Are you getting stressed out by watching your Bolivians rams constantly fighting? Is this an ongoing problem that you are worried will escalate? In this article, we’ll look closer into why your Bolivian rams are fighting.
Why Are My Bolivian Rams Fighting? Two male Bolivian rams will fight for the right to mate with a female. A female may fight with a male to find out if he’s strong enough to breed with. Water quality, tank size and territorial disputes are also reasons why Bolivian rams fight.
Why Are My Bolivian Rams Lip Locking?
It may seem like they are mating, but lip locking is quite the opposite for Bolivian rams. Most of the time, two males will lock lips as part of their fighting ritual for the right to mate with a female. If there is no female in the tank, they may not resort to this type of behavior.
Lip locking could be a sign of mating for Angel fish and other types of fish, but not Bolivian rams. It seems that they are fighting in a nonviolent way that will hopefully not produce any abrasions or wounds.
If this lip locking occurs when the female is ready to breed, then you should consider removing or exchanging the male for another female.
What’s Wrong With My Bolivian Ram Just Sitting By The Filter?
A smaller Bolivian ram may end up losing the battle with another male to breed with the female in your tank. It may also be considered too weak by the female and shunned after not being able to keep up with the fighting ritual.
This Bolivian ram who is sitting by the filter is stressed and may stop eating altogether. Hopefully you can restore his health and confidence by adding an extra decoration, cave, driftwood for added territories to relax around.
This fish needs to fed away from the other Bolivian rams for a few weeks on the other side of the tank because the dominant ones may block it from eating enough to survive.
What Are The Reasons Why Bolivian Rams Fight?
There are many reasons why Bolivian rams fight. Here are a few to consider:
- Territorial disputes
- Female is aggressively pursuing and testing the male’s strength
- Female decides the male is unsuitable and chases or nips at him
- Two males fight for the right to breed with the female.
- The tank size is too small.
- There is ammonia in the tank causing stress and aggression.
- You have an overly aggressive Bolivian ram.
Territory
Some fish keepers witness two Bolivian rams attacking each other for the right to host:
- decorations
- plants
- caves
- corners
Add more spaces to hide or relax for each Bolivian ram or pair of rams to enjoy on their own.
Breeding
Females are larger and usually the aggressors. She chases the male and tests his power to make sure she gets to mate with a strong partner. If he’s successful, they will pair up and the fighting will subside. If not, she will chase him away or bully him.
Two males routinely fight in the animal kingdom for the right to mate with a female. This is also true in the case of Bolivian rams.
Tank Size
Although the rule applies for 1 gallon per 1 inch of fish, it’s better to exaggerate that with plenty more tank space. Consider this:
- 10 Gallon Tank: 1 Bolivian Ram
- 40 Gallon Tank: 4 Bolivian Rams
- 55 Gallon Tank: 6 Bolivian Rams
Water Quality
It’s known that ammonia or spiking nitrite levels will cause your Bolivian rams to be aggressive. They are trying to get out of the tank, but there’s no way out. This feeling ignites and fuels them to seek out aggression instead. Perform up to two 50% water changes weekly until you get ammonia levels at 0.
Watch Before You Buy
Some fish keepers visit their local fish store a few times and observe the same fish before they decide to buy it. They are looking for healthy fish who are not overly aggressive. If you have your eyes on a colorful Bolivian ram, but you notice it chasing tankmates at the shop, choose another one.
If you have an aggressive female who doesn’t want to pair up with any males, you can try to exchange her for another one.
How Can I Stop Bolivian Rams From Fighting?
Try to add dividers in the tank between successful pairs of Bolivian rams or a single Bolivian ram. They will fight for territory in a smaller tank without enough decorations or plants.
A long piece of driftwood works well to naturally divide the tank between pairs. Feed them in their separate locations. Floating plants make them comfortable as well and provide shaded areas to relax them.
You may have to mix and match your Bolivian rams by returning any habitual aggressors and trying out another male or female. Try 2 males without a female or two females without a male if you are not interested in breeding them or pairing them up.
When Should I Stop Bolivian Rams From Fighting?
Most of the time, we shouldn’t interfere if the Bolivian rams are fighting without causing physical harm. They may lock lips or chase each other until they establish dominance or mating pairs. If it gets worse, please consider stepping in to separate them. Look for:
- inflammation
- bleeding
- missing scales
- nipped fins
Continue to check the water quality and makes sure they are not fighting over one particular territory. If so, more water changes are needed and possibly add more decorations to provide more territories.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Bolivian Rams Aggressive?
Bolivian rams are not considered as aggressive as many other cichlids. They are compatible with many other species of fish in spacious tanks. Two males will be more aggressive if there is another female Bolivian ram looking to breed.
How Many Bolivian Rams Should Be Kept Together?
Bolivian rams don’t need to school in groups. They may pair off if the male and female are compatible. You can keep 6-8 Bolivian rams in a tank. They are peaceful with other fish and also hardy enough to survive in a diverse aquarium.
We hope you continue to observe and enjoy the Bolivian rams in your tank. We also hope to see you again for another article on these or other wonderful fish that you are interested in learning more about.
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