lost the mood

[ruddigar@home.com]

For about two weeks, since she was put into her new home, my female A.
cacatuoides was in the mood to spawn.  Unfortunately, her male companion
was either only interested in finding food, or insisted that they use
*his* flower pot, which he shares (believe it or not) with a male
bristle nose pleco.  She has her own pot, which until a week ago the
male couldn't fit into.  So I made the hole in the side slightly larger
figuring that the female can just fill in the hole when they breed. 
Well, I saw the male try it out once, but that was it - he still wants
his *own* cave as the spawning sight.
  Now the conundrum.  Yesterday I did a water change (5 gal of 20), and
all was well.  The plants were pearling (even Java fern) and the fish
were happy.  However, today the female is no longer bright yellow and
her black marks have faded.  Also, the male is a lot darker, not showing
off his nice yellow belly.
  Does anyone have any idea what is wrong with my fish.  I checked the
pH of the water before I added it back into the tank (I used the shower
head to fill my bucket, so no super saturation of gasses in the water). 
I added the "dechloraminator" and added the usual fertilizer.  Could it
just be that they're not in the mood any more?

I hope someone can help me get them back in the mood.
Thanks.
Jason Miller
Sherwood Park, AB


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