Mating or Threating African CICHLIDS ?

Question

I have 2 African Chichlids..1 is a Yellow Lab and the other is Orange. I belive the Yellow Lab is Male because he has Black in the two lower fins..My Orange one I just put back in the population because I had it separated in a breeders net because someone niped its tail fin off and it has now recovered.
As soon as I put the Orange one back with the others the Yellow Lab swam up to it and started to Vibrate its body, then chase it around the tank, then they both swam into the cave.
The Yellow Lab didnt try to bite the Orange one.
So my question is.. is this part of Mating or Bullying?
I don't know if the Orange one is Female.

I forgot to add that the Yellow Lab also started chasing off the other fish as they swam by the cave.

I don't think there would be eggs or a nest yet, because I just put the Orange one back with the others just now,before I wrote the question.
The Orange one has been separated from the rest of the fish for almost 1 month because its tail fin was niped completely off and so was the left fin.
So there hasn't been enough time for mating,laying eggs or nest building.

Yes, I believe the Yellow Lab is from Lake Malawi, alltho, there are no white spots.

Forgot to ask, how long does this Ritual last?

Answer 1

Is your yellow lab. a Labidochromis Caeruleus from Lake Malawi? Those are mouth-brooders. The male displays to the female by quivering and swimming around her and, when she is biologically ready, the female lays her eggs while the male swims over them - she may seem to be snapping at his ventral fin and she will pick the eggs up in her mouth.

It's then you need to keep a very close eye on them because a female can't defend herself when she has fertilised eggs in her mouth. The eggs hatch in the parent's mouth. Some females can't feed while brooding.

After a few days she opens her mouth and the babies come out, but they don't go far at first and, if they feel threatened, they go back into the mother's mouth! It's incredible to watch.

Many African cichlids are mouth-brooders but going into a cave isn't typical of that, so I don't know if yours are the fish that I know as yellow labs. (I'm in UK)

If both the fish are chasing off intruders then the chances that this is a mating looks very good. The courtship goes on until the female develops and lays the eggs. If she was living well in the other tank she could be nearly ready but the ova may only have started to develop once there was a male around.

With mouthbrooders the male probably won't look after her once the eggs are laid and picked up, and he may harrass her, probably hoping that she will mate again. I used to draw some water off from the tank, ready, and then put in a jar with a mouth just big enough to pass the female. Once a female brooding eggs was in there I would move her into a brooding tank filled with the same water. Lots of tiny refuges for the fry. You will rear many more fry that way.

http://www.aquariumlife.net/profiles/african-cichlids/electric-yellow-lab/100004.asp

I found a profile. They recommend 4 females to 1 male so you will probably have to move her after they mate.( That might be how her fins got damaged last time?)

Good luck.

Answer 2

It could be 1 of both. Just keep your eye on them and separate them if they start to nip each other's fins or fight. They lay their eggs in a nest so try and see if they are building a nest in the gravel somewhere. Don't disturb the nest though if you want them to spawn. Also the male will chase away other fish while the female protects and cares for the eggs. Cichlids are fun to breed because they are such great parents.

Answer 3

They're mating