Strange VC10 breeding behavior - video

[firthy13]

i have just observed one of the strangest things.

my male vc10 was building a little pit in the substrate like he normally does in the corner of the tank when he decides to put on a show for the females and breed. but unlike every other time he has bred, he started to breed with the female in the middle of the water column. he was still above his pit when this was happening but they kept getting higher and higher in the tank. she was dropping about 4 eggs at a time and then turning around and catching them. they eventually turned sideways and started to breed on the back wall of the tank. this is when i started filming.

http://youtu.be/cW6wbIily7s

has anyone else ever seen this behavior before. they only Malawi cichlids i know of that spawns in the water column is Copadichromis Chrysonotus and maybe rhamphochromis but i could be wrong.

[malawi sand diver]

Hi Michael

Great video, the VC10's are coming along well.

I think it is due to the rock wall being there - maybe these guys spawn near rocks and occasionally on top of rock areas. I have one of those flat surface rock walls in my garage tank and the fish treat it as if its another territory, like the substrate.

The ones that spawn in the middle of the water column such as copadichromis & rhampochromis spawn in the middle of the water with no structure.

Regards, Rob

[Ged]

Fantastic video.

[dazzman]

Hey Firthy, i had a pair of Otopharynx lithobates do they same thing just last night!!

[RonnyM]

Cool video. Will be iteresting to see how many of the eggs got fertilised.