Bolivian Ram Advice

[JasperTupp]

Hi
I purchased what I was told were Bolivian Rams from my lfs, however, when I got them home and checked on here they appear to look a bit different. What do you think?

http/www.flickr.com/photos/55379616@N03/5136915201/

http/www.flickr.com/photos/55379616@N03/5136916321/in/photostream/

 

[jacko32]

not a bolivian ram thats for sure i thinks its a geophagus possibly geophagus brasiliensis

 

[AstonN24vantage]

prob a geo

 

[JasperTupp]

Thanks for the advice. I took them back to the lfs and they agreed that they weren't Bolivian's and said they were infact African Cichlids Needless to say I got my money back.

I then went to a different lfs and bought 2 Bolivian Ram's. Anyone any idea of their sex?

http/www.flickr.com/photos/55379616@N03/5139749166/

http/www.flickr.com/photos/55379616@N03/5139144265/in/photostream/

Sorry I've tried to cut & paste the photos but it won't let me so I have had to upload to flickr.

Cheers

 

[kaivalagi]

At a guess this one is male (quite small as you say but finnage looks promising):





And this one is female (more yellow in the body and finnage more rounded and less coloured):




p.s. in flickr is you click on "share this" and then choosehtml/bb code and then click bb code you can copy and paste that for the above
e.g.

 

[JasperTupp]

Cheers Kaivalagi

They have only been in the tank for 10 hours and already you can see some courtship behaviour, at least thats what it looks like. The smaller one (possible male) getting the female (larger one) to follow him around, slight touching of fins and a lot of curling around, if you know what I mean.

Really interesting fish, I can't stop watching them.

 

[kaivalagi]

Assuming they are what we think it's nice that the male is smaller, it means the female can take all the abuse he may give out...

Sounds like you've caught the cichlid bug now

what until they spawn and have some fry

 

[JasperTupp]

Hi

I think we may have guessed wrong here. My bigger Ram, which we thought was a female, is terrorising the rest of the tank. Basically anytime it sees the other Ram it charges and nips it. It chases all the other fish away (guppy's, Gourami's) from its 10 inch square territory that it has established.

What do people think? Have I got 2 males? Should I take the aggressor back and try again for a female? Will it settle?

I have read loads on here, but still don't feel confident sexing them.

Your help would be much appreciated.

Thanks

 

[RustedKnight]

I'm no bolivian ram expert, but from the research i've done i'm 99% sure those are both males.

Behind the pectoral fin there is the egg spot/tube/whatever it is. Then after that is apparently the best spot to check for the sex of a ram.

If the body slopes upwards immediately after the egg spot, it's female.

If the body slopes downwards/stays the same level after the egg spot, it's male.

Both your fish's body after the egg spot slope downwards, so 99% sure they're male.

http/www.fishlore.com/fishforum/ram-cichlid/34600-sexing-bolivian-rams.html

^^^^ explained here ^^^^

 

[JasperTupp]

Hi

As a last ditch attempt at sexing these two here are somemore pic's:


Big 'n' Small by JasperTupp, on Flickr


Large 2 by JasperTupp, on Flickr


Large 3 by JasperTupp, on Flickr


Large 4 by JasperTupp, on Flickr


Small 2 by JasperTupp, on Flickr


Small 3 by JasperTupp, on Flickr


Small 4 by JasperTupp, on Flickr

See how the "sex organ" of the smaller Ram is larger.

Please let me know what you think.

Cheers Rob

 

[RustedKnight]

Much better pictures..

From that I would say Large ram is male, and small ram is female (though i'm still not 100% on it)

 

[RobGoldsmith]

Team Robs, both lost in Ram land!

 

[RustedKnight]

Team Robs, both lost in Ram land!

Hey go back 2 days and I was lost aswell, until they answered it for me and had a go at everything in the tank, including themselves.

 

[RobGoldsmith]

Nice to see we are all in it together