FishProfiles.com Message Forums

just recently added two rams to my tank. They were suppose to be German Blues, but I think somebody slipped me a mickey, er, Bolivian. Can somebody help me sex these fishies? The two new ones are #3 and #4.

Ram #1 (pretty sure female)
http://www.cst.cmich.edu/users/devan1rh/images/fishtank/ram1-1.jpg
http://www.cst.cmich.edu/users/devan1rh/images/fishtank/ram1-2.jpg

Ram #2 (pretty sure female)
http://www.cst.cmich.edu/users/devan1rh/images/fishtank/ram2-1.jpg
http://www.cst.cmich.edu/users/devan1rh/images/fishtank/ram2-2.jpg

Ram #3 (not sure, female?)
http://www.cst.cmich.edu/users/devan1rh/images/fishtank/ram3-1.jpg
http://www.cst.cmich.edu/users/devan1rh/images/fishtank/ram3-2.jpg

Ram #4 (Bolivian or long fin German? male?)
http://www.cst.cmich.edu/users/devan1rh/images/fishtank/ram4-1.jpg
http://www.cst.cmich.edu/users/devan1rh/images/fishtank/ram4-2.jpg
http://www.cst.cmich.edu/users/devan1rh/images/fishtank/ram4-3.jpg

#2 and #3 have face-offs frequently, initiated from either one.
#3 and #4 hang out together and will attack as a team.
#1 gets chased by #2 and #3.
#2 will do a sideways present to #4 when #3 isn't looking.

Edit: Changed links to have Link Markup.

[span class="edited"][Edited by RobD 2004-08-30 21:45][/span]

You can use the link tag to make clickable links, you know. Click on the "LINK" easy markup button and then put in the URL (or use the handy markup language reference).

As for your problem, I don't know too well either, so I'll use this opportunity to practice. This is what I would guess:

1, 2, and 3 are female. 4 is male. 3 and 4 are a pair. And 2 and 3 are still trying to decide who the "top dog" in the tank is. Number 1 is totally out of the running, which is why she constantly runs away when 2 or 3 come after her. I would expect that if 1 wasn't so afraid of 2 or 3 she might actually try to fight them back. I'm just guessing though.

Can you link them? I've noticed that most people don't take the time to copy and paste which will dramatically decrease responses.

As for the pics, they all appear to be females. None of them show any show long finnage in either their dorsal or tail fins. The last pic is definetely a German. I have a pair of Bolivians and they are very plain compared to German Blues.

Pic1 = female
Pic2 = female
Pic3 = female
Pic4 = female, German Blue


[span class="edited"][Edited by sly 2004-08-30 21:40][/span]

sly - So you think #3 and #4 are females? Both #3 and #4 have a high spine at the front of the dorsal (3-1, 3-2, and 4-3 pictures). Doesn't this usually indicate a male? I thought only the Bolivians had the long finnage on the tail, Germans didn't have the long finnage there.

I think Silverlight is thinking the same thing I am. May lucky wisdom be on our side.

I only wonder about #4 being a mix or something because it is just so much longer than the other 3 fish. The dorsal is much larger, the golden plain head, the very long bottom finnage (hard to see in the pictures). The pet store (2 employees and the owner) said it was a no-doubt male German Blue.

Yeah I guess you guys are probably right.

#4 is a German alright. It has much more color than my Bolivians.

More info to help:

[font color="#C00000"]Blue rams' can be sexed using a variety of characteristics. The males
are generally larger (most prominent in adults), have slightly longer
fins (dorsal) and lack the blue spangles in the black mid-lateral spot
found in the females. Wild fish are very easy to distingush, but the
cultured varieties may be a little harder, assuming both sexes are
present. If I were asked for one reliable difference, I would say the
blue spangles within the black mid-lateral blotch is the best method (it
also works on young fish and the cultured varieties).[/font]
-TheKrib.com

Given the larger size of #4, its probably a male.

[span class="edited"][Edited by sly 2004-08-30 22:04][/span]

#1 and 2 are females definitely. 4 is definitely a male. 3 is the one that is a bit confusing. It has the extended rays on the dorsal like a male, but a little pink on the side, indicating a female. I'd go with male, but that's just me.

---

They shade the glow of it with their mossy-misty costumes,
They wear masks of silk, porcelain, brass, and silver,
So as not to mislead with their own, ordinary faces.

The tally on the votes seems to be:
#1 is a female, 7 to 0.
#2 is a female, 7 to 0.
#3 is a female, 6 to 1.
#4 is a male, 5 to 1.
#4 is a German Blue, 3 to 1.

This would make sense, since #1, #2, and #3 are the primary spatting fish. #4 lays back, maybe spats with #1 and #2 if he feels like it. And #2 does a sideways display to #4, maybe trying to convince him she is better. I also noticed last night that #3 and #4 were "sleeping" about an inch apart, continuing that best buds thing they have going.