# julidochromis transcriptus behavior



## Jesseschu (Mar 16, 2011)

Hi there & thanks in advance for the reply.

I have 3 julies (transcriptus) in a 55 gallon waiting for more fish to arrive (other species). The largest of the 3 is keeping the other 2 up near the top in one corner. Those 2 come around to feed & when I sit at the tank, but shortly after get chased back up. These 2 are similar in size but a quarter smaller than the larger one.

What should I do? I was hoping to form a pair. Please advise.


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## skurj (Oct 30, 2011)

add more cover and rocks. I have 5 in a 55g and they like to claim territory, they won't get chased if the aggressor can't see them. That said I have too many in my 55g because they are trying to claim too much territory, and I will likely thin them down to perhaps 2-3. One was chased to the top for about a week but it's ok now.

I did have 6, and I think he was killed off but no idea if it was by the other Julies.


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## prov356 (Sep 20, 2006)

> add more cover and rocks.


Agreed, lots of rocks forming crevices, particularly ones that the small ones can fit into, but the larger one can't. A 55 should be big enough to do work out juli pairs/groups.


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## Jesseschu (Mar 16, 2011)

Thank you both for the quick responses. I was thinking to wait on the rest of the rocks until I added all of the other fish, so that all could claim new territory and not get pushed out by the 3 julies.

Thanks again.


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## prov356 (Sep 20, 2006)

Jesseschu said:


> Thank you both for the quick responses. I was thinking to wait on the rest of the rocks until I added all of the other fish, so that all could claim new territory and not get pushed out by the 3 julies.
> 
> Thanks again.


Just change it all around when you add new fish. But, any newcomers will still be at something of a disadvantage. Best to stock before too much time goes by. Some have experienced juli pair bond breaks when changing rocks around, but never did myself with my ornatus.


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## TF Steve (Nov 21, 2011)

I had the same problem when I got my 5 Juli Transcriptus in. One came in at about 2.25 inches and much bigger than the rest. He had the rest up in a corner after 5 hours but it was a 20Long, not a 55 gallon. I took him out and put him in a different aquarium the next day and two of the other Juli's immediately formed a pair then had their first spawn after about 10 days.

Did some major renovations and had to put all Juli's into a 55gallon, recently. The original large fish/mean fish stole the female from the "Pair" and now the other male looks lost hanging out with the other two smaller Juli's lol Poor guy.

But yeah, I agree with the others. Need more rocks with sight barriers.


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## Jesseschu (Mar 16, 2011)

Very interesting. Thanks for the information. Will have to think about this:
I will definitely add some more rocks instead of wait.
I might remove the dominant julie.
When the new fish come, I will move the rockwork around and hope it is discomboulating enough so that all have an equal playing field to find their territory...

Thanks for all of the input.

Question: Is there any way to tell if I have females or males in these three?


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## bullet421 (Jan 18, 2012)

Bro...the dominant juli is a female. I keep 10 in a 75 with lots of rock and 6 other peacocks and 2 frontosa and1 baby blue dolphin and 3 swamp darters...lol. I dont really see the behavior your talking about cause I recieved 10 julis from a local breeder and got 4 pairs and the other 2 keep to themselves. Check out this link to see my tank.. 



 opcorn:


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## bullet421 (Jan 18, 2012)

Sorry... I forgot to get to the point I was making. The female gombi is three times as big as a male. If she ain happy with the pickins she will punk the **** out of the males.


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## prov356 (Sep 20, 2006)

You can't reliably sex juli's by size.


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## whiskeyriver (Nov 29, 2011)

To the OP's question: it's very difficult to sex julies. I am a new owner (roughly a month or so), and I've read and read on them, and the conclusion is venting really is the only surefire way.

New question: So as not to start a new topic, and not to hijack (sorry OP  ), I have 5 julies in with 6 Brevis. Except for occasional bull-rushing one another, and between species, they all get along famously (for now...when/if breeding occurs, it'll be different for sure...). Strangely, though, one of the julies hung out with the Brevis from the start. They accepted it into their troupe, and it swims with them, feeds with them, acts like them. Last night, I discovered that this julie has taken up residence in one of the shells! What is up with this? Has anyone else seen this behavior?


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

Are they Gombe? Yep female Gombe are much bigger than the males. Thats why those are thought to be dwarf Julidochromis marlieri rather than transcriptus. In "real" transcriptus yep not much difference in size between male and female.

The dominant one in a small bunch might be male or female. As could any one. So with three your not even sure to have both sexes let alone a choice of mates that they usually require.

Three of the same sex will continue to fight no matter what you do.
Dominant one may just not think the choice is good enough even if the other two are a different sex.
You kind of want about 6 to give a great chance.
Lots of rocks so they can get out of each others site as needed as unless ready to breed males and females all hate each other.

Venting em well yep, works fine with older fish.
Male has thin curved vent, female much wider and blunter.

Photos here
http://www.fishhead.com/articles/ventsex.htm
But very hard to see with young fish.
And not much use as they still like a good choice of mates.

All the best James

PS whiskeyriver

Thats one smart Julie living where it will get free food (eggs and young) and realy thick shellys. They realy should eject it ASAP if looking to raise young.

Yep I have seen it but nope it usualy does not last long. Even with a shelly as thick as brevis. Sooner or later they learn to bury spair shells to stop others using them.


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## Rick_Lindsey (Aug 26, 2002)

LOL, that's funny whiskey. I have 2 julies living in the shell-bed, but they're fugitives, and have not been adopted into the multifasciatus clan. They don't seem to be affecting the breeding, though they're in the back corner, pretty far away from the "nursery" where all the babies live. Daddy multifasciatus doesn't let them come visit, but as long as they stay in their corner, he leaves them alone.

-Rick (the armchair aquarist)


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## prov356 (Sep 20, 2006)

*Jesseschu*,

Do you know which juli variant you have and whether they are full grown? That's the only way anyone can begin to determine whether your largest is male or female without venting. Regardless, it doesn't change your aggression problem or the possible solution. If from the same brood, it suggests that you do have a mix of m/f. Provide the hideouts and give it time.


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## whiskeyriver (Nov 29, 2011)

Ahh, that makes sense. Yeah, because he's definitely not an outcast. He's one of the more dominant fish in the tank.


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## TF Steve (Nov 21, 2011)

Try feeding live brine shrimp for 1-2 weeks and getting all of their bellies nice and round. Then don't feed them for 48 hours in order to make their bellies skinny again. After that feed a very small amount of normal food and watch to see which one's belly becomes big and round first. That will be your female full of eggs. This worked for my Transcriptus which were just about 1 3/4", right before they had their first spawn.


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## Jesseschu (Mar 16, 2011)

prov356,
I am fairly certain they are all transcriptus, but beyond that, not sure. Age unknown. The dominant one is larger, has better color. The other 2 stay together generally, are the same size and do not have good color.

I have a 10 gallon with 2 caudopunctatus in there, which I have had for only about a month. They have not paired yet. I am thinking to take out the 2 julies being shunned, put them and the punks in a 20 gallon long or 30 gallon tall and then add something else.

I would leave the 1 aggressive Julie in the 55 gallon, add my new fish and maybe a few new, bigger julies.

Is that a sound plan? If I did, what else would you put in the 20 or 30?
Thanks.


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