Picky Ram

[GoGators]

I've got a picky Bolivian ram that doesn't like flakes, shrimp pellets, or hakari micro wafers. He just spits it out. After lights out he picks at the gravel for food but he won't eat any of the above. The coolest little fish though, he wasn't phased by the trip from the fish store 3 weeks ago. He just calmly swam from the bag to his spot then scoped everything out. He comes straight to the glass when I come through the door to say hello. What do y'all recommend for food? It's a 29 gallon community planted tank. The stats are always 78 degrees, 7.8 PH, 0 nitrite, 0 ammonia, and 10-20 nitrates (closer to 10). He's showing all his colors and is always cruising around with the panda corries so I don't think he's sick. No signs what so ever, he keeps his top fin sraight up most of the time. I'm just worried about his spitting out food. He's only about 1.5" right now.

 

[bagu]

My ram does this and it's so frustrating.

Hve you tried bloodworms? Mine eats a bit of shrimp, bloodworms and sinking tablets. You could try soaking the food in garlic

 

[Truck]

cook some beef so its really tender...or try him on tuna or cooked chicken...goes down a treat

 

[bagu]

cook some beef so its really tender...or try him on tuna or cooked chicken...goes down a treat

lol, completely slipped my mind

 

[ALW]

He/she is just picking up the scraps in the substrate, this is normal for Rams. It will take flake eventually. Agreed with the live food!

 

[GoGators]

Thanks for the advice! I just got home from picking up some frozen brine shrimp. San francisco bay brand. I got some wardley cichlid crumbles also. I'll try the frozen shrimp tomorrow as I've already fed them today. Thanks again.

 

[rmtaylor10]

Mine seem to really like catfish wafers.

 

[Truck]

as said earlier they sift through the substrate...as there scientific name suggests micro geophagus which translates to mini earth eater...so some small sinking micro pellets may go down well

 

[GoGators]

No response to the brine shrimp at all. More worried about being on the same side of the tank that I was standing closest too than food. I've got hakari micro wafers I put in almost everyday. I'm starting to worry now.

 

[GoGators]

OK now I'm starting to get mad. I've tried everything I can think of and the little guy still won't eat. It still acts normal though. Swimming around with his top fin straight up or swimming up and down on the front glass. Water is still the same as before. Still picks at the gravel and moss ball but spits out everything I put in. Doesn't touch frozen brine shrimp. Its going on 3 weeks I believe.

 

[mattbond]

try freeze dried tubifex, brine shrimp, daphnia and river shimp

at work i find blue rams love frozen/live daphnia so try that

you may find hes getting some nutrition anyway, but just doesnt eat the whole thing? does he appear thin?

 

[GoGators]

I'll try to find daphnia tomorrow. What is it? He doesn't look to thin and he shows some blue in his coloring. Could it still be because of the new tank? It's cycled but it's new to him. Ive had my pleco for a month and he just started coming out to eat this week. I don't let the nitrates get to 20 ppm. I check every other day and if it gets close I change 15% of the water. It usually takes 5-6 days for that to happen sometimes longer. I think I overfeed a little.

 

[meguro]

Do you have some sort of vege/algae wafer for the plec? My bolivian rams enjoy those. Might have to break them up a little though depending on the size of them.

If he doesn't look thin I wouldn't be concerned, they like to play with their food.

 

[snowflake311]

I bet he is eating just fine. They like to pick up the food off the bottom not go for it at the top. Find out what they were feeding him at the Pet store.

I have Bolivian rams they are far from picky. They love hakari sinking Cichlid pellets. I crush them up so they are easy to eat. These guys are like Cory cats with the way they sift throw the sand for food.

If he is not thin and he acts fine no need to stress out. He is eating, He just is not a pig like most fish and would rather hunt for his food.

Spiting out food does not always mean they don't like it. They are tasting it checking it out first because it's new. Sometimes if the food is a bit too large they will spit it out then eat it and then spit it out again till its softer.

 

[mattbond]

dapnia aka water fleas, get them either frozen or better still live, you can get a freeze dried version but i find that doesnt do so well