2006, 09:43 PM

Yeah, I hear it's some secret copepod that the young need to survive. It's a closely guarded secret. Perhaps someday, we will know what it is.

LargeAngels · 05/21/2006, 09:22 AM

Sounds like breeding attempts. My male multicolor will flash and dance around each female and then eventually he and a female go towards the top of the tank and do the mating ritual.

trueblackpercula · 07/30/2006, 01:09 PM

my golden angles would do the same thing just before they would spawn,
good luck with them
Michael

zemuron114 · 07/30/2006, 07:08 PM

If you can culture billions of copepods, you can raise pretty much anything... Most fish always start out with copepods or phyto/rotifers etc when fry.
Do you have any pics of the pair? I love these angels

Maximus · 07/30/2006, 07:33 PM

Here are a few pics that were posted earlier:

trueblackpercula · 07/30/2006, 07:34 PM

i cant wait o get mine fron rct this fall

Maximus · 07/30/2006, 07:39 PM

Frank at RCT rocks! He produces some amazing fish. Here is the male when I first got him. He's grown tremendously since then.

zemuron114 · 07/30/2006, 09:06 PM

awesome fish. Definitely have the nicest eye-catching colors.
Can you get pairs from the same batch? I would think that interbreeding them wouldn't be a good idea. Does he sell them as "pairs" or just 2 singles?

Maximus · 07/30/2006, 11:29 PM

He sells them as pairs and singles. I'm not sure about interbreeding. I would think that it would be ok.

Vili_Shark · 07/31/2006, 01:28 AM

Interbreeding?
It wont concern anybody would it? Frank is probably the only guy in the world breeding Centropyge spp.,no hobbiest ever done it.
A couple of universities did, but thats about it.

BTTRFLYGRL · 07/31/2006, 06:18 AM

Beautiful fish!!!

So expensive, and you have two

I caught my Argis mating a couple months ago, saw the eggs being scattered and everything....Of course my hubby thought I was a little weird watching the fish 'do it'

Angel*Fish · 07/31/2006, 06:58 PM

Congrats! What beauties!

How big/old are they now? Did you get them as juveniles?

Here's a really awful picure of the "nuzzling" phase during my flames courtship

Maximus · 07/31/2006, 08:27 PM

Yes, I received them when they were juveniles. They were around an inch long and now are probably a good 3.5"-4" or so.

Angel*Fish · 08/01/2006, 08:02 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Maximus
Yes, I received them when they were juveniles. They were around an inch long and now are probably a good 3.5"-4" or so.

That's big, relative to what most of us are used to seeing in dwarf angels... A LFS here has a flame that has reached full size (~4 in.) in their 40,000 g tank - largest centropyge/paracentropyge I've ever seen in person. Uses the whole tank, too.

I hope you post some nice pictures of yours when they are fully grown - looking forward to it..

Have you seen the nuzzling yet? Angel spawning is kind of exciting compared to clowns, damsel & mandarins - lots of wild frantic swimming. How tall is your tank? Do any fish try to interfere?

I need to calm down - I sound more excited about this than you do -- lol

Maximus · 08/01/2006, 11:19 AM

Interruptus are actually one of the largest centropyges as they can reach a length of up to 6-7". Yes, I did observe the frantic swimming and a little bit of nuzzling. It was strange to see as the male was swimming around the female and changing colors. I haven't seen the behavior lately. Hopefully, they will pick up again. Your excitement is contagious!

Angel*Fish · 08/01/2006, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Maximus
I haven't seen the behavior lately. Hopefully, they will pick up again. Your excitement is contagious!

They will - I never kept track of it- but my flames didn't go at it every single night - maybe after an actual spawning they'd wait for more eggs to mature?

It's hard to see the gametes released into the water - especially if it's just the actinics - but if you have fish like anthias up in the water column that all suddenly go nuts over an evening snack, that can be a clue

BTW, I was aware that they get that large - I just think it's neat to see them as large as yours already are - Especially with the frantic mating action -- I read a post by someone a while back who had some large angels courting /spawning -- if they do it like centropyges, I'd think that would leave all the rest of the fish cowering in a corner

zemuron114 · 08/01/2006, 06:57 PM

I've seen some flame angels that were atleast 4" coming in from christmas island. Big "little" angels

there were also some that were 1/2" lol those were so cool!

