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What does breeding behavior look like, and what does all out fish vs. fish war look like?

In particular, elec. blue johanni - what does their breeding behaviors look like compared to the two of them waging war on each other?

to humans...
cichlid breeding looks a lot like cichlid fighting...
the fish will often circle each other, lip lock, and waggle fins at each other...I do a pretty good impression, but it's kind of hard to describe until you've seen it...
mating usually takes around 15 minutes...
the female will pick up and hold the eggs in her mouth...
fighting will often not end until the loser is dead...
that's why lots of hiding holes of various shapes and sizes are suggested in mbuna tanks

For mouthbrooders, which I believe johanni are:
If they are breeding, the male and female usually make a "T" shape with their bodies. They will alternate positions as they circle around each other. Each one following the other around their rear fins. The male will usually shake his body during the process. (see Neds reference to demonstrate)


More than likely they will go through the motions but it will get disrupted if you are around the tank because they think you are going to feed them and that is way more important in their minds.

I came home from work today and I have 3 Females holding eggs. I missed the actual event, but I have been watching dress rehersals for a few weeks now.

This is their first time holding (mouth always looks full), so it probably won't go to term if it was even successful at all, but I'm still crossing my fingers.

Awesome. They've been doing exactly as you both described. My class will be thrilled to know they aren't about to devour each other, and they are actually mating (or practicing). Now I have to explain what mating actually means....

Weird thing - I separated these two "lovers" because as they were doing their dance, the other fish were swarming them and nipping at their fins, disrupting them. I put them in my holding tank (the honeymoon suite?) so they wouldn't be bothered. All activity between the two stopped. They srtayed completely away from each other. Two days later, I put them back in the main tank, and not 15 seconds passed, before they picked up where they left off!