So I Found The Answer To One Problem And Have Another

[Cadevan]

I have a ten gallon, four guppies, 2 corries, and two rescued GBRs (were going to be flushed by dorm mate who was moving to a no-pets appartment) the female hasn't been eating, it's been almost 2 weeks now and she's thin and pale, but the male is as gorgeous as could be and is one of the better looking males I've ever seen outside of online pictures.
 
I know it's overstocked but it should be okay, I've been doing 20% water changes twice a week and been staying on top of any water issues. The water is soft, slightly acidic, and, nitrate low, nitrite and ammonia zero *I know, not the best for the guppies, but honestly it seems like these things could survive anywhere sometimes.* I've tried all different foods and stuff, no change. I now think the male has been harassing her.
 
There is no way for my to get rid of any of the fish, only pet store around here is a petco, and I don't trust them to take care of the fish any better than I am, I tried my dorm mates but no one has anything more than betas let alone a tank suitable for any of my fish. I'm at college with a ten gallon maximum on tank size, so I can't even upgrade. Is there anything I can do at all to stop him or help her? My rams at home have never given me any issues, why must I have gotten the difficult ones now!

 

[Byron]

This is not all that uncommon behaviour for rams, both the common blue and the Bolivian.  The fish must select their mates, what I call a bonded pair.  Even then they sometimes come to disagreement down the road, but generally it is better long-term.  If any female and male are placed in a tank, the male may decide to not accept her; this can occur even after they have spawned a few times.  But the female will end up dead if not separated.  The male is programmed this way by nature, so there is no way to "discipline" him.  In the wild the female could easily move away, but obviously that is not possible in an aquarium.  I even had a Bolivian female killed by the male in my 5-foot tank, after they had spawned four times.  In hindsight I now realize that I was seeing signs all along that they were not bonding, notwithstanding the four spawnings.
 
You are correct on the guppies; while they are livebearers, and all livebearers require moderately hard water to supply essential minerals, this fish is so "altered" by generations of inbreeding that it seems to manage in any water.
 
Byron.

 

[Gvilleguy]

But kudos to you for rescuing the rams before they were flushed!! If you can't find anyone else to take the fish, I would check with Petco. I hate how in the US many local fish stores have closed, and most of us now only have Petsmart and Petco to rely on for our stocks. On the small chance you are near SC I might be able to find a home for that fish.

 

[Cadevan]

I figured that'd probably be the case, it took me a while to figure out why she wasn't eating, he'd never chased her while I was watching until very recently. I was blaming the poor corries for being the curious little guys they are and bothering her. Unfortunately I'm no where near SC or I'd take you up on the offer. There's enough plants that she can hide for now, she's been doing so all day, I hope she can last another week and a half without eating, I should be headed home and can bring her there and throw her in my 40 with a bonded pair, at least there she'd have a little more room to run, and my family might be able to find somewhere for her to go from there. I'll try and ask at the local humane society, maybe they'll have a "fish guy" they can recommend to take her. Thanks guys!