Are my mandarin dragonets mating???

[steallife904]

I have had a male and female mandarin dragonet in my 150 tank for year. I restock pods at least once a month even though I know the tank is full of them just for the mandarins and they both eat frozen food. They had both been in the same tank at my LFS for some time but where not bought as a mating pair, just a male and female. So the last 2 days when the moon lights come on I noticed they where kinda darting around the tank after each other, I though they where fighting but they had never fighted before? Well last night when I saw this again I stayed for a bit to see what was going on, during the darting around they both swam up in the water column kinda spinning around each other (not separated, on each other). It lasted all of maybe 8-10 sec then they darted down into the rocks. a minute later I saw them separated hunting the rocks for pods............... are they mating? Or is this random fighting now all of a sudden? I am sure they are male and female. I did the research prior to buying, my LFS guy is good as well and brought them in as male and female, one also has the long dorsal spine and the other just the little nub.

 

[Nemos Realm]

I'm not sure what the rules are for posting links, but if you google it, there are videos of mandarins and their mating dance. From what you describe, it does sound like what's going on with your pair.

 

[MondoBongo]

that sounds the descriptions of their courtship that i have heard.

 

[ThRoewer]

If the male is chasing the female and she tries to get away then he wants to spawn but she isn't ready yet.
Another reason for her refusal could be his size - with mandarins size matters a lot. Females will only accept males as spawning partners that are significantly larger than themselves.
When I got my pair, almost 2 years ago, both were about the same size and the female would actually attack the male when he tried to make his move on her. Only after he started eating frozen mysis and rapidly outgrew her, she would accept him as a spawning partner.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

 

[steallife904]

If the male is chasing the female and she tries to get away then he wants to spawn but she isn't ready yet.
Another reason for her refusal could be his size - with mandarins size matters a lot. Females will only accept males as spawning partners that are significantly larger than themselves.
When I got my pair, almost 2 years ago, both were about the same size and the female would actually attack the male when he tried to make his move on her. Only after he started eating frozen mysis and rapidly outgrew her, she would accept him as a spawning partner.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

this kinda seems like whats going on. They are both about the same size as well.

 

[SNAKEMANVET]

They were spawning,my pair does it around about time for lights to dim down.I have had my pair for 2 years now.

 

[BlueDolphin123]

I second that.