[aroussel]

I noticed that the past 2 days, one of my female occies has been staying inside of a shell for almost 95% of the time. Before this, she didn't even have a shell picked out. Could she have spawned? This is the first time I've kept occies and not sure what behavior I should be looking for once they have fry in a shell that I may not be able to see.

 

[lotsofish]

I would guess she has spawned. If she also aggressively protects the area around the shell, it is for sure that she has spawned. Mine will attack the algae scrapper or my fingers when there are eggs are fry in the shell.

 

[aroussel]

I just watched her lock mouths with the mael and they are going to town! Then she goes back to her shell, until he comes back around. They are very violent towards each other.

 

[Salsafish]

I would say there were babies in there for sure! Do you notice her flapping her tail while she is in the shell?
they do that to keep oxygenated water circulating inside the shell for the eggs, and then the babies. I think you should see some babies soon....
I have multies, and when they are hatched, some will quickly leave the shell and live in the crevices between shells for the first couple of weeks. Mom will not stay in the shell constantly but will check it alot. It's funny.. even though her babies go into different shells, she always seems to know where they are and keeps an eye on them, she will still flap her tail if there is a baby in the shell and do some housekeeping for them.

 

[aroussel]

Ok...I'm not sure that breeding actually ever occured. But what i see today is that the male wouldn't let the famle out of her shell. And now he's in the shell with her. Also they have almost sealed off the entrance of the shell with sand, leaving only enough room for one eye to peep out of. Is this strange or what? Whats going on in there?

 

[Longstocking]

Sounds like they will breed or have already spawned. Be patient and just watch opcorn:

That's what makes this hobby fun :thumb:

 

[Multies]

the female wont let the male near her after they spawned.
*** seem my female bite my males head once!

it sounds as if they spawned, but if they didt, dont feed bad maybe they were practicing!