Why Do My Bolivian Rams Hate Each Other

[fish killa]

i have had theses guys for about 6 months and at first they seemed to be kind of pairing up they swam  together at times and only nipped every once and a while. afther my blue rams died about 3 months ago they seem to have separated and have split the tank in half, the male one the right side of the tank and the female on the left. they wont let any one in there territory.
 
 
why have they become so territorial and unfriendly to each other? will they ever be a pair? I have tryed to move things around and nothing changes. sooo what do you guys think?  

 

[r.w.girard]

Are you sure they are male-female? Have they ever spawned? Aggression does seem to increase before spawning, more chasing and biting than usual.  Might be something like that, although that shouldn't take three months... How big is the tank and what over inhabitants does it contain, out of curiosity.  And how old were they when you got them? Juveniles or adults?

 

[fish killa]

yes male and female. I got them at petco so im sure they where juveniles. I am almost 100% sure they have not ever spawned.they are in  a 40 gallon breeder tank with a big and small angle , 5 black skirt tetras 1 neon and x ray tetras , a cory catfish and a krab. 

 

[fish killa]

bump

 

[TallTree01]

I'm very certain you don't have a male and a female. Can you give pics?

 

[r.w.girard]

Well, even if you have a male and a female, it does not mean you will have a pair.  So that is one consideration.  If you are sure that they are male and female (make sure by checking the ventricle tube: round for female, pointed a swept back for male), you could try adding a third female.  A harem situation might help both spread out aggression and it might help create a stable pair. Since the tank is large enough to house two pairs, you could also try adding another male as well.  That would force a reshuffle.  Just be careful of adding a juvenile fish as the subdominant male would just be cowed into a corner and unable to claim a territory for himself.  Just some thoughts.  But while you are at it, you could get a couple more corydoras and neons to make a school for the schooling fish.

 

[fish killa]

yeah I am sure i have a  male and female.  I'm not really looking to bread so i dont think i will be adding anymore. i have a school of neon but i think my angle ate them all and the cory that i have now gets picked on by my rams.
 
thanks for the info