# GBR behavior



## Shrimplett (Mar 21, 2013)

*GBR spawning*

Ok, since yesterday my male and female rams have showing signs of what I think is breeding behavior!!! I have never had a fish breed for me before, so this is an experance! I got my young male about 5 days ago and in the beginng my muture female was showing him who was boss. About 3 days ago he was more settled in the tank and started flaring his fins and gills at her. Yesterday I he would flare at her and if they were in the right area he would twitch at her. I can only guess he is try to encourage her to mate. Also since yesterday my female has been interested in a few spots in the tank wil sometimes borrow and clean those areas ( but it's not like that's what they do 24/7 ether). As I type they seem to be cleaning that spot more and more. And today I have found that my females egg tube has dropped!!! The male is also more agressive to other fish that get to close (like my angelfish). My first thought this morning was that they spawned during the night because they were not cleaning the area, and my male was very agressive to other fish. But they are back to cleaning, and I think I am interupting them with me watching them so closely for the past 2 days, LOL!!! Thankfully the tank is in my room and I can watch from my bed!!! OK, now my questions.
1. How often do they breed?
2. What ph do they like to breed in? 
3. How long before they spawn?
4. Should I start feeding a high protein diet?
5. Do you thank they would be getting ready to spawn if the male was to young?
Pics will be up later.....


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## Shrimplett (Mar 21, 2013)

Hears some pics, sorry about the quaility all I have is a cell phone.....
Female
View attachment 18766


Male
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Together
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The main breeding site
View attachment 18770


You can click on them to make them larger


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## Shrimplett (Mar 21, 2013)

My rams are spawning as I type!!!!! Hopfully the male is old enough.


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## Shrimplett (Mar 21, 2013)

Is it normally for pairs to argue after spawning? I think my female is mad at him because he is abandoning his post.


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## Shrimplett (Mar 21, 2013)

Ok more questions... I got my male and female seperatly and did not do the normal "buy 10 of them so they will pair naturally" thing because I first bought 2 females. After several months my females were NOT getting along anymore so I traded one female for a male, thinking that they atleast would not try and kill each other. Well they paired up and spawned! but today the male seems to be in lala land about staying with the eggs. I am hoping that they will get the hang of it all because the female will leave the eggs also. Do you think that the pair will last because I did not do the normal breeding/pairing thing? They seem to be getting along fine but with the normal (I think) spawning aggression with each other. How do you tell if the eggs are fertelized or not? I hope at least one will protect the eggs because with my angel lurking about no egg is safe if he finds them.


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## Michael (Jul 20, 2010)

Congratualtions! Here is a great article about your fish: http://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/mikrogeophagus-ramirezi/

Young pairs often are not successful on their first try. And your angelfish is not a good tankmate for small cichlids that are breeding.


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## Michael (Jul 20, 2010)

Congratulations! Here is a great article about your fish: http://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/mikrogeophagus-ramirezi/

Young pairs often are not successful on their first try. And your angelfish is not a good tankmate for small cichlids that are breeding.


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## Shrimplett (Mar 21, 2013)

Thanks that was a very good article. My angel is not going anywhere so if I do deiced to raise the fry (because right know I can't) I would probably just take the eggs out. They female is doing an awsome job with the eggs and will not let the angel anywhere near the site, leaving my angel wondering why she is so agressive (he has no not found the eggs yet). The male is still young and dose not really gard them and just try's to eat the eggs. Thankfully the female will not take that at all will chase him off if he does that.


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## Shrimplett (Mar 21, 2013)

Michael said:


> And your angelfish is not a good tankmate for small cichlids that are breeding.


Ok, when you say that you mean for the safety of the eggs right? Would it work if I took them out when they became wrigglers(?)? My angel does not even now that the eggs are there.


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## Michael (Jul 20, 2010)

Safety of eggs, and especially safety of fry when they become free-swimming. The parents will have a much harder time protecting them, and baby fish are irresistable to any predator.

Can you take the angelfish out temporarily?


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## Michael (Jul 20, 2010)

Safety of eggs, and especially safety of fry when they become free-swimming. The parents will have a much harder time protecting them, and baby fish are irresistable to any predator.

Can you take the angelfish out temporarily?


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## Shrimplett (Mar 21, 2013)

Unfortunately I can't take they eggs or the angel out because I don't have an extra tank on me. Was not really expecting them to breed for me only having the male for a week. Dang it, I had a question but forgot it lol.


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## Shrimplett (Mar 21, 2013)

When can you tell if the eggs are fertelized or not? And what do they look like? Are there any requirements for the eggs to develop properly,Temp, ph, kh, water movement, ect...? How big of a grow out tank do you think I would need?


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## Shrimplett (Mar 21, 2013)

Ok I found out something very weird about my male ram.... he is obsessed about the air stone and becomes very aggressive when I turn it on!!!!! :shock: :crazy:


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## Shrimplett (Mar 21, 2013)

My water perimeters are as follows:
Ph: 7.4
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 10
Kh: 100ppm 
Temp: 80-82*F
There appears to be about 40-50 eggs, and the male is a confirmed egg eater and the female is a slight egg eater.


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## Shrimplett (Mar 21, 2013)

My water perimeters are as follows:
Ph: 7.4
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 10
Kh: 100ppm 
Temp: 80-82*F
There appears to be about 40-50 eggs. The male is a confirmed egg eater and the female seems to only eat certain eggs.


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## Shrimplett (Mar 21, 2013)

Dang it... Sorry about the double post.


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## Shrimplett (Mar 21, 2013)

Ok, new question. My female ram is guarding the eggs but the male is wandering all over the place and not helping the female, why? He will also charge her when he sees her and I don't know why. Does anybody know what's up with them?


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## Shrimplett (Mar 21, 2013)

Well..... Almost all the eggs have been eaten I think there is only like 5 left and the male precedes to eat what is left. I was able to see what I think we're eyes in the eggs though. Oh well, I would rather have dad eat them than my angel. I did not have a place to put the fry anyway. I hope dad gets the hang of it. He could have eaten them because he has not figured out that I give them food in the week that I have had him.


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## Shrimplett (Mar 21, 2013)

The eggs are gone and the male is being a complete jerk to his female. He is chasing her all over the tank and is being a dominate little thing. Does anybody know why? Would appreciate it if some one would answer my post.


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## Michael (Jul 20, 2010)

Breeding in a community tank rarely works, for many reasons.

1. You have a young pair that are not accustomed to each other.
2. Their breeding behavior and hormonal status do not match. The male may be treating the female as an intruder in his territory.
3. The stress of a big predator constantly present (your angelfish) can disrupt breeding in many fish.

You are lucky to have gotten this far on a first breeding in an community tank. If you want to breed rams, set them up in their own tank with no other species present so that they have the best chance for success.


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## Shrimplett (Mar 21, 2013)

I am not really looking to breed them they just paired up and if they spawing again then i will just take the eggs out or something. I think you are right about the male chasing the female everywhere. Thank you for responding.


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## Shrimplett (Mar 21, 2013)

My male is still beging a jerk, what do you think I should do? Wait and see? Take the male back? Add 1 or 2 females for competition?


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## Shrimplett (Mar 21, 2013)

I don't really think they are a pair.The male has basically claimed the whole bottom of the tank and wants nothing to do with the female. If he finds her near the bottom he will chase her all the way to the top. Something has to change whether that's getting more females or starting over with rams and forming a pair the right way. What do you think I should do?


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