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Ram. Advice appreciated

Lauris

Lauris

Member
Joined
9 Sep 2013
Messages
596
Location
Dublin, Ireland
Hi!

I'm not an expert in fish at all. So I really would like to ask for an advice
Can someone more experienced help to sex these?

they look the same to me in this pic:
16752560690_8a72dd7589_z.jpg

and if I'm looking at the fins - they are exact same on both (or probably it's just me)

only two things I noticed are bit different (but thats again might be just me)

1. The one on left is more pale in color
2. The one on left has more like the black covered with blue dots

thanks
 
The (tail) edge of the dorsal fin is rounded on the left fish (more typical of female), more angular on the right fish (looks a definite male to me)

Of course this is a single photo, so try to get more photos.
 
More pictures would be helpful but based on that picture alone I'd say they're both male. Does the one on the left have bright blue spots inside the large black blotch on its side? If so, it's female.
 
Jose,
thanks for link. great points made there.
the only thing is I don't see yet pink'iish belly
on female but that's i guess up to fish stress an they just need to settle in.

thanks
 
Hi all. One week since I introduced them in my setup. Noticed few behaviour issues. The bigger one is chasing around the smaller one. When it happens the smaller one instantly loses its colours. So mainly during the day my female (if I'm and you guys are right that I actually have a pair) stays pale. When feeding time female colors up nicely but again once male starts its game - female looses dark colours in no time. Is it normal? It's just because male tries to settle in? Or they are trying to pair up? Like getting just to each other? I have no worries about male. He became in very nice and juicy colour and looks like a beast. Female is I'm worried about. Will try to take some snaps in few moments

I am planted!
 
Any chance you can move "her" over to another tank for a week or so to clarify if "she" really is a she ...
though if this is a female, I'd prefer to move the male out, let her settle for a week or two (she should begin to display nice color most of the time - if fish remains pale, then I'd suspect health issues), then add the male back in.

(your spec 19 would be fine short term as it is a nice long tank - I'd be inclined to move Rocky the Betta into the main tank with the supposed female & have that confident male ram doing the moving about between tanks)
 
as I said, the weird thing is when "she" gets food, at feeding time,
color turns nearly as much as good as on the bossy male
but once he plays his game, "she"loses it in seconds

I'm afraid to move rocky in this tank will not be a great idea as he
is one beast and even snails for him are to suspicious. good idea but
not an option

the other thing what came up to my mind just now I did a major cut back
on my tall plants in left corner. It was only decent place female could hide
and she did like that corner once got sick of male games.
also she was less visible there for him. Also colors were better last week
This leads me think male is just getting territorial and trying to show off
who is the boss. And behaviour of "the boss" stresses her out.
there are two things I can come up with:
1 - exchange it to another pair, possibly already paired in LFS (seen one like last week, cuddling together)
2 - leave it as it is and see how it will end up. just no panic.
 
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I'd check with the shop, see if they still have a good selection of rams, if they have a pair that is spawning/preparing to spawn, see if you can swap your "pair"

You might also try adding in another female & see if she bonds with the male or reduces stress for your present female.

With most cichlids, you need a compatible pair rather than just a male fish & a female fish.
 
Reading your new post, I'd switch these out for another pair if that's an easy possibility.
Just leaving the situation & with no hiding places, she may weaken from the stress ... even though you don't see him constantly chasing her, the fact that she's using her "I'm not here" coloring the majority of the time, means she IS stressed, most of the time.
 


Managed to capture video. I'm not the best camera man but you can see the behaviour. Today I noticed that female is shy but she tries to stick together. Also she tries to resist males behaviour.

Maybe I just should give them a time and keep an eye on.

I am planted!
 
The male is being quite good, her respiration rate seems fine, just watch that it doesn't increase too much & that she is eating, try to provide more "hiding" areas in the tank to encourage more swimming activity from her - eg, you can use suction cups (Eheim makes the "stickiest") to attach driftwood or java fern as temporary havens.

Does your lfs regularly stocks rams?

Your video is pretty decent!
 
Yep. They have them all the time. Many of them.

She is eating well. If the male tries to bully her on feeding time she can fight back to grab her bite. As I said the color comes on when feeding instantly.

I think I need to figurate out something about hiding as the spot behind that wood piece is only resting spot for her. I will try to come up with something over the weekend.

I am planted!
 
I'd go in to the shop & pick up a rosy bellied female & add her into the tank along with the additional hiding places 😉
 
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