My New Rams

[Gordon88]

Ok i have just bought 2 rams today, they are a pair already and in the fish shop i bought them from they said they were breeding.
I have added them to my communtiy tank, it seems that the male keeps chasing off my keyhole cichlids when they get too close. I was just wondering is the male going to damage the keyholes at all?, and would it be best to transfer them into a breeding tank?

Also as they have just been added they dont seem to have found a teritory yet so are just swimming at the front and the male keeps chasing the keyholes away from there.
Thanks
any help will be appreciated!!

 

[Gordon88]

anyhelp will do guys!!
please

 

[AlexAndCarmen]

We had a pair or blue German rams that were also breeding (unsuccessfully) and they chased the angels and other fish off from their turf. I'm not 100% sure if they would harm your keyholes, as they were very aggressive with each other and our male did injure the 2 females he had. I think you should keep an eye on them and just see how it goes.

 

[Gordon88]

thanks alex, dya think that the male would hurt the keyholes? I mean he doesnt seem to chase the other fish off, it just seems to be the keyholes.
When rams are breeding how does the female look, just to make sure
Cheers

 

[AlexAndCarmen]

I'm not sure if they actually bite, but they do tend to chase fish into the tank walls and ornaments. Also, there is the stress factor to watch out for.

Here is a pic of our female ram just before she lay her eggs. Note the ovipositor just under her belly

Hope this helps

Keep well, Carmen

 

[Gordon88]

sorry but probably a stupid question but what dya mean by the ovipositor, i can't see anything??
Thanks

 

[bleechme]

The ovipositor is the tube where she lays her eggs from. It's by her anal. When she's ready the tube should be sticking out. it is kind of white in color.

 

[Gordon88]

I have just looked at her and she has a ovipositor, but she seems to just be swimming at the front of the tank at the glass the whole time. There is plenty of caves and flat stone in my tank for her to spawn but she isnt. What should i do?
I mean is this because she is still settling in as i did only buy her yesterday, when she has settled in a bit more will she spawn?

 

[bleechme]

most likly, But they (Mine in this case) are pretty picky on their spwaning area. But the fastest spwaning for me with a new female introduced to my male is 3 days. yep, they bred on day three!

 

[Gordon88]

Ok kool, How big should a breeding tank be for rams??
If the fish i bought were about to spawn together when i bought them both would it have disrupted their spawing so much that they wont do it this time, just wondering because the female has her ovipositor out but she doesnt seem to be trying to find anywhere to lay her eggs???
Thanks