Finding paired Rams

[NinjaSmurf]

Eventually I'm planning on getting a pair of rams for my tank, but I've read a few peoples posts on how sometimes its hard to get rams that will pair. So I was wondering if there was a way to tell if any of the rams at the store are already paired. Are the little ones at the store too young to pair though? I was also wondering (if I can't find paired ones that is) whether it's better to get them both at the same time or one at a time? And if I did for some reason have to get them one at a time would it be better to get the male first or the female?

 

[wrs]

usually you're supposed to get 6-8 juvies. they should pair up on their own. i dont think that they would pair up in the lfs, as they are usually there for a short period of time.

 

[NinjaSmurf]

Well, the problem is that once I buy a fish at the store, I can't return it for credit and buying six would put me out by about 39 dollars, plus I'd have 4 fish with nowhere to go then after I got a pair. So I guess I'm stuck hoping for an good pairing the first go then. I'll have to ask the lady at the store how long the rams have been there. Do the paired ones swim around together or something?

 

[luxum]

Well, mine are Bolivians, not blues, so i don't know how similiar they are behavior-wise, but i got a mixed pair of juvies from the same tank, about the same size, and they paired up fine. They are no longer the same size, though, the male is now ~macho~ haha. None of them were swimming together in the store. I think it's important that neither is too much bigger than the other or they may reject the mate. Maybe i was lucky, or maybe the "group of juvies natural pairing method" is just preferred, but not required.

 

[NinjaSmurf]

I'll have to keep a close eye on the size then when I get them.


Well, here's to some serious finger crossing



Thanks!

 

[wrs]

good luck with it!

 

[G_Sharky]

I have a female ram that i have for awhile and I recently purchase a male to pair her up with, but the problem i had is I couldn't find a male that's the same size as her so I got a much smaller male, which she didn't really like as she spend the first few days chasing the poor fella around. She settled down now, but they are not pairing up right now, maybe if the male get bigger....

 

[parker313]

If you can, get a smaller female and a bigger male. From what I've been able to find, the female will be more accepting of a very MACHO (bigger) male. I got a female and then the male and they're fine. I don't know yet if they're going to pair up or not, but for me, that would just be a bonus. I'm just happy they're happy together

 

[NinjaSmurf]

Cool, I'll probably just stand in front of the tank for awhile and see which ones seem to get along. If I have to I'll get a male first, that way if he gets bigger before I get the female then she can have her 'macho' man lol.