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hi there folks -

i'm very excited because my c. sterbai are breeding again, but i've been watching much more closely and have noticed something that i've never read of before -

only one female is laying today, and after a whole heap of playing tag and racing around, she's been choosing a male, and the two of them sink to the bottom, with her clasping the male's pectoral fin in under her barbels!! this essentially makes a 'T' shape of the two fish.

he starts a slight shimmy, releasing milt, which i assume is funnelled down the she-fish's belly by her fins and his body creating a current - i say this because a couple of seconds after he starts shimmying, she releases 3 eggs into her ventral fins. then they break apart and swim off to stick the eggs to surfaces (this time round it's the underside of the tiger lotuses and one large sword plant).

while the sticking is happening she is being pursued by all the males - maybe during this part of the process she is choosing the next mating partner? i have no way of knowing if she's choosing the same male (might there be an alpha male in this species?) or if it's a different fella every time.

anyway, just thought i'd share the news! i'd never seen anything about this barbel/pectoral action before!

Congratulations on your sterbai spawning!

Yes, your observation of the T position is right on the money. Happens with many Corydoras species, including my beloved Pandas. AS quite a few people here have now seen thanks to my video clip.

If you can borrow a decent quality digital video camera (or even better, own one!) then film them in action as soon as the opportunity arises. And post links here to the video clips. If you can get a REALLY good close up movie sequence of a T position, it's worth a thousand words.

Oh, and there must be something in the air. Because as I type this, Lady Emma Hamilton (one of Mata Hari's offspring) is hitching her petticoats for the Three Musketeers.


Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002