Hi,
I just purchased two bolivian rams about a week apart. I was originally just going to have one, but it seemed to be chasing its reflection along the glass a bit, so I got got it a friend.
The problem is, since adding the second one they seem to keep nipping each other. I'm not sure if this is normal or not.
Sometimes it seems like they're hanging out peacefully and one seems to follow the other around a lot. And sometimes they separate and chill by themselves on opposite sides of the tank. But often if one swims too close to the other it will get nipped or chased an inch or two away.
Is this harmless or maybe just them getting used to each other and establishing a hierarchy? I only go the second one yesterday so they haven't had long to get used to each other.
I'm also not sure of their genders so I will attach a picture of each as I'm guessing that may be important (I'm also just curious to know).
They've lightened up a bit compared to the pictures. Think it was because I had just turned the light on.
Also I've been observing them all afternoon today and about 80% of the time they are together. They'll happily nibble at food in the substrate together and follow each other. From what I can tell, one seems to be doing more nipping than the other. They don't seem overly bothered when they get nipped either. They just swim away about an inch or so and then come straight back.
For clarity, they seem to just be nipping each other on the side of their body, not fins or anything.
I just purchased two bolivian rams about a week apart. I was originally just going to have one, but it seemed to be chasing its reflection along the glass a bit, so I got got it a friend.
The problem is, since adding the second one they seem to keep nipping each other. I'm not sure if this is normal or not.
Sometimes it seems like they're hanging out peacefully and one seems to follow the other around a lot. And sometimes they separate and chill by themselves on opposite sides of the tank. But often if one swims too close to the other it will get nipped or chased an inch or two away.
Is this harmless or maybe just them getting used to each other and establishing a hierarchy? I only go the second one yesterday so they haven't had long to get used to each other.
I'm also not sure of their genders so I will attach a picture of each as I'm guessing that may be important (I'm also just curious to know).
They've lightened up a bit compared to the pictures. Think it was because I had just turned the light on.
Also I've been observing them all afternoon today and about 80% of the time they are together. They'll happily nibble at food in the substrate together and follow each other. From what I can tell, one seems to be doing more nipping than the other. They don't seem overly bothered when they get nipped either. They just swim away about an inch or so and then come straight back.
For clarity, they seem to just be nipping each other on the side of their body, not fins or anything.
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