Why birds of a feather stick together ?

[weird]

I have a very basic question, but yet I think it is not so simple to answer.

I have 2 blue diamonds, 2 red truqs, 2 tangerine pigeon bloods and 6 red marlboro babies living together.

Why do the blue diamonds hang together (Sleep head to toe(or tail) every night), 2 red turqs hang together, the 2 tangerines pair up ? How do they know this guy is like me ?

Now to add further complexity or perhaps simplicity to this question, in each case in each relationship, the fish of the same strain has had a previous relationship with each other before being added to the group however they have now been together for over a year and yet choose to try and couple as per strain.

Is the reason why they hang due to familiarity or due to them recognising strain (colour) ?

How do they recognise strain ? How do they know what they look like compared to another ?

[Fishpimpin73]

It is believed that it has alot to do with hormones.

In theory,

Each strain produces a diff "chem" which enables them to recognize thier "relatives".

This makes alot of sense as it would help to protect strains in the wild from interbreeding.

It is not an unheard of principle in the animal kingdom.

There are other theories.......

Pattern recognition and Color "sensing" to name a few.

For all we know they talk to each other.

Or

Maybe you just have prejudice fishies.

[flukes]

Racsist!!!

[Annie]

Pimpin, that is cool that you know that. This is very intresting, I had wondered that my self no long ago when noticing it in my tank...

[Merrilyn]

Pimpin's brain is just full of trivial information LOL *runs before he throws something at me* :lol:

[goldenpigeon]

lol i have these fantastic little hormones in my discus tank. the birds of a feather are stickin togeather :)