Rams Separated?

[jaevis]

I have just bought a pair of rams about a week ago and housed them in a 20G tank with small pellet sized gravel and undergravel filter. There is just a single large size sword plant in the middle of the tank, and they share this with 3 other octos.

These couple days, the male started chasing the female around and attacked her ferrociously. She was being forced to a tight upper left corner of the tank, and appeared very stress. Her colours are slightly fading and the dark bars on her body are showing. They do not seem to be swimming together anymore. Have they "broken-up"? Is it still possible to breed them?

As a precaution, I have since separated the male into a floating breeding net, but still kept it within the 20G tank.

What should I do? I was thinking of letting the female get familiar with the tank surroundings, condition her with blood worms, before re-introducing the male again. Is this a good idea? I really hope to bring them back again together.

Desperately seeking advice. Thanks!

 

[@ombomb]

Mine have been paired for about 2 months and the male still gets a bit agressive every now again, but most of the time they spend together.

Just because you put two into a tank together doesn't mean they'll pair off.

Personally I'd see if the fish shop would swap the female.

 

[jaevis]

The shop guy told me it is a confirmed pair and have been known to spawn before. That was why I bought it in the 1st place. I've tried talking to that guy, but he doesn't seem all that keen for the idea of swapping.
Advice from anyone please???!!!

 

[basia]

My females go the full cycle - pale and ghostly through to brilliant, fluerescent. Sometimes the male likes them and they lay eggs, sometimes he constantly chases them away. I have 2 females and he pairs with both of them. I would just leave them together and see how they get on when they settle. Rams are just quarrelsome fish it seem to me

 

[jaevis]

Should I condition the female for couple weeks before re-introducing them together?

 

[pseud]

Here's what I'd try. Raise the temperature to the high 80s. Buy a couple more plants. Do a complete tank rearrangement to mess the territory up. Give the female a week in the tank without the male. Condition the Rams for breeding. Re-introduce the male.

 

[abstract]

Here's what I'd try. Raise the temperature to the high 80s. Buy a couple more plants. Do a complete tank rearrangement to mess the territory up. Give the female a week in the tank without the male. Condition the Rams for breeding. Re-introduce the male.

i really wouldn't recommend high 80's for any fish...85 degrees max should force them into breeding...

 

[pseud]

i really wouldn't recommend high 80's for any fish...85 degrees max should force them into breeding...

You got it

 

[jaevis]

Thank you all for your advice. I'll try that out. Will post back once anything happens. Hopefully all will work out fine.

 

[pseud]

Also, are you 100% positive they're a male/female pair?

 

[jaevis]

Also, are you 100% positive they're a male/female pair?

Yes... 101% sure... haha.

 

[pseud]

Just checking.
I got a pair of German Blue Rams yesterday. I tried to pick a male and female but it was so hard to tell. I'm hoping I got a m/f pair!

 

[jaevis]

I think juveniles tougher to tell them apart. Adults easier in terms of body shape, dorsal fins, etc.
Best of luck to you. Hope you got yourself a pair.

 

[pseud]

Yeah, these are youngsters. About 1 inch long. Thanks.

 

[abstract]

should be FAIRLY easy at 1"...females will have a much pinker belly and a rounder look to them...males will have a longer first dorsal extension and shouldn't show much/any pink in the belly - they will also be more elongated