[ADG]

Hi everyone and Happy New Year! I've been keeping two Bolivian Rams in my community tank for about six or seven months, they got on well at first but after a while relations broke down a little and the two are in seperate tanks chilling out for a while. The tank is due to be rescaped, and I intend to introduce another two rams to hopefully spread the aggression and who knows spread some love but first I am having trouble identifying the sex of the existing fish. Wonder if the experts here can help?

Pretty sure the first exeptionally bolshy one is male. But what about the second one? I bought hoping it was female but I've never been quite sure. This ram is harder to photograph as it tends to shy away more than the other who comes out to show off when ever someone is near the tank. The vent looks like it might have a bit more to it than the other fish.

Any help appreciated! (photos to follow)

 

[ADG]

Male?

Female?

 

[ADG]

Thank you very much for the confirmation. I was in the LFS yesterday looking at what I assume are young ones (they're all about half the size of my current pair) and they're so tricky to determine what is what. I guess it is a case of make the best guess you can and then keep your fingers crossed!

 

[ADG]

Just thought I'd update this post to say the female ram's vent is very apparent, over the past couple of days it has been growing in size daily.

The two fish above have been cleaning stones and the male has been busy making a depression in the gravel so I guess all indications are they're preparing to spawn.

What puzzles me though is the male is very aggressive (he always has been boss of the tank since I got him and has always let the other rams know this). He seems to tolerate the female hanging arround his territory but only for short periods of time, it almost seems that after a while he realises he actually doesn't like any other fish in the tank, including the female and chases anything it sees. Then a while later he allows her back, they do a bit of cleaning then much tail whipping, gill flaring and finally chasing off again. Is this typical behaviour?

It is fascinating to observe.

Cheers!

 

[ADG]

Vent has reduced in size so I guess they did the deed and then covered up the evidence.

The dynamic in the tank has totally changed since two days. Hyper aggressive male has chilled out - first time in six months in fact, that alpha female is squaring up to him now if he tries anything and the two recent editions are getting time to establish their own territories and clearly enjoying the respite from that marauding male.