Bolivian Ram Ill?

[mark4785]

I introduced 1 bolivian ram to my aquarium last Sunday and have tried feeding it a range of different foods which all the other fish that I have go crazy for. Such foods include Nutrafin pellets/flakes, Tetra tabimin sinking pellets and algae wafers. This bolivian ram will approach these foods, peck it and spit it all back out. I've watched it do this over and over again and, in doing so, also noticed that it looks a bit emaciated (thin/sunken) and has clamped pectoral fins. I've tried adding Seachem Garlic Guard to the above foods, which is a potent garlic additive, and still it spits the food out.
 
Am I dealing with an internal bacterial problem here? Other than the thinness, not eating and clamped fins, there's nothing else to go on.
 
 
Tank details:
 
Capacity: 120 litres
Inhabitants: 10 Black neon tetras, 4 Corydoras and 1 Bolivian Ram
Plants?: Yes
Ammonia: 0 ppm
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Nitrate: 30 ppm
pH: 6.2

 

[Fishmanic]

I have a bolivian ram and also noticed it spitting out flakes and pellets.   One thing they do eat voraciously is algae wafers.  
 
I can't advise whether it has an infection.

 

[Smelliot]

I have four Bolivian rams they eat anything I chuck in, sorry this comment wasn't remotely helpful.

 

[Fishmanic]

when I drop in a wafer for my 2 rams, they fight over it---pushing each other away---they drag they wafer under a plant or behind a rock to try to hide it from the angels who nibble on too

 

[mark4785]

Well I thought I'd provide an update.
 
I've tried giving the Ram 3 different kinds of algae wafer as well as Tabimins, bloodworm, flake and pellet and it won't even acknowledge the food.
 
It swims around doing a spitting action with it's mouth as though it doesn't want to swallow anything.
 
Today I noticed white faeces coming out of it's vent so I believe it has something along the lines of Hexamita parasite. I've treated the water with Esha Hexamita which will hopefully kill the parasite, however, the white pooh is usually a sign that the intestinal wall is damaged beyond repair so it will probably be deceased in about 3 weeks as it won't be able to absorb nutrition anymore.
 
£7.99 (Pets at Home) for a diseased fish is pretty diabolical.

 

[mark4785]

Well it still hasn't eaten. It's laying on the bottom with it's fins clamped so it won't be long now until it passes.
 
The tank has exceptional water quality and all the other fish, as ever, are thriving so I will put the bolivian ram's health issue down to not being cared for properly by Pets at Home staff. This is not the first dwarf cichlid I've bought that has been under fed to such a degree that it doesn't understand how to eat anything. The last time this happened I was sold a german ram with a sunken belly, HITH and had a complete avoidance of food.