Yes and no. Rams consider the tank "their space." This is normal and individual fish may be more or less demanding in protecting their space. When they spawn, this protective nature is greatly heightened, particularly in the vicinity of the egg clutch, or the fry shoal if the eggs hatch. Substrate level fish are more likely to be targeted because they are down near the rams' area. Cories can be especially targeted but ironically it is the cories that usually manage to eat the eggs or fry during darkness since the cories are nocturnal and the ram parents are not. Once the eggs/fry disappear, the protective guarding may lessen somewhat, though this too depends upon the individual fish. But they will spawn again within a few weeks and thereafter.
