Yet Another Blue Ram Question

[joy_division]

I have a 90 gallon tank with 3 German Blue Rams. I cannot tell their sex, but I think it is 1 male and 2 females (from reading the FAQ, etc.)

Here is the scenario. A chases and nips at B. B chases and nips at C. A chases and nips at C. So now you can see their pecking order.

Would a female be doing this to a male or is it only a male that would do that to another male or to a female? Or a female to another female?

They don't seem to be overly agressive towards each other, probably due to the size of the tank with lots of plants and rocks and other tank mates.

However, none of them seem to be trying to show off for mating to any of the others either. Not that I really want mating, but I want to have them at their most colorful.

any insight owuld be appreciated.

 

[scrappy]

My guess is that fish C is a submissive male/female and is being bullied out of the equation... remove him/her asap to avoid death.

 

[Notsofab]

I'm no Ram expert by a long shot, but I have 6 in my community tank and have observed their behaviour.

I think any sex Ram will chase any of the others. I think the key is in the response to the chasing. When one of my males chases another male, you often get a stand-off, where they size each other up, raise there rear ends up and then maybe butt heads, before one eventually turns away slowly.

However, when a female ( I have 2 females for sure ) chases a male, the males tends not to fight back. So the female my nip at the males but they don't really nip back. They just kind of ignore the female, or maybe just swim away.

In my tank the females are very much the trouble makers. It's almost like they like trying to lure two males together to watch them show off.

I think the females will chase either sex, especially if they are getting ready to bread and are defending their patch.