Aggressive false percs

[alleykat81]

I have two false percs in my 46 bow. The female I've had about 4 years. The male has been in the tank for about a year. They fought at first (well-the female attacked him is more like it), but grew to be a pair. In the last two weeks or so they've been very aggressive towards eachother. They've both been biting the other to the extent that they have very obvious body injuries-open wounds, missing scales. I noticed they've been darting around the tank faster than normal, too. Is this part of a mating ritual or what? Anybody have any thoughts?

 

[velvetelvis]

I'm no expert, but that doesn't sound normal to me. I wonder if maybe the male is converting to a female for some reason? Has anything else in the tank changed?

 

[alleykat81]

Nothing in the tank has changed. I have heard a clicking sound-could this be a mating ritual.