Submissive behaviour

[AlexJordan]

I have taken this from a study into the energetics of fish behaviour:

Submissive behaviour

A subordinate fish with its tail turn turned towards a dominant, presses its body on the bottom and vibrates its tail and the caudal part of the dorsal fin. Tail quivering was shown by helpers when a member of the breeding pair approached the experimental chamber.

From: Grantner A, Taborsky M. 1998. The metabolic rates associated with resting, and with the performance of agonistic, submissive and digging behaviours in the cichlid fish Neolamprologus pulcher (Pisces: Cichlidae). J Comp Physiol B 168: 427-433

In your experience, is this an accurate description of submissive behaviour? Have you observed any other behaviours you would call 'submissive'?

Thanks,

Alex

[robdog013]

I have seen large oscars do this when being challenged by a dominant one

[Samma3l]

My EY males do a kind of "dance" near the girls, is this different?

[AlexJordan]

The dance towards the females is more likely to be actual courtship, sometimes called the sigmoid display (because the male curves his body into a sort of S shape to show off his lateral colouration).

Submissive behaviour will generally occur when two males display to each other and one backs away, but I'm interested in hearing of any other behaviours you guys have seen. For instance, calvus will show their flank to bigger fish, but in my opinon this is a submissive rather than a dominant behaviour.

Good to hear that the Oscars do the same as the authors suggest

[limegirl]

I had a pair (not sexed) of angels that did this. They would take it in turns. One would mope flat out on the gravel during the day. The other would lie there quivering when the lights were out. One was white. One was black. They were evenly sized and never actually touched each other. Fins and scales remained in perfect condition, but one would literally lie flat out on the gravel at the bottom.

[oakes]

I have also observed submissive fish 'flattening' their dorsal fin when approached by an aggressor. This might be intended to make them appear smaller and less threatening.

[AlexJordan]

Limegirl - do you mean that the angels lay on their sides? If so that is a very interesting behaviour I guess it got the message across if there was never any need for physical contact though!

Oakes, yep, I've noted that sort of behaviour as well. My leleupi are especially prone to it - when the dominant male is not there the others will parade around as if they own the joint, but the moment the boss comes around the corner it's all flat fins and eyes to the ground

[limegirl]

Flat on their sides! Funny but terrible to watch at the same time. As I said, not damage done, but you always wondered if it was finally all over for one of them.

Don't have them anymore - they outgrew my tank and expectations at the time. Love to have them back.

[chameleon]

My festae have been doing that but also one of them flattens its fins and shies away.