Ramirezi courtship or aggression?
I have a 60l community tank with tetras, a pair of M. ramirezi and a trio of B. splendens. Generally this works very well, everyone interacts within their own species and they leave each other alone (apart from the intense curiosity of the B. splendens females, who nose into everyone's business). However, the cichlids were added as juveniles, supposedly a pair but now maturing and I suspect they may be two males, but I have never kept cichlids before and would not be able to distinguish aggressive from courtship behaviour.
Neither fish has long ray extensions on the front of the dorsal fin. Both are starting to get iridescent blue spots on their anal fins. The dominant fish (the one that does the chasing) has darker marks (spots on sides, red fin edges etc). They chase and butt each other, posture with fins and gills spread, circle each other and occasionally lock mouths or shove each other flank to flank. The more intensely coloured fish generally seems to win, but sometimes they will act peacefully together and they feed together. None of this behaviour is ever directed at the other fish in the tank.
Do I have two males, or is this pair behaviour? Is there anything I can do? The supplier is happy to have the fish back if I am concerned (which I am) but they haven't injured each other (yet), should I give up?
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