Are My Rams Mating Or Fighting?

[Phenz]

They've only been in the tank a week or so... Today i saw them squaring up to eachother. The float in open space just facing eachother with their fins extended to the max. They're very still, then they seem to flinch towards eachother, kinda pecking at the sides of eachothers body and going back to facing eachother and then they lip lock for like a second and go back to the stand off. when i first saw it i thought they were fighting, i tapped the glass and they shot off in different directions, 5 seconds later they were back at the stand off.

i think they might be two females. these are the first fish i've had and i don't know how to read the signs, from what i see they could be mating? it just looks a little intense? or maybe its just cause i'm worried for them

 

[Kevstir]

i too have 2 females (well did have got a male today ) that do exactly the same , they only seem to do it when one strays into the others territory and when foods on the go, whats weird is that they can be like this on and off for a day or 2 then they will swim with each other for the next few days , got a male today so will be good to see what happens now , he seems to be very interested in one of the females lol

 

[Phenz]

it was when i was going to check something out in the tank. i switched the lights on - they'd been off for about 45minutes - and then they immediately squared up to wachother. As far as i can tell they don't have set territories. i've been watching them for the past 15 minutes to see if they did it again.

as far as i can tell they don't have any set territories. they swim around on their own exploring everywhere but every 5 minutes or so the bigger one (which could be a male) displays his fins and chases the other for about 2 seconds, then they hang about wachother for 5 seconds and go back to swimming on their own. if the bigger one catches the other he seems to butt her in the side with his mouth but only ever once. once he's done it he seems content.


I don't know what to make of it?

 

[Liam]

Its not anything to worry about, even if its two females they constantly communicate with each other, no damage is done unless they breed in very cramped conditions. If it’s a male and female courtship can look like aggression but its nothing to worry about its just ram chat and flirting. (the male is bigger, the female has a round pinkish colour on her stomach) They are social so they are communicating. You will get to know their language after a while.

 

[Phenz]

both of them have pink bellies, although one is more colourful and predomenantly splays his fins more. i think it would probably be obvious if i got a male ram as i'd see the contrast. don't have much fish experience i'm afraid.

 

[methodmza_uk]

I have 2 Male rams and I have seen them doing this. Like Liam says, i think it is communication. Mine swim around together and look fine, then every now and again they will have a little chase and square off.

There never seems to be any real agression there, but 98% of the time they swim together like best friends.

Im no expert but I wouldnt worry about it, seems like the norm for these fish from what I have read.

 

[discus dreamer]

I have two blue rams who were doing exactly this and they did divide the tank up. I was hoping they were a pair but were too young to tell when I got them so I still don't know if they are males or females. There is a very slight difference in their markings such that one has two dark spots on its head and the other only one so I could see that 'one spot' was always around the left side of the tank and two spot on the right. They started doing that squaring off more and more though so i have moved one to a different tank and will have to look out for two females or males if I can ever work out what these ones are.
very pretty fish though
DD

 

[Phenz]

it doesn't sound too serious then. i'll let them chase eachother and see what i have when they grow older. don't really think that i'd want them to mate, but to see them pairing would be good.

 

[KathyM]

It's very easy to sex rams - the female will have a visible ovipositor (looks like a tiny lump on her underbelly).

We used to have a pair of Bolivians that sparred with each other from time to time. I think they're like the Jack and Vera of the fish world.

Edit: Found a pic (not a brill one) of the feale - you can see her ovipositor on this one:

 

[Phenz]

wow! thats genius! all the sites i've been to and i've never seen that stated anywhere.

they both have them, so like i suspected - both female.

i asked in the fish shop yesterday about working out which one is male and which is female - hoping they could point something out. i told the girl that they both had fairly pink bellies and was that a sign they were both female etc, she said something about the males having the colour and went to check a book, very she tried to fob me off muttering about colours and then left... very unconclusive.

I'll get a male and see what happens. i know what to look for now!