Angel*Fish · 08/01/2006, 07:03 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by zemuron114
I've seen some flame angels that were atleast 4" coming in from christmas island. Big "little" angels there were also some that were 1/2" lol those were so cool!

I'd sure like to get hold of one of those itty bitty juveniles - after my male suddenly dropped dead, I got lazy & now I'm afraid the little female may no longer be female

The 4 inch ones look huge , don't they? And wouldn't you agree a 30g tank would be too small - sorry --- my pet peeve

trueblackpercula · 08/01/2006, 07:24 PM

my golden angles (centropyge aurantius)used to spawn every 4 to 5 times a months but never more than that. It was something when the males face would turn a purpleblue huge to it when he was ready to spawn with the female who was half his size. I was never able to raise the fry even after a couple of years trying. I was able to get them to live 72 hours but thats a secret. I will try again when i get my Interruptus from Frank at rtc. The only problem is i can only afford one this year

I have some new ideas to try this time around And i think it can work.
Good luck with the first spawn its always the best one. there are some tricks to try if you would like some help let me know and please post more picutres.
Michael

Angel*Fish · 08/01/2006, 07:33 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by trueblackpercula
my golden angles (centropyge aurantius)used to spawn every 4 to 5 times a months but never more than that. It was something when the males face would turn a purpleblue huge to it when he was ready to spawn with the female who was half his size. I was never able to raise the fry even after a couple of years trying. I was able to get them to live 72 hours but thats a secret. I will try again when i get my Interruptus from Frank at rtc. The only problem is i can only afford one this year I have some new ideas to try this time around And i think it can work.
Good luck with the first spawn its always the best one. there are some tricks to try if you would like some help let me know and please post more picutres.
Michael

Now you've got us all curious! Are you culturing pods you brought from Hawaii....straining them out of the ocean? Inquiring minds.... I was going to buy some from a certain lady biologist who keeps a variety of pod cultures, then I was going to strain them out of the Gulf of Mexico. Then I decided the whole thing was a big pain in the neck -lol

naka · 08/02/2006, 10:46 AM

I always admired your pair of c. interruptus Maximus. That's got to be one of most striking pair of c. angels that I have ever seen. Nice job! Can't wait to see more pics as they age. You're absolutely right on being one of the largest of the dwarf angels. I couldn't pull the trigger on Serdar's interruptus b/c of the size. Maximus, do they bother any of your LPS?

Thanks,

James

05/20/2006, 12:21 AM	#1
Maximus Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Monterey County Posts: 6,442	Interruptus courtship behavior? I just saw something that I have never seen before. I have had a pair of interruptus angels for the past year and a half and it seemed like the male was courting the female tonight. He would dance around her with his fins flared up, while his color was changing. His color was actually getting pale. I would think that if a male fish wanted to attract a female, the color would get brighter? Does this make any sense? The male was swimming like a madman weaving in and out of rocks and circling the female. What do you guys think? Was it some sort of courtship ritual? __________________ This space for rent... Current Tank Info: 36x36x16 A.G.E. tank. Lighting: ATI Straton. Circulation: 2x Vortech MP40wQd's. Skimmer: Red Sea 300. Controller: Neptune Apex. Doser: Neptune Dos.

05/20/2006, 10:49 AM	#3
Maximus Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Monterey County Posts: 6,442	Thanks Vili. Yes, he was definitely trying to block her way. I know that even if they do spawn, there is 0% chance that I could raise the young. It's just very cool observing the behavior. __________________ This space for rent... Current Tank Info: 36x36x16 A.G.E. tank. Lighting: ATI Straton. Circulation: 2x Vortech MP40wQd's. Skimmer: Red Sea 300. Controller: Neptune Apex. Doser: Neptune Dos.

05/20/2006, 09:43 PM	#5
Maximus Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Monterey County Posts: 6,442	Yeah, I hear it's some secret copepod that the young need to survive. It's a closely guarded secret. Perhaps someday, we will know what it is. __________________ This space for rent... Current Tank Info: 36x36x16 A.G.E. tank. Lighting: ATI Straton. Circulation: 2x Vortech MP40wQd's. Skimmer: Red Sea 300. Controller: Neptune Apex. Doser: Neptune Dos.

