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Afternoon everyone.

I got two keyholes about 2 months ago for my 38 gallon community. They've since been growing quite fast and I have since found that they are both males. They get along fine, and usually hang out together.

However, I've noticed that one of them has claimed a small spot at the base of a piece of driftwood. He sits there most of the day and fans water over it with his fins. He's not aggressive in defending it -- in fact, he doesn't even care if other fish get close to him -- but he likes to spend most of his time there. He never strays far from it unless it is feeding time, whereas previously the two liked to cruise around the tank together. The other one still likes to patrol around the tank, but neither has been aggressive with any of the fish.

Anyway, these are my first cichlids. Is this sort of small territory establishment common? I know that most will create territories, but he only stays in probably a 3 square inch area. He doesn't look sick at all, and my water params are all normal. I just did a water change two days ago, but this behavior has been going on for probably a week.

Any ideas?

Are you sure there are not small brown or whitish dots around where he is hanging out? While territorial space can be small in some species, it sounds a bit like fanning eggs...

Eric

Not that I've seen, but then again I didn't look really hard because I thought they were both males. Maybe they aren't. I'll snap some pics tomorrow and see what everyone else thinks they are.

Thanks for the reply!

Edit: In any event, I didn't find eggs. Pics are still coming, though.

Its not unusual for a cichlid species to take a territory to guard just in case a member of the opposite sex does turn up and theyre all set and good to go. Ive certainly seen both sexes do it. It never occurs to the fishy mind that a mate wont emerge from the blue. As it turns out its often the case that in my tanks they do get a mate, cos I sit there and think awww. Id be churlish not to get them one Cichlids are nothing If not little homemakers given any possible opportunity. My old rams dont breed anymore but they still hold territories, and the jewels did before I found them mates. The rainbow cichlids did it too. First choice for most of them is often a good one too, and within weeks and occassionally within a few days of an opposite sex introduction that site becomes the nestsite.

My Keyhole has similar behaviour in the 75G. Staying nearby a rock for most part of the day. I guess I should start finding a mate for him. The problem is most Keyholes in the LFS are too young to tell their sex.