[KyleD]

Hi everyone. I have a pair of blue German rams, I've kept some not long ago but had we had to get rid of them. I have a pair that I've had for not long and I have a few questions about them. My female is being very aggressive to the male, she doesn't go after any of the other fish in the tank, just the male. I thought this was an indication of breeding but from what I can remember with most dwarf cichlids I've kept, the female isn't overly aggressive to the male and the dominance is usually both male and female to each other and other fish in the tank. After a few days of watching the female chase the male around the tank, I'm starting to wonder why she's pushing him away and he's not doing anything about it.

 

[lauraleellbp]

Welcome to the wild and wooly world of cichlids... LOL

What you're describing isn't all that unusual, especially for species of aggressive/semi-aggressive fish such as cichlids. Sometimes fish reject what seems to us to be a perfectly suitable mate... perhaps for some of the same reasons we might?

You might try separating them both out of the tank, rearranging the tank, and then introducing the male first and female 2nd, to try and "tweak" the dominance issues you've got. Perhaps if the female were the "new kid on the block" she'd be a little less timid?

Otherwise, your best bet will probably be separating them permanently.

PS- Welcome to TPT!

 

[KyleD]

I've bred quite a few dwarfs and never had a problem like this, I've rearranged the tank and introduced the female back in but she's still doing it. Is she ready to breed or is she just holding territory?

 

[lauraleellbp]

Could be either.

Is her belly pink and swollen with eggs?

 

[KyleD]

It is pink but it looks flat at the bottom, the male is starting to hold his ground. They go infront of each other and extend their fins.

 

[lauraleellbp]

Are they circling around each other?

Have either of them started cleaning off a nest site?

May be that she's finally convinced him to "participate" lol

 

[KyleD]

The males been in the plant pot for about 5 minutes picking at the bottom but he leaves it. They were circling around each other when the 2 other females were in there but they stopped when I rearranged the tank.

 

[KyleD]

They've started flirting Do they usually have trouble finding a spot?

 

[justin182]

they should be fine.
you will have fries in no time.