Ram question

[ChrisWalker]

Hi guys, just a quick question:

At what age approximately do Bolivian Rams reach sexual maturity? I've read it's a lot later than Blue rams but I don't know. I've had them since mid october last year and they were new in at the fish store.

Now they're about 2 inches long. How old are they roughly when a pet store gets them in?

Thanks people.

[Cathy G]

I sell mine to the pet stores at about 1.5 inches. Some of them are spawning by then, but far and away, most are not. I first start seeing lots of spawning when they are 9 months...

I bought mature fish from 2 different stores when I started to breed them. They were not a pair and it took quite a few months before they became a real pair. They did spawn occasionally, but got into huge fights over who was the 'protector'. Eventually I added 2 female blue rams to the tank - I didn't have anywhere else to put them. What turned the Bolivs into a pair was the introduction of a male blue ram. Boy, once the competition started, the pair bond took hold and they spawned and raised their young.

Be patient, perhaps introduce another female if your tank is big enough. Have you been feeding high protein foods? What's the temp in the tank? Should be around 78...

Hope this helps,
Cathy

[ChrisWalker]

Hi Cathy, thanks for the reply.

A female blue ram is going in tomorrow to give the male some company.

Because the bolivians share with blue rams and dwarf gouramis the temp is usually about 26-28* C - 79-81* F.

Often it seems like the male is ready to breed, he usually does his little dances and such to her, but she isn't usually interested. They are practically inseperable, but it's an up and down relationship...When she doesn't respond to his moves, he pecks her. I've seen him trying to push things out of his was when he finds a place he likes, but never her.

They get a diet of Catfish pellets (algae pellets I think), tropical fish pellets, the occaisional freeze dried tubifex if the cube breaks up and sinks, and frozen Daphnia. They never come up for for bloodworm or flakes. No actual living food though.

Oh well...I'm sure they'll get it right, there are some decent hidey spots in the tank.