female krib aggression towards male

[betonx]

I'm hoping someone can offer some advice. I recently picked up a male and female krib and I'm having some issues.

I built them a little cave using a ceramic flower pot and some slate - the slate's just for my benefit, I don't think the fish care. The female's got a pink belly, so I'm assuming she's ready to spawn. However, she's being pretty aggressive towards the male, chasing him off whenever he tries to get near the bottom of the tank. She's already nipped at his tail a bit, and he's looking pretty stressed out.

The female's taken over the cave, while the male's forced to hide from her. They're roughly the same size, with the male being slightly bigger. My tank's a community tank with a mix of barbs, neons, and other tetras, and it's 60 litres.

I'm worried the female's going to keep attacking the male - will they ever get along? I've also heard that kribs can form bonds with each other - could it be that the female's already bonded with another fish from the shop and won't accept this male?

[Cobyx]

Kribs can be quite feisty during mating time, I've found.

Just to clarify, are you certain you've got a male and female, not two of the same sex? I've seen it happen before, so thought I'd ask.

If possible, consider adding some tall plants, whether real or fake, to give the male a place to hide. A bit of cover can work wonders.

From my experience with kribs, the female can get quite aggressive, but I've never had one kill the male, even when she's roughing him up. Providing a hiding place, like I mentioned, always seemed to do the trick for my kribs.

[betonx]

Yeah, I'm pretty sure I've got a male and female, the female's belly is larger and pink, which seems to be a pretty good indicator from what I've read. The male's just grey, and the shop guy said they were male and female, although I don't always take that as gospel. The dorsal fins are different too, which I've seen mentioned as a way to sex them. I've done some research online and I'm about 80% sure I've got a male and female, based on what I've found.

[Cobyx]

Just wanted to double-check, as sexing kribs can be tricky. I've come across instances where it's not entirely clear-cut. For example, this link shows a male krib that might not look like the typical male. http/www.aboutfishonline.com/articles/kribensis.html

[betonx]

I wish mine looked that vibrant. Do they get more colours as they mature?

[Cobyx]

They'll likely color up more when they're in the mood for mating, like I've read that kribs tend to show more vibrant colors during that time.

[betonx]

Here's a pic of the male krib - not the best photo I know, but hopefully you can make out the sex from it. And here's the female - I'm pretty sure she's the one, considering her pink belly and all.

[Asteron]

What's the size of your tank, by the way? I've noticed that females tend to be smaller, with a more rounded belly that takes on a reddish-pink hue when they're ready to breed. Take a look at the photo in my signature – you can see a pair, with the female at the top and the male at the bottom.

[betonx]

It's 60 litres, I mentioned that earlier, but I suppose it's worth reiterating since you asked.

[lanky_bark]

I'd say 60 litres is on the smaller side for Kribs, ideally you'd want at least 75-90 litres, but 30 gallons or around 136 litres is generally the recommended minimum.