Male or female electric Blue Ram??

[SCQ]

hi

I have a an electric blue ram and want to get it a mate but I'm unsure whether the one I have is male or female?

 

[Essjay]

I think it's female.


But buying a male does not mean they will get on together. Rams are very picky about choosing mates. It could end up with one of them killing the other.

 

[SCQ]

Thanks, yes we are going to be careful if they don't get on we have a spare tank that can accommodate it or the shop said we can take it back.

 

[Byron]

I also think female, but there is another issue here. Rams must select their own mates. A male and female put together by the aquarist may or may not bond, and if they do not, the female (usually) will be dead before too long.

The best way to get a pair that will hopefully live together for their normal 4-year lifespan is to let them select each other from the group in the store tank. It is easy to see the likely pairs by observing their behaviours for a period of several minutes. This is also better for distinguishing their gender. Males will be continually challenging each other, charging, maybe head bunting. Females will not. The female(s) that are closest to a male continually, and which the male basically ignores during this, is a likely candidate for a pair that will bond.

 

[SCQ]

Brilliant thanks for that I had been reading all about this. However will two females live together happily? When I said mate I didn't necessarily mean one to 'mate' with!!!

 

[Byron]

Brilliant thanks for that I had been reading all about this. However will two females live together happily? When I said mate I didn't necessarily mean one to 'mate' with!!!

Two females--if you can be sure both are female--will likely get along, but individual fish can very from the norm so I wouldn't count on it.

I had a male Bolivian Ram, different but closely related species, and decided to get a female (this was before I understood what I explained previously). They spawned four times before the male killed the female; obviously they were not bonded. But along the way, the female had times when she was clearly being dominant and the male hid away, so it is impossible to predict. All cichlids are territorial, that should never be forgotten.

 

[SCQ]

Many thanks appreciate the advice. We bought one on its own, but then I thought it may benefit from a friend of its own kind. It is living with 2 dwarf gouramis which it gets on well with and a couple of platys which it's not bothered with at all.

Would it be better to leave it on its own do you think, or take it back and choose a pair?

 

[Byron]

Many thanks appreciate the advice. We bought one on its own, but then I thought it may benefit from a friend of its own kind. It is living with 2 dwarf gouramis which it gets on well with and a couple of platys which it's not bothered with at all.

Would it be better to leave it on its own do you think, or take it back and choose a pair?

What is the tank volume and dimensions (length and width)?