Lip Locking Bolivian Rams!

Rorie

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I added 3 bolivian rams to my tank and the 4th died in transit.

one of them hangs out on its own at one end of the tank, the other two stick together at the other end of the tank.

Initial thoughts would be that they have paired off already. However, they fight constantly! Always nipping each other. When i fed them, they chased, then locked lips for a few seconds. They keep nipping each other, but neither swims away from the other!

Can somebody please explain what they are playing at? Are they fighting or in love? haha
 
It could be either or! Lip locking can be fighting or it can be the female testing the males strength- without sexing them you wont know!
 
Males will be bigger and slightly skinnier and have longer fin tips while females tend to have more red on their belly.
 
I am currently uploading a video (as i want opinions about the speed of flow in my tanks) and some photos. So maybe someone can take a guess as to sex. One of the 3 has two black marks on its body, where as the other two only have one. Is that an indicator at all?
 
Some more info for you:

http://www.fishlore.com/fishforum/ram-cichlid/34600-sexing-bolivian-rams.html

I was also told that males have more colour and the gold goes around the entire front half of their bodies while the female has gold only on the lower half of her front. The male tend to have more vibrant colour particularly the red and purple that trims their fins. Adult males also have trailers on their tail fin which one of min definitely has.
 
hmm, i am struggling to see the difference in those photos, let alone telling the difference with the fish in my tank!!

Video is up in another post about flow rate..... i am away to put up some photos of my tank
 
if you click on the photo it gets bigger (snigger, snigger!)

You can then see the difference in body shape after the breeding tube and the different extent of gold colouration.
 
if you click on the photo it gets bigger (snigger, snigger!)

You can then see the difference in body shape after the breeding tube and the different extent of gold colouration.

I can see it now,... i will have to look tomorrow when the lights come back on!

Now, go help with my other posts :p Just kidding....kinda.....i dont know if i should switch that pup off or not! My cardinals are scattered all over the tank with it on!
 
if you click on the photo it gets bigger (snigger, snigger!)

You can then see the difference in body shape after the breeding tube and the different extent of gold colouration.

I can see it now,... i will have to look tomorrow when the lights come back on!

Now, go help with my other posts :p Just kidding....kinda.....i dont know if i should switch that pup off or not! My cardinals are scattered all over the tank with it on!

Why have you got a dog in your tank? :lol:
 
if you click on the photo it gets bigger (snigger, snigger!)

You can then see the difference in body shape after the breeding tube and the different extent of gold colouration.

I can see it now,... i will have to look tomorrow when the lights come back on!

Now, go help with my other posts :p Just kidding....kinda.....i dont know if i should switch that pup off or not! My cardinals are scattered all over the tank with it on!

Why have you got a dog in your tank? :lol:

I thought they could make friends!
 

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