Rams swapped mates

I have 2 pairs of rams, a pair of golds and a gold/blue ram pair. Today I came home from work and the females are on opposite sides of the tank with the opposite males that they were with just yesterday. The males seem to be swimming and behaving fine with the new female partners, but just yesterday they would chase off the other female if they ever went to the wrong side of the tank. I thought rams mates for life but could they have swapped partners? Again all behavior is normal they are just 100% with the opposite male that they both were before. Very Curios.

 

It can happen, although I've typically just seen a male breed with more than one female (ie. steals the weaker male's partner). So, a full swap does seem a little unusual. Would be interested to hear if it lasts.

 

Either the male or female has decided the others pairs mate was better suited and stole them.
I usually keep pairs in their own tank but when more then one pair was kept together all bets are off . The pairs may even switch back after breeding ..

 

I didn’t think Rams swapping mates was a thing until one of my males alternated between 2 females.

 

Appreciate the responses and everyone sharing! just a little update though, last night the male gold ram, who was with the female gold ram originally, died. He became very pale, and sat on the bottom recently since their "partner switch". The female gold and female blue are now both happily swimming with the remaining gold male. They occasionally square up and almost bluff charge at each other but most of the time none of this. So curios if maybe the "partner swap" made him depressed and then he fell ill, or if he was developing a sickness that the female(s) sensed which is why she left him originally.

 

Sounds familiar. . .

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