Golden Rams

[fishwatcher]

Does anyone know a sure-fire way to sex the gold variation of German blue rams? I am thinking of getting a pair to put in a 20-gal, but can't seem to find accurate sexing info on them. I know how to sex the blues, just not the golds. The tank at the lfs is full, but I can't tell the difference and neither can the few guys that normally work there, so any help would be great. I've read that the dorsal fins will be longer on the male, could be a pink belly on the female, but out of 50+ fish, none have a pink belly (maybe from stress) and the fins are too close to call. As I said, any help will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!

 

[fishwatcher]

Maybe no one knows this ancient Chinese secret???

 

[RadaR]

Im not too sure either. I rekon though it is to do with the fins and crest, maybe the belly.
What I would do is buy a group of 6 and let them settle in and develop a bit more. After a month or so you should be able to tell which is male and which is female just by their behaviour (aspecially if 2 pair up)

 

[fishwatcher]

LOL, well, thanks for the help anyway. The lfs man told me there really is no way to tell and that unless I am wanting to breed them there is no real reason to get a pair, that 2 M or 2Fm will do fine together. I thought they would fight, esp the males, if there were no FM there. What your opinion on that? I wouldn't mind either having just 1 alone or 2 m if they won't kill each other. I don't really want them to breed, just want to keep them how they'd be happiest, KWIM?

 

[RadaR]

In a 20 gallon i wouldnt have 2 males because they would have conflicts a fair bit. I dont think they would kill each other but they would "argue" and one would become the more dominant one and make the other stressed. 2 females would be ok. They sometimes square up to each other but its nothing serious. The best thing i think would be to have a male and female and would try to get that.

Heres a pic of my 2 females facing each other with the male underneath (dont have the rams anymore).

 

[fishwatcher]

Wow! That's a great shot! What size tank is that? What all do you have in it?
I guess I'll just have to wait until the lfs can sex them for sure, then, if that's possible. I'd rather not have them fight and be stressed and all that. BTW, do they need company or would one be ok by itself?
Thanks for all the help, RadaR!

 

[RadaR]

Thanks. That picture was taken a couple years ago when i knew little about fishkeeping than compared to what i know now. It was a Rekord 70 (70litres) and i think the fish in there were:
3 Rams
2 Rosy Barbs
3 Platies
Several Guppies
4 Black Widows
Small group of Neon Tetras.

BTW, do they need company or would one be ok by itself?

Ive heard they like to be with another one of its kind and not kept alone.

Thanks for all the help, RadaR!

No problem glad to help.

 

[fishwatcher]

Cool beans... then I'll wait until they can be sexed hopefully correctly.
I know you said the pic was taken a while ago, but it looks like you knew what you were doing then - the fish look nice and healthy.

edited to say: If they can't sex them fairly surely, can I put a blue female in with the gold male, or will they just fight? Thx!

 

[RadaR]

Blue female with a Gold male would be fine. Theyre the same fish just a different colour morph.
It would be like having a pink Convict with a normal Convict.

 

[fishwatcher]

OK, thanks! I'm off to the lfs, hopefully to come back with a pair of something!