Few Questions About My Rams

[nukeonekitty]

First question is how do your bolivian rams act in the tank? Mine are very inactive and stay near the bottom. I think they are scared of me because when I sit still for a long time they will start moving around. Also, how long does it take for 2 to pair and how do you know they are paired (I have 4, all of which are about 2-3 inches)?

 

[nukeonekitty]

??? Anyone???

 

[cafai0627]

??? Anyone???

Assuming they behave like German Rams - very quickly. I think it was 3 or 4 days after I purchased my 3 juveniles (1nch each) they spawned. 2 females and 1 male of course. All 3 tended to them and about 38hours later all three enjoyed caviar - i think thats how you spell it. For German Rams i know the pink belly ones are the females. Before i purchased these 3 i bought 5 full grown one (4m 1m) all died except for the most dominant male (still don't know what it was that killed them) probably it was harder to adjust them to my water (7.6PH). I keep the lone male in my 65 gallon and since the deaths of his mates - his colour intensified and is very pretty and active. He is always the first guy in the tank to know when feeding time is; he always make sure his colours are on full display when i go to the tank and you can see the excitement on him like a dog knowing he is going to be walked (he wags his tail). The other 3 juveniles i keep in my 30gallon - once a true pair forms out of the trio and the females grows a bit bigger i will introduce one of them in my 65 gallon. Right now the 2 females are always fighting - i guess over the male.

Hope this helps...and mine spawned on the driftwood.

 

[nukeonekitty]

Yeah, it is making me wonder whether I have 4 males or 4 females because none are spawning...

 

[cafai0627]

Yeah, it is making me wonder whether I have 4 males or 4 females because none are spawning...

Anything distinctly different about the 4? I'm happy mine spawned, but really i'm the kinda fish keeper that will let nature take its course - if they survive they survive. My 2 females both have their breeding tubes out already only 2 weeks after spawning. The first time i bought them i knew nothing about them and ended up getting the most colourful ones and males being more colourful i got 4 of them and 1 colourful female. 4 of them died one by one within 3 weeks either from fighting, female probably got harrassed to death. They like softer water - but judging from my lone full grown male in the 65 gallon they can do well in hard water too.

I was determined to keep them so i bought a 30 Gallon bow front starter kit ($120 CDN with biowheel filter and heater brand new on boxing day) I didn't even cycle my tank, just got old filter pad from 1 of my 3 filters on the 65 gallon and just placed it in the new one and they've been doing just great, however you are taking a chance if you try that so i don't recommend it,just telling you what i did! And when i purchased the trio i actually asked the guy to get me 2 f and 1m. The trio are currently housed with 10 black neons, 2 f plattys, 4 juvenile (2-4 inch) discus, and yes once the discus starts growing i will buy them their own 55 gal hex tank and probably move the pair of rams in with them as they look amazing together! The discus i just bought last week and its my first try and heard varying stories about tank size - but i'm chosing to listen to one forum member, keep discus in smaller tanks as juveniles will have a hard time finding food in larger ones. BTW what size is your tank? Anyother mates with them?

 

[nukeonekitty]

They are in a standard 20 with 2 neons... the neons are slowly being killed haha...

They all look alike and I can't see differences except in size...

 

[cafai0627]

They are in a standard 20 with 2 neons... the neons are slowly being killed haha...

They all look alike and I can't see differences except in size...

Did you start with a school of neons? In my 65 gallon i started with 28 now down to 18 - i don't know what mates are killing them - however none of them eats it after its dead except the clown loaches - and i don't want them to eat it, but they take the body and run back to their caves so i can't do anything about it. The 10 black neons i have in my 30 gallon are doing fine. Buy more as they look awesome in a school!

 

[nukeonekitty]

Yeah I started with 7... down to 2... They are getting some new tank mates today (dwarf rainbow fish) so they won't mess with them... for the neons, I am sorry to say that their fate is completely on themselves... they can't run forever haha. Jeez how it must suck to be the bottom of the food chain...

 

[cafai0627]

Yep one by one mine are dissapearing too! Unfortunately since these guys are so common my LFS won't even take them back for free. Did you ever try leopard long fin danios? They are super active and breed very easily and occupy the top of the tank -however when they chase eachother they go all over the place. I only decided to get the neons b/c i saw my LFS do it with one of thier display tanks with full grown angels - i don't see them eating it...but then again i'm not there all the time, and they probably just keep putting more in there each time one gets eaten