I bought a Bolivian Ram and a female German Blue Ram, each for different aquariums, from a Pets At Home store on the 10/5/14. After having asked the 'Small Mammals Sale Assistant' to feed the GBR's and having checked for bodily ailments and not finding any, I decided I'd take the plunge and also buy a Bolivian Ram for my other community aquarium that consists mainly of Albino Corydoras and Black Neon Tetras.
The Sales Assistant dropped the GBR onto the ground in the process of catching it; it was a good 5 foot free fall so I immediately checked it for signs of stress once the Sales Assistant rightly placed it back in the water. Luckily, the GBR had all its colours and seemed indifferent to what would be the equivalent of a human throwing himself head first off the roof of their own home. Alas, I went ahead and bought the GBR.
I then saw some quite colourful Bolivian Rams in the adjacent tank so bought what I thought would, like the GBR's, be a healthy fish with a good appetite. This doesn't seem to be the case as the Bolivian Ram is not responding to or eating flake, crisps, pellets, tabs (of varying compositions) or blood worms. I have literally been throwing food in front of the fish and it appears to not notice it. It seems to be overly occupied with it's own reflection at all times.
I am quite predictably getting fed up with the fish and thinking about taking it back to the store as it will soon die if it doesn't know how to eat.
I'd be grateful if anybody could shine some light on what is wrong with the Bolivian Ram. I can tell you, from my limited knowledge of this fishes physique, that its looks somewhat dissented (head looks a bit big in relation to it's body) however it has no white trailing faeces (commonly occurs when there is a refusal to eat) and its pelvic fins are not clamped.
Water Stats:
pH: 6.5
Temperature: 27.0 degrees C
Ammonia: 0 ppm
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Nitrate: 20 ppm
The Sales Assistant dropped the GBR onto the ground in the process of catching it; it was a good 5 foot free fall so I immediately checked it for signs of stress once the Sales Assistant rightly placed it back in the water. Luckily, the GBR had all its colours and seemed indifferent to what would be the equivalent of a human throwing himself head first off the roof of their own home. Alas, I went ahead and bought the GBR.
I then saw some quite colourful Bolivian Rams in the adjacent tank so bought what I thought would, like the GBR's, be a healthy fish with a good appetite. This doesn't seem to be the case as the Bolivian Ram is not responding to or eating flake, crisps, pellets, tabs (of varying compositions) or blood worms. I have literally been throwing food in front of the fish and it appears to not notice it. It seems to be overly occupied with it's own reflection at all times.
I am quite predictably getting fed up with the fish and thinking about taking it back to the store as it will soon die if it doesn't know how to eat.
I'd be grateful if anybody could shine some light on what is wrong with the Bolivian Ram. I can tell you, from my limited knowledge of this fishes physique, that its looks somewhat dissented (head looks a bit big in relation to it's body) however it has no white trailing faeces (commonly occurs when there is a refusal to eat) and its pelvic fins are not clamped.
Water Stats:
pH: 6.5
Temperature: 27.0 degrees C
Ammonia: 0 ppm
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Nitrate: 20 ppm
