Odessa Barbs Imitating Sterbai Cory?

HI team,

is this normal? our Odessas initially imitated the sterbaI when we first introduced the Cory to the tank.

that was over a month ago, but on the weekend we added the rest of the sterbaI school.

Last night all 15 Odessas were following the sterbaI around swimming like catfish. it was absolutely hilarious. they were schooling with the sterbaI who looked a bit confused tbh.

anyone else have experience with Odessa imitating other fish?

EDIT: here's a video from last night. be sure to change YouTube quality to 1080 or HD if your default is different as I was videoing from across our lounge so I didn't disturb the behavior

 

It’s possible the Odessa thought they were spawning & was looking forward to a yummy snack.
My rummynose used to follow my corys everywhere whenever they were spawning & pick off the eggs as they were laid.

 

It’s possible the Odessa thought they were spawning & was looking forward to a yummy snack.
My rummynose used to follow my corys everywhere whenever they were spawning & pick off the eggs as they were laid.

whoa! that makes so much sense. thank you!

 

It’s possible the Odessa thought they were spawning & was looking forward to a yummy snack.
My rummynose used to follow my corys everywhere whenever they were spawning & pick off the eggs as they were laid.

where do I go to research what spawning behavior in sterbaI looks like, do you know?

 

When corys are spawning the males chase the female, it’s usually more vigorous than when they’re just glass surfing though that can differ between species.

This is my C.venezuelanus spawning

and this is my duplicareus, a little calmer

 

When corys are spawning the males chase the female, it’s usually more vigorous than when they’re just glass surfing though that can differ between species.

This is my C.venezuelanus spawning

and this is my duplicareus, a little calmer

ah! yes! we've seen both variations! thank you... also that makes me so happy because in my head it means they're happy in their DT if were seeing spawning

in fact, the new sterbaI were doing that to the sterbaI already in the tank within an hour of first being added to the DT ... which tells me we didn't stress them too much swapping them to the tank.

oddly on the night I took the video, I thought I was only seeing the glass surfing they do sometimes. .. but the barbs following them for a tasty meal makes more sense than the Odessas schooling with or imitating them for "fun" which just seems like human personification rather than fish behavior.

you're a legend

 

I have a 55 g tank which houses 30 sub adult Odessa barbs, and 5 long fin rosey barbs. Long before the barbs came along, there was a single, 3 inch plec in there and it was never seen during the day. A very shy fish. With the introduction of the busy barbs, it came out during the day - feeling safe with the barbs likely to be the first eaten by the mythical "stalking bird". LOL...…

When the plec hangs from the glass, the school of barbs surrounds it, hovering, and watch keenly. Seems like they are trying to figure out what it is. Very comical. I find barbs to be extremely entertaining fish! They can see me coming down the hall over 30 feet away and everyone comes to the end of the tank expecting to be fed.

 

HI team,

is this normal? our Odessas initially imitated the sterbaI when we first introduced the Cory to the tank.

that was over a month ago, but on the weekend we added the rest of the sterbaI school.

Last night all 15 Odessas were following the sterbaI around swimming like catfish. it was absolutely hilarious. they were schooling with the sterbaI who looked a bit confused tbh.

anyone else have experience with Odessa imitating other fish?

EDIT: here's a video from last night. be sure to change YouTube quality to 1080 or HD if your default is different as I was videoing from across our lounge so I didn't disturb the behavior

Yes, mine did that, too! I used to have white sand (switched to black) and my four Panda Cories were much paler, looked almost the exact hue of my adolescent female Odessas, black patches and everything. They've both changed colors now and gotten used to each other, so they don't do it anymore, but it's so adorable! And no my Pandas weren't breeding at the time. The Barbs usually only did it with one Cory at a time, maybe two.

 

I have a 55 g tank which houses 30 sub adult Odessa barbs, and 5 long fin rosey barbs. Long before the barbs came along, there was a single, 3 inch plec in there and it was never seen during the day. A very shy fish. With the introduction of the busy barbs, it came out during the day - feeling safe with the barbs likely to be the first eaten by the mythical "stalking bird". LOL...…

When the plec hangs from the glass, the school of barbs surrounds it, hovering, and watch keenly. Seems like they are trying to figure out what it is. Very comical. I find barbs to be extremely entertaining fish! They can see me coming down the hall over 30 feet away and everyone comes to the end of the tank expecting to be fed.

When I tap on the glass, everybody follows my barbs' lead and begs for food. Heck, if I so much as approach the tank, they'll swarm to that end. I love walking from one end of my 75 to the other...watch them follow me. They'll crowd the glass, staring right back at you. Only fish as personable (that I've found) are angelfish at store and my dojo loaches.