How unusual is this?

[phurst]

Due to my kids trying to be "helpful" during my last tank swap/combination, I ended up with 2 male lyretails in my tank. I asked them to help me add the fish from a particular vat, and they took that to mean add all the fish I spend a couple of days with a trap extracting a couple of other fish that weren't mean for this tank, but couldn't catch either of the males. I stopped trying after I noticed they were actually getting along quite well. They have shared a tank now for more than 6 months. Not only do they not fight, but they actually hang out together all the time. No issues with the male and 2 female Bartlet's either.

 

[phurst]

So, is it not unusual, or does nobody want to say it's a matter of time before they turn on each other?

 

[AuroraDrvr]

Do you have any female lyretails in the tank? It doesn't sound like it.

In which case, neither one has a harem to defend from another male. (The main reason males fight). So, I'd bet the lack of females present is what's causing them not to squabble.

 

[phurst]

No female lyretails. There are 2 female Bartlet's and a male Bartlet's, but no other female lyretails. You make a good point about not having a harem to defend. I was mostly just curious if I should restart my efforts to catch one or the other of them, despite their lack of aggression.

Thanks your your input.

 

[AuroraDrvr]

I'd leave them. Unless you want females, in which case one will need to go.

 

[Reefers Digest]

While doing research into the Amphiprion protandrous switch, I read a lot into the mechanisms which triggered the physical and hormonal changes in the fish. There are both environmental and chemical cues influencing the fish's internal biology.

Under the same assumption with protogynous species, I think it would be fair to assume that without females of the same species present, there would seem to be a hormonal suppression which allows the two males to coexist peacefully.

 

[snorvich]

The two posts above me say the same thing in different ways.

:rollface: