rams and harems

[Frauley/Elson <fraulels@minet.ca>]

Hello,
Just my two cents worth on the ram thread. 
I still haven't raised rams, but I've had lots of unreared spawns of
German blue, wild blue and now wild yellow. I don't see it as harem
spawning, but rather colony or 'village' spawning. I have seven wild
yellows in a long 20 gallon. Two pairs are spawning, and the other
three, smaller fish are thinking about it. The pairs within the group
seem stable, but I have a fairly even ratio (one extra female). Maybe in
a skewed ratio tank it's different.
I don't think apisto terms really apply as rams have a very different
group dynamic. It's quite complex and very pretty to watch, but much
more tolerant of neighbors. They have a different approach to territory.
I've never seen signs of a dominant male attracting a bunch of females.
They just pose and scrap in circles. I don't think I'd want a pair of
rams. The more the merrier seems a rule for getting to really see what
they do.
Now, if I could just get them to raise their fry. Patience, right? :-)
-Gary


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