S. eupterus breeding

[troi]

I have a pair plus one. I think it is plus one male, but can't be certain. The S. eupterus are in a tank with other synos and other sorts of fish.

The pair shows interest in spawning fairly often and becomee quite serious about it after a large water change, esp. if the water is a bit warmer than tank temp.

Does anyone know if these fish are egg scatterers, nesters, caretaking parents or anything about their breeding behavior? What accomodations they might need, besides a lot of room?

Do they dig? The S. decorous paired up briefly and it seemed that some attempt to dig or to clear the gravel under the cave was involved.

I could swear I saw one egg stuck to a plevic fin on the female last time they were interested--maybe it was gravel. I separated a pair out of the 100 gal. tank a few years ago and put them in a 40 gal tank with a cave and floating cover.

The male killed the female over night so I don't think that is the way to do it.

Do they perhaps NEED the third fish for distaction? The spawning behavior is pretty rough.

troi