Golden Ram Boxing

[Stav'sBetta]

I bought two Golden Ramirezi Cichlids the other week, and they seemed ok in the quarantine tank. I put them in my community tank with numerous other fish, including fighting fish, last Friday, and they still seemed ok. I've looked in on them after dinner, and they're both staring at each other, headbutting one another, and attempting to chase the other.

When I bought them, the larger one looked like a male, i.e. had extended rays at the front of his dorsal fin, while the smaller one didn't have the extended rays. Is there any alternative way of distinguishing sex of Golden Rams? Because it looks increasingly like I have two males, and not a pair as I first thought. Or do males fight with females? Any ideas?

 

[fufanu360]

its possible that they are courtshipping

 

[dirtydogg]

my female blue ram is quite fiesty. She'll run the male away when she wants too. wonderful fish though.