Pyrrhogaster which subspecie is it ? - photos inside

[Molch]

hmm..but I've had him for 13 years, and he was adult when I got him.

 

[Azhael]

I see. It may be an effect of him not being in breeding condition and making him look underveloped. Has he ever had a breeding season?

 

[Molch]

yes! In fact, he's courting girls like crazy right now, and he's bred in the past. I have another male with the typical sasayame belly who has never bred nor ever shown any interest in courting - but this one is Mr. Rutty for sure.

 

[Azhael]

I take that in the pictures he was not in breeding condition. Any chance of a picture of him as of now? Seeing his colors when in full condition may help. Otherwise i´m stumped xDD

 

[Molch]

the pic shows him as of yesterday, in full courting mode. I guess this is as rutty as he'll ever be. Although during previous breeding seasons he has had a bit more of a purple sheen in his tail.

 

[Joost]

Can you tell more about his courting behaviour? If it's a sasayama subspecie, you should see that he places his hind leg on the head or neck of the female.

 

[Molch]

Can you tell more about his courting behaviour? If it's a sasayama subspecie, you should see that he places his hind leg on the head or neck of the female.

yes! I've seen him do that. Not every time, but at least on occasion.

 

[Molch]

here he is at work on his girl. It's not a great pic, but you can see his tendency to put his large foot on her neck. She wasn't sitting still for him either.

Their tank is actually full of plants; they just happen to be in the bare corner.

 

[Joost]

Problem solved. No doubt about it, it's a sasayama subspecie.

 

[Molch]

aha. Cool. So the mating behavior gave him away? Would a kanto be more polite about it, such as not trying to get too physical with the female?

 

[Azhael]

Aha! The foot on the head, the final clue xD
The Kanto race has a very similar courtship ritual but without the feet fetish.
The morphology and the behaviour coincide with sasayamae, i too think that´s what your animal is.
It´s weird, however, that his colors are so faded. Most sasayamae display stronger color changes during season, it may very possibly be the age.

 

[Molch]

Aha! The foot on the head, the final clue xD
The Kanto race has a very similar courtship ritual but without the feet fetish.
The morphology and the behaviour coincide with sasayamae, i too think that´s what your animal is.
It´s weird, however, that his colors are so faded. Most sasayamae display stronger color changes during season, it may very possibly be the age.

so he's an old fart with a foot fetish. Just what I need....:wacko: