# Do males go thru the act of spawning ?



## Belair62 (Apr 11, 2018)

I have 4 Red Rainbow trophs that I thought were all males. Cant seem to find any adult females. Last night I watched a pair of them go thru the complete act of spawning for a good 10 minutes but never saw an egg drop. Do males go thru the act when no females are around ?


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Yes, it is also an act of aggression. Females will do it too.


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## Belair62 (Apr 11, 2018)

Interesting. Strange to see 2 males circling, shaking at acting like they are squeezing out an egg. Mouthing each others vents. I was hoping I had a real pair !


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## Mcdaphnia (Dec 16, 2003)

Sometimes males will go through the act of spawning. I have seen it in New World (convict cichlids) and Old World (star sapphire). The convicts just cleaned and fertilized the same rock together. It didn't hatch in spite of their incessant efforts. The star sapphires went through it more convincingly. Pairing off and one of them, the smaller one, convincingly going through all the female motions except for eggs. After a little more than a month the larger male started getting impatient about the situation and broke the pair bond.


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## Belair62 (Apr 11, 2018)

Strangely one of the 2 that were going thru the motions hasn't eaten since that day. I see no signs of actual egg holding and all others in the tank are fine. This one shows no sign of disease either. Its going on 30 days now. Who onows. Maybe it is holding a single egg or worse its a male as I suspect and its not gonna make it. They are 5-6 years old.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Sounds like a sub-dominant male being harassed. Why not remove him so he can recover and then rehome?


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## Belair62 (Apr 11, 2018)

Thats my plan . He doesnt get harrassed in fact he chases everyone out of that side of the tank. But will not eat. Have to quarantine him.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

He is exhausted from having (even if only in his mind) from having to defend against challengers.


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