07/30/2006, 01:09 PM	#7
trueblackpercula Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: STATEN ISLAND Posts: 7,517	my golden angles would do the same thing just before they would spawn, good luck with them Michael __________________ Life is to short to buy frags ! But for FREE I'LL take them ><((((º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·...¸><((((º> ·´¯`·.¸. , . .·´¯`·.. >((((º> LIVE SAND ITS THE CURE........® Current Tank Info: 120 CUBE Live sand Mitras lx6100hv MRC MR 2 single becket MP40 power head Aquamedic dosing pump using B-ionic

07/30/2006, 07:33 PM	#9
Maximus Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Monterey County Posts: 6,442	Here are a few pics that were posted earlier: __________________ This space for rent... Current Tank Info: 36x36x16 A.G.E. tank. Lighting: ATI Straton. Circulation: 2x Vortech MP40wQd's. Skimmer: Red Sea 300. Controller: Neptune Apex. Doser: Neptune Dos.

05/20/2006, 02:08 AM	#2
Vili_Shark Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 1,847	The male will swim around the female and try to "block" her way while displaying. If it'll get to the point of spawning, the female will show she is interested, so she will react to his display and turn around him. It will get to the point when the male will put his head next to the female's side of the body. From there there will shoot up releasing eggs and sperm. I have it here with few of my Angels just few minutes before light shuts off. If you change your lighting shutting off time you will lose this for while. The main problem is that there's nothing to do with the eggs. I have a friend who was siphoning the eggs and sperm of his Flame Angels but was never able to raise the young.

05/20/2006, 05:44 PM	#4
Vili_Shark Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 1,847	My friend who has quite alot of experience breeding marine species, could not breed those. He was breeding perculas already in the late eighties , right now he have small Bangai cardinals, Clarckiis Clowns, Fridmanis, soon on the way are Maroons gold bands and Flavivertex. HeÃƒÂ¤s doing all those from home, just for the hobby, when he got to the flame angels he couldnt raise them from a certain day (14th if Im not mistaken but not sure), he showed them to me in the microscope. When asked Mr.Baench who you bought your fish from, he didnt want to help him, when my friend was in holidays in Hawaii , Mr.Baench didnt want to meet him.

05/21/2006, 09:22 AM	#6
LargeAngels Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: USA Posts: 3,651	Sounds like breeding attempts. My male multicolor will flash and dance around each female and then eventually he and a female go towards the top of the tank and do the mating ritual.

07/30/2006, 07:08 PM	#8
zemuron114 Moved On Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Pilgrim State (Mass) Posts: 4,039	If you can culture billions of copepods, you can raise pretty much anything... Most fish always start out with copepods or phyto/rotifers etc when fry. Do you have any pics of the pair? I love these angels

07/30/2006, 07:34 PM	#10
trueblackpercula Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: STATEN ISLAND Posts: 7,517	i cant wait o get mine fron rct this fall __________________ Life is to short to buy frags ! But for FREE I'LL take them ><((((º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·...¸><((((º> ·´¯`·.¸. , . .·´¯`·.. >((((º> LIVE SAND ITS THE CURE........® Current Tank Info: 120 CUBE Live sand Mitras lx6100hv MRC MR 2 single becket MP40 power head Aquamedic dosing pump using B-ionic

07/30/2006, 07:39 PM	#11
Maximus Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Monterey County Posts: 6,442	Frank at RCT rocks! He produces some amazing fish. Here is the male when I first got him. He's grown tremendously since then. __________________ This space for rent... Current Tank Info: 36x36x16 A.G.E. tank. Lighting: ATI Straton. Circulation: 2x Vortech MP40wQd's. Skimmer: Red Sea 300. Controller: Neptune Apex. Doser: Neptune Dos.

07/30/2006, 09:06 PM	#12
zemuron114 Moved On Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Pilgrim State (Mass) Posts: 4,039	awesome fish. Definitely have the nicest eye-catching colors. Can you get pairs from the same batch? I would think that interbreeding them wouldn't be a good idea. Does he sell them as "pairs" or just 2 singles?

07/30/2006, 11:29 PM	#13
Maximus Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Monterey County Posts: 6,442	He sells them as pairs and singles. I'm not sure about interbreeding. I would think that it would be ok. __________________ This space for rent... Current Tank Info: 36x36x16 A.G.E. tank. Lighting: ATI Straton. Circulation: 2x Vortech MP40wQd's. Skimmer: Red Sea 300. Controller: Neptune Apex. Doser: Neptune Dos.

