I was up north shortly after Christmas and just "happened" :wink: to visit my favorite lfs in Salem, and they even had a pair of P. t. Lobes for sale! 
Of course I had to purchase them to replace my deceased pair from the heater malfunction. I was afraid for the female because the male was beating the tar out of her in the lfs's 15 gallon planted tank with cherry barbs and pearl gouramis. Once they made it to the twenty long tank I had set up for them the male stopped picking on her within a few days. Now they swim together most of the time. They frequently do the shimmey dance to each other. They have very little to do with the upturned flower pot, and choose to hide under the anubias barteri leaves or the driftwood, or even in a depression in the flourite at night.
I almost got some dither fish for them but now I don't think they need any. They own the entire tank already and they are not afraid of me in the least. They go about their business, taking mouthfuls of gravel, chewing the algae off the anubias leaves, they were even curious when I was doing a water change on their tank today. I have noticed the female chewing the older leaves off the bolbitus fern and the greedy male sometimes eats the flakes at the water's surface. The female is half the size of the male, I think she is full grown, too. Her belly is bright iris with a turquoise sheen and she is such a lovely coppery yellow color. The male is less impressive in coloring, only his belly is yellow.
It would be great if they bred, but if not, at least I finally have a P. t. Lobe pair!...and a way better heater...(knock on wood).
Of course I had to purchase them to replace my deceased pair from the heater malfunction. I was afraid for the female because the male was beating the tar out of her in the lfs's 15 gallon planted tank with cherry barbs and pearl gouramis. Once they made it to the twenty long tank I had set up for them the male stopped picking on her within a few days. Now they swim together most of the time. They frequently do the shimmey dance to each other. They have very little to do with the upturned flower pot, and choose to hide under the anubias barteri leaves or the driftwood, or even in a depression in the flourite at night.
I almost got some dither fish for them but now I don't think they need any. They own the entire tank already and they are not afraid of me in the least. They go about their business, taking mouthfuls of gravel, chewing the algae off the anubias leaves, they were even curious when I was doing a water change on their tank today. I have noticed the female chewing the older leaves off the bolbitus fern and the greedy male sometimes eats the flakes at the water's surface. The female is half the size of the male, I think she is full grown, too. Her belly is bright iris with a turquoise sheen and she is such a lovely coppery yellow color. The male is less impressive in coloring, only his belly is yellow.
It would be great if they bred, but if not, at least I finally have a P. t. Lobe pair!...and a way better heater...(knock on wood).
