Ram - white thingy

[Cathy G]

Hi,
I am a newbie to rams and just bought a male and a female 2 days ago. They are acting very strange - both of them. They are skuttling around the bottom and the male has a very pronounced white thingy on his tummy by his back fins. I realize that this may be a really stupid question but is this a reproductive organ? They both are eating fine and checking out the tank, but started this sideways wiggling thing, like they are scrapping the gravel a bit. Then they look like they are eating something - but I can't see a thing and have been looking closely for eggs. Any help would be appreciated. After all I have read about parasites I'd hate to not treat anything right away! I also can't imagine they are spawning - they just arrived!
Cathy

[bludevil12]

This "male" could actually be a female, and maybe this thingy could be her ovipositor? Usually pronounced before laying eggs. Similary, the scraping of the gravel could be preparing a site to lay eggs.

I have seen many people here recount there Rams breeding only a few days after buying them, so I would'nt be surprised.

Hope that helps, more opinions would be good, compared to others I'm no expert around here.

[Emg]

Could be spawning behavior. Blue rams will clean off surfaces to lay thier eggs on...that could be the "eating" motion you are seeing. They will also sometimes "flash" or quickly rub against objects in the tank as well.

The protruding object could very well be the females ovipositor. Does that one have a very pink or red rosey belly ?? If so, it's a female and she is getting ready to lay eggs.

[Cathy G]

Hi again, thanks for all the help - no there is no pink on this fish. Would two females lay eggs together? These two fish look like best friends, they never go anywhere without the other and there is no territoriality between them. They also have not picked out one particular spot, they are just wiggling and skuttling along in the back of the tank...
I guess I'll just have to see what happens?
Thanks anyway.
Cathy

[Cathy G]

Well, the fish they sold me as a male is really a female. The white thing is the ovipositor - I saw the eggs coming out. Totally weird, they are eating some and yet defending the rest. Mixed up kids is what I say! I've had these guys less than 48 hours now - to think I was worried about inducing spawning...
I don't think I'll do anything about these eggs as I am totally not prepared to hatch them.
Cath