Well, if you didn't see my post in GF, I had to euthanize a dying male peppermint loach this week, sniff.
I did an almost 50% WC & looked under all the wood. I think I saw 2 females & 1 male, all there might be left of my awesome rare loaches. Soon after WC, 2 were sparring slowly at first, increasing in intensity.
The 1 fat "female" has never looked so colorful, almost as much as the skinnier male. They're out & much more people friendly than ever before!! I'm not sure why this has happened, less male aggression/competition? Just clean water happiness? I've seen females in other loach species be the "alpha" (dominant) fish...might my chubby girls be...I don't know...maybe killing off the "wimpy, skinny" males if they can't keep up/perform as needed?
I've seen that kind of female aggressive breeding attitude in some cichlids...females often mature earlier than males.
Just some thoughts & observations. There isn't anything much in the way data on these loaches, let alone breeding behavior.
Any ideas as to what might going on?