Ram behaviour

[Deano]

Over the last 2 days my 2 Rams(1 male, 1 female) have been behaving different.

They have been what i can describe as kissing, but its sometimes more violent and it looks like they are banging each others lips together, almost like headbutting!!

Could this be a sign that they might be starting to breed???

 

[AmberC]

No.. they are fighting. You'd better keep an eye on them. You might have to separate them, rams can be territorial and will kill eachother sometimes

 

[Deano]

Thanks, ill keep a closer eye on them

 

[G_Sharky]

My rams are fighting too the dominate one has all vibrate colours while the other one is not coloring up as much as it was when I got them. I didn't know that rams can be agressive to it's own kind

 

[Doggfather]

cichlids don't always get along with each other, unfortunate for such great fish

 

[AmberC]

With the german blue rams you need to have more than just two. But you cant put any more than 2 in a 10 gallon because of the territorialness. I had four (two breeding pairs) in a 20 gallon and had to put one pair in a 10 due to fighting. I would suggest a bigger tank and more fish or just keeping one.

G_sharky you have a 33 so I would get a couple more for your tank to stop fighting (if you have room). Do you know if yours are male and female?

 

[fish_r_great]

Ok I have two rams and I'm pretty sure one is male and ones female. One has the pinkish belly and the shorter top fin while the other doesn't have the pinkish belly and has the larger top fin will they fight. Male and Female. I've had them for probably a month and so far they've been fine.

 

[cichlidtank]

If they are ramming then that is normal sparring (a sort of middle step in aggression intensity), but what you described as "kissing" could be something much worse. For many cichlids (South American and Africans alike, but especially South American dwarf cichlids) the last step of aggression is kissing. This is done to settle territory disputes, but if aggression progesses then you may have a dead ram on your hands.

 

[Deano]

Since the fighting both Rams have settled down....i think my female is the more dominant because the male now seems to keep out of her way