Lol Bus - pitch one over here - I'm having heart palpitations about going away and feeding 50 individual fish - what the?!
Jarrod, I associate the tail-biting with the behavioral vices in other animals.... (such as horses crib biting, or wind sucking) - obviously this is where I have more behavioral knowledge - but there's some truth in it.... each of these vices are results of environmental stimulis.
I doubt we'll get to the bottom of the tail-biting issue any time soon, but in my experience with Ian and the Armadillo, it's a result of the physical symptom (i.e. finnage/tail inhibiting optimal movement)
so they just chomp it.
I read in an article somewhere that there are nerve endings throughout the fins of all fish - so they are getting "information" that it hurts - so they must be pretty motivated!
Anyways, if you can cope with it, I just medicate the tank and keep an eye on it (not much you can do)
I wouldn't let it stop you spawning him, in fact it's a reason TO spawn, and you can do a longitudinal study throughout the generations!
-Ness