# Bolivian Rams



## Ripley (Apr 17, 2006)

Hey, 

So, I purchased a couple rams on the weekend (Saturday), but I now have a few questions about 'em.

1) They really aren't eating much of anything - that I can see. I've watched them eat flakes, then spit them out. I bought some shrimp pellets, but they seem to not really eat those (and my other fish inhale the stupid things). I have seen them pick at the shrimp pellets, but I doubt they're getting much if anything from them. So, should I start to be a bit concerned? Pretty much everything I've read says these guys eat just about everything... Trust me to get the picky ones... 

2) I tried to find some pictures and info here on the 'web before I went to buy them (so to try and get a male and female...), but I really have no idea what I got. I know some of the rams in the tank had slightly longer ends to their back fins (sort of like a lyretail on a livebearer), but these two don't... Sooo... Here's some pictures, and a short video clip... If you could try to figure it out, that would be great. If you can't, well, that's just fine too.









































































Video:


2a) Which leads me to this question. If you guys are able to tell me what I have, and if by chance I have two of the same gender, do you think it would be okay for me to get two of the opposite gender? Or, would they be okay like that?

Thanks in advance!


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## Guest (Jul 3, 2006)

I have a female Bolivian and I've seen her eat algae wafers that were meant for my bristlenose. She will also eat sinking granules (small sinking pieces of food). Tetra makes some sinking granules. I use Bio-Blend tropical. She stays near the bottom, so I had to find something that she would go after. My greedy tetras and angels won't let any flakes fall to the bottom.

Sorry, I can't tell if you have males, females, or a pair. I'm not good at sexing bolivians. It kind of looks like you have 2 of the same sex, but male or female, I can't tell.


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## Puffer Pita (Jun 16, 2006)

They look like females to me. Males tend to have longer 2nd and 3rd dorsal spines, although that's not a sure-fire guarantee.


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## Ripley (Apr 17, 2006)

Yeah, my platies, guppies, and betta are all very, very greedy fish.

Case and point:
This is what a betta looks like after he's inhaled a shrimp pellet.









Well, I see the two of them sort of picking at stuff on the bottom, so I guess I'll keep trying, hopefully they'll start to eat a bit more. I don't know if we have Tetra, but I can look around. Thanks for the suggestion!

Thanks Boxermom. I have no idea, and thought someone else might know! Maybe someone else will have an idea.


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## Puffer Pita (Jun 16, 2006)

According to my research, there's no real sexual dimorphism, although the males generally tend to be larger than the females and the filaments of their fins tend to be longer. Of the pictures I've seen of spawning pairs, the male tends to have more of the lyretail appearance than the female.


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## Ripley (Apr 17, 2006)

My thoughts as well. And some of the rams in the tank did have that. I thought I'd pointed to one - but it's possible the girl caught a different one. Ah, well... We'll see how things go.


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## Guest (Jul 4, 2006)

> I thought I'd pointed to one - but it's possible the girl caught a different one


When I got my Bolivian...I had my eye on a male, or atleast I thought I did. But they all scattered when the girl went to get them...so I ended up with a female. I hope to get her a boyfriend, when I find somewhere that sells them.


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## Ripley (Apr 17, 2006)

Haha, yeah... I bet the fish were laughing at us too. 

But, I had to wait for like ten minutes while the newbie caught my five platies (I was tricky because I wanted 2 males and three females). Instead of dipping his net in and seeing what he got first, he specifically caught the males, then the females.... Yeesh. I know he's gotta learn, but I'dve been done in about two minutes! 

Do you think if I can get a positive ID on these two, that I could fit in another two? I think it'd be nice to have two pairs. Or, possibly get rid of one, and get another of the opposite gender, so as only to have one pair.


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## Loganvillebetta (Aug 3, 2006)

Hi,

I think you have a male and a female. The male is possibly the one with more color and really high dorsal spikes (the first 3 dorsal spikes). The female is the one with a pinkish belly. Just wait a week or two when they start to pair off you will know for sure. I think if you rams refuse to eat freeze dried foods you need to give them live (grindal worms, or baby brine shrimp). Mine love live but they will eat anything that fits into their mouths.


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## girth vader (Apr 24, 2006)

JustOneMore20 said:


> When I got my Bolivian...I had my eye on a male, or atleast I thought I did. But they all scattered when the girl went to get them...so I ended up with a female. I hope to get her a boyfriend, when I find somewhere that sells them.


http://www.bigalscanada.com/fishspecials/Fish-Special4_6.jpg

wanna take a trip to Ontario??


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