Female German Blue Ram Laying Eggs Without A Male Pair?

[coolfishguy12]

About a month ago, I bought three female german blue rams and one male german blue ram. They were just random fish from my LFS, ie they weren't sold a breeding pair.
 
Recently one of the females started showing her colors and I noticed her and the male seemed to stick close together. Her belly started getting plump, so I figured they were beginning to pair although I wasn't 100% sure. 
 
As suspected, last night the female laid eggs on an ornament I have in the tank but the male didn't fertilize them. In fact, he really didn't pay any attention.
 
Is there still a chance these two will pair off, or does the fact that he didn't fertilize mean he will never pair with that female? Do you think they will pair and possibly spawn next time? They are all fairly juvenile so maybe the male wasn't quite ready (he is definitely old enough though)?

 

[bluesword23516]

I think there is a chance. If he is young he may have wanted to pair but didn't know what to do. Hopefully she will lay again and the male will pair. 
Even if those two don't pair he may end up pairing with another female. 

 

[coolfishguy12]

A day after the eggs were deposited I came home from work and they were gone, so I'm assuming they went unfertilized and were eaten.
 
I'm still not even sure if the female was just unloading the eggs or if they are paired but the male just failed to fertilize.

 

[bluesword23516]

They probably were eaten. I think maybe they haven't paired because I think if they did they would have tried to protect the eggs and keep them clean. 

 

[Byron]

Aside from what has already been suggested, I'm wondering if there are other fish species in this tank?  Cichlids are not nocturnal, so during darkness when nocturnal fish such as any catfish are out and about, the cichlids cannot protect the eggs/fry very well.  I'm not suggested the rams themselves did not eat the eggs, and for the reasons mentioned, but just want to alert you to other possibilities here or down the road.
 
Byron.

 

[coolfishguy12]

Aside from what has already been suggested, I'm wondering if there are other fish species in this tank?  Cichlids are not nocturnal, so during darkness when nocturnal fish such as any catfish are out and about, the cichlids cannot protect the eggs/fry very well.  I'm not suggested the rams themselves did not eat the eggs, and for the reasons mentioned, but just want to alert you to other possibilities here or down the road.
 
Byron.

I only have neons and an oto so I don't think that could have happened.

 

[FawnN]

They could still pair off. And if they do, the male will know what to do. Might take them a couple of spawnings to get it right and if you're lucky, it will be successful.

I have yet to get a successful spawning from my pair. The male was great at fertilizing and protecting, but the female had a tendency to eat the eggs whenever the male wasn't around. I came close and got 12 wigglers, but that darn female kept eating them.. Very frustrating!

Btw... My Pleco's gobbled up my first batch of eggs right before my eyes. If it will fit in their mouth, it will get eaten. Good luck!