# Do only males lock lips?



## dietz31684 (Aug 29, 2007)

I have a pair of bolivian rams that I just purchased two days ago. This morning I woke up and they were fighting. I have a malawi tank and have seen this many times, I am just wondering if this is a sure way to tell they are both male? Thanks -


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## Joea (May 25, 2004)

I'm not 100% sure about Rams, but female Malawi cichlids will lock lips, as will a male and female.


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## css virginia (Jan 29, 2007)

They certainly do..I have observed female cichlids lock jaws and with ferocity!! I had a couple of 2-3" female Haps. which would not only lock lips-but would face off from a distance of appx. 2"and then full speed ....SLAM.....into each other-lock-wrestle-back-off and do this repeatedly for several times. Never saw that before.... :lol: ...!!!


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## dietz31684 (Aug 29, 2007)

I have never tried to vent my fish, and my mbuna's are yellow labs, acei, rusties, and demasoni so they are not the easiest fish to sex. I have been wondering if all of the lip biting is male dominance or if felmales do it too.

Thanks for the info guys! :thumb:


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## rachelchick (Mar 20, 2007)

my bolivian pair do this ALL the time. totally normal!!


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## Afishionado (Jun 6, 2006)

They could be female. I kept two Bolivian Rams together for many years that I believe were both female and they would periodically engage in some lip-locking.


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## Gary Biggs (May 28, 2008)

mostly males, but not always. a lot of breeders will do it too. It's just the cichlids way of getting the aggression out, before moving on


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