Fish-Play or serious business?

Hi Group

A month ago, I inherited 2 fishtanks. One is 45 liters (11.88 gallon)
the other is 60 liters (15.8 gallon).

In the 45 liter, I have 2 fantails - less than 5cm in size, 2 comets-
less than 4cm in size, 2 red caps- about 5cm in size, and 1 tiny
shubonkin- about 3cm in size (my 2nd shubonkin died last night) :-(

In the 60 liter, I have 3 shubonkins -2 of them probably about 15cm nose
to tail, and one of them about 8cm.
They are beautifully coloured. They look like a harlequin Great Dane
crossed with a Dalmation.

The biggest of the 3 constantly chase the other two. I have noted little
sharp edged white bumps on the (cheeks) gills and top edges of the front
fins of the biggest one. From what I can gather he must be in the mood
for breeding, and that he is the male. The only confusing thing is that
the other one his size who he chases, often gets annoyed and chases him
right back. Is this typical behavior for a female fish, or could the 2nd
one also be a male and the small one a female? Could the two big ones be
competing with each other for the smaller ones attentions? I have seen
no bumps on the 2nd largest fishes gills or fins.

In the event the 2nd largest is a female: I have been told that the eggs
will not survive because they are in a tank and the parents will eat
them. When would I see the eggs from the point of male chasing the
female around the tank? (time wize? an hour? a day, a week? are the eggs
large enough to see with the nakid eye?) I didn't really buy the fish to
breed with them, but I spose it wouldnt hurt to try and save the little
ones seeing as the parents are in an amorous mood.....

From
Lynn
a fishy newbie :-)