bolivian ram with horizontal stripes

redlessi

I have 2 bolivian rams in my 35 gallon tank and the one I think is the female has horizontal stripes. No alarming behavior other than the color changing. Anyone know what that means?????

Water params 0, 0, 10 with weekly 20-30% water changes. Other tank mates 2 panda cories, 3 guppies, 3 ottos, everyone else is doing great.

Thanks much

Byron

Probably due to "mood swings" brought on by the other ram and nothing to worry about. I have a male Mikrogeophagus altispinosus (Bolivian Ram) and he darkens now and then in response to environmental stimuli like other fish, feeding, water changes. With two in the aquarium there will be interaction, common in all fish but especially pronounced sometimes in cichlids.

There is no colour or pattern difference between male and female; the male has extended filaments on the caudal (tail) fin, top and bottom. If your fish are the same gender, they will interact more often with displays of dominance, particularly when one enters the "territory" of the other; a male/female pair will do this less often. This fish is believed to be solitary in its habitat.

Byron.

redlessi

Thanks Byron, what do you have in the tank with your rams? So you are saying they dont mind being alone?

Byron

As a species they don't mind being on their own. Observations by Horst Linke at collecting sites were that the fish appear to live in isolation except when spawning. They make good community fish, because for a cichlid they are quite docile, except of course when spawning.

I have a single male in my 115g Amazonian Riverscape tank, with about 130 characins, corydoras, and a couple of whiptails (Rineloricaria sp.). He periodically will nudge at the corys when they are feeding from tablets, as the Ram is a bottom feeder; never goes to the surface, never. Remains in the lower level and picks food off the substrate, plant leaves and wood.

Byron.

Hawkian

Can we see a picture of your rams please? I like pics... pics are good!

Byron

My Ram is in one of the close-up photos under my 115g Amazonian Riverscape tank. B.