07/31/2006, 01:28 AM	#14
Vili_Shark Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 1,847	Interbreeding? It wont concern anybody would it? Frank is probably the only guy in the world breeding Centropyge spp.,no hobbiest ever done it. A couple of universities did, but thats about it.

07/31/2006, 06:18 AM	#15
BTTRFLYGRL Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: INDY Posts: 2,857	Beautiful fish!!! So expensive, and you have two I caught my Argis mating a couple months ago, saw the eggs being scattered and everything....Of course my hubby thought I was a little weird watching the fish 'do it' __________________ AKA Kim Hardie.. Current Tank Info: 240 gallon FOWLR, 180 gallon reef, 55 gallon for my Dwarf Lion

07/31/2006, 06:58 PM	#16
Angel*Fish cats and large squashes Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Houston Posts: 5,951 Blog Entries: 1	Congrats! What beauties! How big/old are they now? Did you get them as juveniles? Here's a really awful picure of the "nuzzling" phase during my flames courtship __________________ Marie So long, & thanks for all the fish! __________________________ Current Tank Info: Pairs: flame angels, cherub angels, Red Sea mimic blennies, yellow fin fairy wrasses, clowns, mandarins, blackcap basslets, shrimp gobies, damsels, dispar anthias, yellow clown gobies, threadfin cardinals --- Tanks: 100g reef, 2 x 30g refugiums

07/31/2006, 08:27 PM	#17
Maximus Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Monterey County Posts: 6,442	Yes, I received them when they were juveniles. They were around an inch long and now are probably a good 3.5"-4" or so. __________________ This space for rent... Current Tank Info: 36x36x16 A.G.E. tank. Lighting: ATI Straton. Circulation: 2x Vortech MP40wQd's. Skimmer: Red Sea 300. Controller: Neptune Apex. Doser: Neptune Dos.

08/01/2006, 11:19 AM	#19
Maximus Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Monterey County Posts: 6,442	Interruptus are actually one of the largest centropyges as they can reach a length of up to 6-7". Yes, I did observe the frantic swimming and a little bit of nuzzling. It was strange to see as the male was swimming around the female and changing colors. I haven't seen the behavior lately. Hopefully, they will pick up again. Your excitement is contagious! __________________ This space for rent... Current Tank Info: 36x36x16 A.G.E. tank. Lighting: ATI Straton. Circulation: 2x Vortech MP40wQd's. Skimmer: Red Sea 300. Controller: Neptune Apex. Doser: Neptune Dos.

08/01/2006, 06:57 PM	#21
zemuron114 Moved On Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Pilgrim State (Mass) Posts: 4,039	I've seen some flame angels that were atleast 4" coming in from christmas island. Big "little" angels there were also some that were 1/2" lol those were so cool!

08/01/2006, 07:24 PM	#23
trueblackpercula Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: STATEN ISLAND Posts: 7,517	my golden angles (centropyge aurantius)used to spawn every 4 to 5 times a months but never more than that. It was something when the males face would turn a purpleblue huge to it when he was ready to spawn with the female who was half his size. I was never able to raise the fry even after a couple of years trying. I was able to get them to live 72 hours but thats a secret. I will try again when i get my Interruptus from Frank at rtc. The only problem is i can only afford one this year I have some new ideas to try this time around And i think it can work. Good luck with the first spawn its always the best one. there are some tricks to try if you would like some help let me know and please post more picutres. Michael __________________ Life is to short to buy frags ! But for FREE I'LL take them ><((((º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·...¸><((((º> ·´¯`·.¸. , . .·´¯`·.. >((((º> LIVE SAND ITS THE CURE........® Current Tank Info: 120 CUBE Live sand Mitras lx6100hv MRC MR 2 single becket MP40 power head Aquamedic dosing pump using B-ionic

08/02/2006, 10:46 AM	#25
naka Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 1,544	I always admired your pair of c. interruptus Maximus. That's got to be one of most striking pair of c. angels that I have ever seen. Nice job! Can't wait to see more pics as they age. You're absolutely right on being one of the largest of the dwarf angels. I couldn't pull the trigger on Serdar's interruptus b/c of the size. Maximus, do they bother any of your LPS? Thanks, James