Rams Taking Over The Tank.

[SamUK]

Firstly, hope everyone had a good xmas!



rite, a few weeks back i moved all my fish into a 75 gallon tank from 2 2ft tanks.


My rams were in a tank with 2 angels, a couple of corys and a couple of plattys.


nobody bothered anybody else when it was like this but now there in a bigger tank my rams seem to be trying to claim about a foot of the tank at each end to themselves chasing anyone bigger (eg angels) or a similar size (eg my clowns) out of there.


now im guessing its got something to do with the fact there both male and being terrotorial but would a female or 3 help me out with this?

or would that make them worse?

 

[Katchan]

If its at two different ends I'd say they are probably both male, getting a female or 2 wouldnt really help cause their like to keep the agro for breeding territory, best thing to do would be to try a rehouse or sell one and maybe add a female. Also mixing up the tank furniture can help, kinda makes them have to reclaim new territory (like getting moved) there is also a small chance that the aggro may settle down given time (of claiming territories of the original move)

Andrew

 

[freddyk]

This is what cichlids do - they are territorial creatures and are simply claiming a spot for their own. Before they simply couldn't because there was so little space and nowhere for the other fish to go, but now they can. The angels should do ok by hanging out in higher areas or in the middle, and big bottom dwellers like clown loaches are simply not desirable tankmates for little bottom dwelling cichlids like rams. If you want a community then I agree that having a female for one of the males and removing the other is best, that way the two will share the same territory and the rest of the fish can have the rest of the tank. Of course, it's not just a matter of adding a female - you need to get several females and work on letting the fish sort out a pair.

 

[SamUK]

ok thanx.


its not oo bigger problem. they dont chase em longer than a second and dont seem to make contact.

Think i will look into sorting a pair tho.

thanx.

 

[fish_keeper2]

This is what cichlids do - they are territorial creatures and are simply claiming a spot for their own. Before they simply couldn't because there was so little space and nowhere for the other fish to go, but now they can. The angels should do ok by hanging out in higher areas or in the middle, and big bottom dwellers like clown loaches are simply not desirable tankmates for little bottom dwelling cichlids like rams. If you want a community then I agree that having a female for one of the males and removing the other is best, that way the two will share the same territory and the rest of the fish can have the rest of the tank. Of course, it's not just a matter of adding a female - you need to get several females and work on letting the fish sort out a pair.

sorry to hijak this post but i had some questions. i have a male and female german blue rams. based on what you said does you mean that just because theres a male and female in the tank it doesnt mean that they WILL form a pair? also if they dont form a pair will it be a prob? oh and if they do form a pair what behavior should i look for?......besides cleaning a flat rock to lay egss on and chasing the other fish away.