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got 2 bolivian rams this week, help sex

7K views 5 replies 3 participants last post by  Byron 
#1 ·
These are my new bolivian rams, I put them in my 35 gal Q tank. They still dont have much color yet but they are really cool. I think the first one is a male and the other one is female, what do you think


Sorry about the quality of the pics, you can see I dont have photography skills. I will try to get some better shots. They have a lot more color with the lights off. Hopefully once they settle in they will get more color. I got them on Mon or Tues. It looks like they are setting in pretty good, they are eating good. They have not gone to the top for food but seem to like the algae wafers that I am feeding the cories. I really love these guys especially how they swim and stop like they are putting on the brakes.

Not sure how old they are, I got them from petco and the clerk did not know much about them.

Thanks much
 

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#2 ·
Congrats on the two rams! I also have two bolivians, love them!
Mine, never come to the top for food, but have done will on sinking pellets, peas, shrimp, and bloodworms.

The easiest way for me to sex, is by looking at the tail fin. The male has an extended tail fin, much longer than the females. Byron sent me a good link about Bloivian Rams a while back, I'll go look for it.
 
#5 ·
I want to eventually take them from the 35 and put into the 72. I have a driftwood cave that the cories currently love and I am wondering what will happen when I add the rams
Should I get two more of these so everyone will have their own?? I dont want a big fight over the one that is already occupied by the cories
If I get 2 more can I have 1 in the middle and 1 on each end without crowing the bottom of the tank too much
 

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#6 · (Edited)
TM is correct; I can't tell from your photos. Young fish are very difficult to sex, but as they mature the male develops considerably longer extensions to the caudal (tail) fin. The photo TM posted hows the male upper fish, female lower. And here's the link to quite a good article on this fish:
The Cichlid Room Companion - Keeping and Breeding the Bolivian Ram, Microgeophagus altispinosa (Haseman, 1911)

The male Mikrogeophagus altispinosus (Bolivian Ram) will establish a territory and if you have two males they will each do this and keep the other away, though seldome (given enough room of course) do injuries occur. Caves are not necessary. They are generally peaceful with other fish, sometimes prodding or poking others at feeding time, esp bottom fish since they do feed from the bottom. I have never seen mine at the surface.

Byron.
 
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