Possible Firefish Spawning

[Apercula]

For the last week or so my firefish have been very secretive, probably 90% of the time either one or both have stayed in the hole. They have been taking turns coming out to eat even, never both out at the same time. This morning they both were out at feeding time like they used to always be, and were feeding really aggressively, chasing food across half the tank instead of waiting for it to blow to thier area.

Tonight I was looking at the tank with a flashlight after lights out and there are hundreds of very small (1-2mm) creatures Ive never seen before swimming around the sand and rock rubble. I have a fairly good 'pod population so Im sure what Im seeing isnt pods and the only paired stock I have that are big enough to breed are my firefish.

Im not at all set up for capturing the fry or feeding them and I doubt they will live long with the fish I have, so I dont expect to raise any of them. I was able to catch a couple with a siphon, but they are much too small to get a picture.


These pics were from about a week before they went into hiding, I didnt really notice it at the time but the closer of the pair has fairly large abdominal bulge. (It could have just been food but the first pic was taken a couple minutes before the second, and both had just eaten.)

And one out front while the other peeks from thier den.

 

[dalilgriffith]

Definitely up to something, have you begun to wonder if they are trying to take over the world? If you target feed some food at the base of the opening to the den and they fish inside doesnt eat it, its safe to say you may have eggs.