# balas



## Gracie6363 (Mar 13, 2005)

has anyon heard anything on breeding habits or even sucessfull tank breeding of balas. my pair are dancing all over the tank together tonight... never shown this behavior before. I have read nothing positive about home aquaria breeding on the web .


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## Damon (Jan 18, 2005)

Odds are they are not breeding. It rarely happens in home aquariums and the tank size needed is huge. These fish get over a foot long. They don't reach maturity until they are about 8-9 inches long. Acting erratic is usually a sign of stress in them. They do this a lot when they feel cramped.


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## maxpayne_lhp (Jan 19, 2005)

Stress? Hmm... yeah... your tank is a 40 gal one. Don't you guys think it's too small for Balas (even living)? Maybe it's the matter of size.


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## Damon (Jan 18, 2005)

Max, would you put a 16 inch fish in a 40 gallon tank?


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## Gracie6363 (Mar 13, 2005)

I have had this conversation with you already simpte... and max i just assumed you had been in all the same posts I have and both should well know that I bought these just a month ago and are only 4" (have grown about an inch since I bought). They are not 16" fish and time and time again I have said that I will be upgrading in 6 months or so to a 125 gallon or larger. Just trying to decide exactally what we want. 

I am well aware that they don't normally breed in home tanks... key word there is normally. And I have heard they mature as early as 6". So I was just curious if anyone had ever heard of this behavior or these actions. The fish only did this with each other for 3o min (off and on) or so and haven't done it since that day. They are active and have plenty of plant cover to chill in. They are social with the other fish in the tank and eat well. 

I love coming to this forum and I have met so many nice people, but its very frustrating at the same time that people have the odasity to be so darn rude just for the sake of being online... Simpte I hope you are kinder with more of a personality in person. For a year now I thought you may just get a kick out of the fact that we are so close to each other (live in cincy work in dayton) and we both enjoy fish. Guess you just like your pedastool.


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## maxpayne_lhp (Jan 19, 2005)

Well, firstly sorry...
But, Gracier, you duplicated your post. And I didn't read your signature (@ your first post) so I couldn't know your size of tank... Simpte reminded me about the size affairs..


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## Damon (Jan 18, 2005)

My apologies also, but balas grow fast, space permitting. But the behavior you posted, is more likely a sign of stress than breeding.


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## Gracie6363 (Mar 13, 2005)

apologies accepted! Thanks for offering them. They are acting quite normal now. I will continue to watch them... and I will also speed up the process of a new tank as well. I by no means want them to be stressed or grow to quickly for their environment.


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## maxpayne_lhp (Jan 19, 2005)

Good luck, Gracier!


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