Help sexing blue ram?

[Talvari]

I have a single blue ram in my 55 gallon community tank and Ive been trying to figure out what sex it is so that I can get a second one.

Unfortunately, at just over an inch and a half, it seems that it has characteristics of both sexes? No pink belly, but it has a blue sheen over its black spot, and its dorsal rays are long.

Anybody wanna take a look and venture a guess?

 

[daveho]

i reckon its a boy. only because fin profiles can change quite a bit form breeding as can spots etc but i think the pink on the belly is the trick cause from what i have seen the girls are always a little pink on the belly but when they are full of eggs its a more rich colour. i may be tottaly wrong though

 

[gatorjon]

Male all the way. You can tell by the top fin being taller in the front, color, size and bottom fins. I was breading them for awhile.

 

[Borderlesscott]

I would also go male, the blue spots on the main black will fade over time.

 

[Talvari]

Didn't even realize I got replies! Thank you!

Is it suggested that they are kept in pairs? Right now hes the only ram in a 55 gallon community. He seems pretty happy - always swimming around and exploring - and he comes right up to the glass when you sit by the tank to say 'hi'. Should I attempt to get him a female? Or should I leave him be?

 

[Borderlesscott]

May lead to problems

Didn't even realize I got replies! Thank you!

Is it suggested that they are kept in pairs? Right now hes the only ram in a 55 gallon community. He seems pretty happy - always swimming around and exploring - and he comes right up to the glass when you sit by the tank to say 'hi'. Should I attempt to get him a female? Or should I leave him be?

A pair would be fine, however Rams get aggressive when breeding - they will chase anything that comes near the spawning spot - other problems can also occur are male rams pestering females to breed when not reading, I lost my favourite fish to an injury by a male wanting to breed when she wasn't ready, even though they had breed successfully in the past.
2 males will also go at it over territory also.

Ram pairs are great, but it envolves work - with the need to separate them at times, so it just depends if your willing to do the extra work.

 

[Talvari]

Then I think I'll keep him by himself. I do have a couple extra tanks that I could fudge with to move him if I needed to, but I'm already working with a pair of breeding bristlenose plecos, so I'd rather have the extra tanks for them if need be.

Thanks for the advice! I've never really dealt with cichlids before I bought my ram and my angel.

 

[Borderlesscott]

Good choice

Then I think I'll keep him by himself. I do have a couple extra tanks that I could fudge with to move him if I needed to, but I'm already working with a pair of breeding bristlenose plecos, so I'd rather have the extra tanks for them if need be.

Thanks for the advice! I've never really dealt with cichlids before I bought my ram and my angel.

Good choice, I've seen to many people rush out to buy a second Ram only to have there enjoyment spoilt by breeding behaviour shortly afterwards. I was breeding up until a few weeks ago when I lost my female, I currently have 2 young blue Rams and a male Bolivian Ram in my main tank, the young Rams are still probably still a good month and half from breeding age and I'm really enjoying the standard behaviour. My old GBR is still in my breeding tank sulking, I'll try to repair him in a month or two. I do have a pair of Appistogramma,s breeding in my main tank, but they are two small to cause any damage, but it doesn't stop them trying - its very funny to watch them tackle my large Bolivian Ram, it like having an annoying wasp flying round you.