stephbg | Boys will be boys

I’ve just spent an interesting few minutes watching two of my White Cloud Mountain Minnows have what I assume to be some kind of dominance duel.

The boys are smaller and slimmer than the girls, and as they’ve matured have developed white tips to their fins. OK, I haven’t actually captured and dissected anyone to confirm my gender identification, but some are occasionally bulging (presumably with eggs) and the others stay slim (the bastards) and chase the others around. For now let’s assume I’m right about who’s who, and accept there may indeed be GLBTetc individuals in the school whom I’ve not identified in all their full and completely individuality.

These two males swam alongside each other, with tails slightly angled together. They’d extend all fins to maximum extension, and then both swim upwards and slightly backwards. Sometimes they’d reach the surface. At some point they’d break violently apart, possibly once their tails touched. They’d then race around a bit before lining up to do it again. And again. And again. I suspect endurance is part of the race. They certainly both looked a lot less sprightly by the time I left them.

Yes, that *is* my idea of fun.