Bolivian Ram Behavior - Eggs Hatched!

[Flumpus]

Got a question for anyone who's kept Bolivian Rams... I've got a male and female, and about two weeks ago they started becoming very aggressive towards each other. It started with the female chasing the male around, then the male started to stand up for himself. They'd charge each other, and stop a couple inches away, top fins all flaired out. It was very entertaining, and I wasn't too worried because it never seemed like they were actually hurting each other, although it did seem to get out of hand a couple times. Just a couple days ago they both started showing less aggression, and they were swimming around the tank together. Now they seem to have taken the corner of my tank with my little cave setup and made it their own. They hang out there most of the time, and have even chased my serpae tetras away on occassion. When the female leaves the cave area, the male will usually go out and find her after a while, and she'll follow him back to the caves. Is this normal? Is this a cycle? Will they go back to hating each other (as entertaining as it was, I hope not)? My wife claims they were just flirting, and now they're "together". I don't know about that, but thought I'd ask... Thanks!

 

[IMCL85]

Sounds like breeding to me. You be supprise one day when u are home and there r fish fry in front of the tank . As long they dont damage each other. Then its ok.

 

[Flumpus]

Ya know, you may be right... And if they're not breeding, it certainly seems as if they've paired off (pretty much their only option other than hate each other, since there are only two), but they're inseperable now, and after watching them throughout the evening, they're acting strange. I think Brenda (the female, wife named her, don't ask) may be getting ready to lay eggs. I don't have much hope that they'll hatch, but it'd be cool to at least have eggs.

 

[IMCL85]

dont worry ram r pretty nice perant as long as there r no other fish in the tank the egg will probably gave u some fry in arround 3-4 days. And they should be remove once they r free to swim to another tank on their own good luck to ya oh and dont forget to post picture of ur beautiful fry .

 

[Flumpus]

EGGS!

Yep, I've got eggs. Any advice if they hatch? I have a cycled 10g that I can empty real fast if they're going to need their own tank. To be honest, I don't expect them to hatch, but I want to be ready IF they do.

 

[Breakthecycle2]

I recently experienced the same behavior after I introduced what Im sure is a very young female to my sort of young male. The male bullied the hell out of her for about a week, then suddenlt stopped.

 

[Flumpus]

Ok, I can't tell yall how excited I am. I got home to no eggs, so I thought they had been consumed Well, let me back up... Last night the rams started moving the gravel around to form a deep hole behind the rock where the eggs are. Well, if I open the hood, look straight down in the hole, I can see the TINIEST little things moving around! So some hatched! I'm not sure how many yet, but judging by the few number of eggs that are left on the rock, it might be a lot! If they get big enough for me to get decent pictures, I will