how do i know if i have a M&F German Ram?

[vcorey04]

i just brought a "female" German Ram home.

i hope i'm in the right post, because my research says they are mellow cichlids.
n-e-ways, when i put "her" in, she immediately turned a dark blue/green, and my other MALE German Ram glowed bright orange with a peach face and belly.

<it was quite a sight to see, orange and blue!>

the orange ram, believed to be a male, started poking and nipping at the newcommer.

i understand that if they lock faces and battle, they are indeed two males,

but the blue one didn't respond when the orange one went in for the face to face contact.

is this normal of a male and female?

none of the other German Ram's were this dark blue/green at the store.

please, any advice on identifying the sex would be awesome.

in the meantime i'm looking out for male on male combat...

v





update: the male i already had seems to be approaching the new one's face, and i understand that if this was a female, that wouldn't happen. so far, no actual battle though...


as the night has worn on, they have been engaging, but no actual combat. i don't know if they are just experiencing sexual tension? or if they're testing the waters. my male that was already in the tank seems to dominate. i know this because when he goes for the face touch the other new-commer "female" looses ALL "her" color.

if this is typical behaivor of female - male German Ram courtship, then i'm thrilled! if not, i gotta take "it" back

please break it down for me

[vcorey04]

well, i got no replies, so i just returned the fish.


thanks anyways.

[Zagz]

Sorry I missed your post earlier. For future reference the females have pink bellies and the males do not. They are usually quite noticeable and not difficult to sex once you see a female's belly. Here is a link that shows the pink belly on the female.

[SpeedEuphoria]

Thanks for the link Zags, I thought I read elsewhere that the pink belly may only show if the female is ready(fertile or something?), is this true? Or is it pink at all times?

[vcorey04]

i think that the color would first indicate an interest/mating display of acceptance first..

then as she becomes fertile <due to the energy need> her colors would surely brighten to let everyone know that it's her time to shine.

after she deposits her eggs, i would assume there would be a period of time when her colors fade slightly, and then the cycle would begin all over again.


these are my assumptions going off of my basic knowledge of cuddle fish, chameleons, birds, etc.

they call it sexual dichromatism.

thanks for that great example.. i think the description of other characteristics is helpful as well... i will look for these suggestions next time in the store.

while there, all of them appeared to be similarly colored. i think this means there was no competition to spawn in the temporary tank.

= no females.



NERD TALK



thanks

v

great pics