Female Bolivian ram?

[samoyed123]

Hello, I recently got another Bolivian for my male fish. The LFS said it was a female Bolivian ram when I was purchasing but I wanna make sure.

 

[samoyed123]

Thanks in advance.

 

[Fishguy13]

I am not one hundred percent sure but I think it might be a female.

 

[communityfluvalroma]

I’m fairly sure this is a female Bolivian Ram. She has a more rounded head. The anal fin extends further than her body and the dorsal fin is more pointed at the end.

 

[utahfish]

I’m fairly sure this is a female Bolivian Ram. She has a more rounded head. The anal fin extends further than her body and the dorsal fin is more pointed at the end.

What you are describing sounds like a male minus the rounded head.
Males have longer anal fins and pointed dorsal fins.
A males pectoral fins will also be longer and pointed a females rounded. Also on a male and its tough to see from the pic the sail or dorsal fin on top in males the first 3 to 5 spikes will be darker black and taller than the proceeding spikes.
In the pic provided it looks like the anal fin extends past the body the pectoral fins look pointy and it looks like the spikes on the dorsal fin on top are clearly black. Other than the absence of a slight bump on head this looks like a male bolivian Ram to me. Though from the pic its tough to be certain about the anal fin and the dorsal fin.

 

[Essjay]

The fins do look male but is that a female breeding tube in the photo?

Even if the new fish is female, they may not bond and could still fight. Bolivian rams, like many cichlids, need to choose their own mate and putting just any male and female together may still end with one of them being bullied to death.

 

[utahfish]

Redirect Notice

 

[Bub]

Yes that is a female. The fins and head don't look overly male to me, my females all have slightly "masculine" fins. The tube is definitely female.

My experience with my fish and through other forums differs quite a bit from many of this forum. I've found Bolivians to be quite peaceful (other than the typical fighting exchanges cichlids have which amount to nothing really), and I've found that killing a new ram (if its sex is different) is not entirely common. They pair quite often too. Interesting how different experiences can be. Hope she works out well with your male.