Rams?

[Fresh04]

Checked out my LFS around here, and have had NO luck finding any Rams. I haven't even gotten to see the Blue or Gold Rams to get an idea of which I would like to get! Is there a reason for this? One LFS said they hadn't gotten any in well over a month... Petco said they weren't ordering them, and another LFS said they got some, but they all quickly died. Is it the time of year, and they do not ship well?

Also, has anyone ordered them online, and had success with them?

Thanks guys!

[snakeskinner]

I was told it was the time of the year. I've had 3 pet stores with them "on order" that never showed up. One LFS got a batch of 7 blues and about a dozen golds. I let them sit for a week and they sold out of the blues but I picked up a gold and I love it. I am now considering a bolivian ram to add to my 55 but money got real tight so that may be put off for a while. A local Petsmart got a large batch of very small blue rams that all died the same afternoon. They got another batch of tiny golds but I did not check back to see if they made it. I think that these are the asian rams that are very likely to die from what I hear. Tank lighting makes a huge difference in their appearance. I had put my gold into a 36 gallon tank and you could see his coloring really well when he'd turn different angles but my gold gourami wouldn't leave him alone so I added him to my 55 gallon community tank and he thinks he's a molly now. I have a standard fluorescent hood on this tank and he just looks yellow. I need to upgrade to a better bulb but there goes that money issue again. they are not supposed to be but the golds appeared less aggressive than the blues and I'm told the bolivians are a little more agressive yet and they do get larger. I have very small young platies, a very small guppy and lots of tetras and I have yet to see the gold even face off with another fish. He was following an orange lyretail molly for the first day but the molly was horrified and would run anytime he'd come near. After about a day I guess he figured out the ram wanted to be buddies instead of fighting so they prettymuch pal around the tank now. Rams are supposed to be mid-low water fish but mine has quickly learned he must go topwater to get any food in this tank and he's adapted just fine. I suggest not rushing into any rams when they do start showing up because I think many places (especially petsmart/petsco from what I hear) get the asians which I was told to avoid. good luck, Kyle

[Fresh04]

So there are Rams that are Asian, and there are also German Blue Rams. I knew about the German Rams, but did not know there was also asian species. Thanks!

Anybody buy them online? Any luck with them that way?

[Z Man]

Microgeophagus ramirezi (Blue Rams) are only found in South America in the wild. The German & Asian strains that you hear about are Rams from SA that are selectivly bred for particular color traits in those respective countries.

[snakeskinner]

no Fresh, I meant that's where they are bred (or so I'm told). I have yet to find any LFS or chain store employee/owner that actually knows where they come from though. The closest I got was the petsmart employee told me their wholesaler is in Florida and he wasn't sure if they bred them locally there or if they bought them oversees but since 90% of their ram stock keeps dying the day after they get them, I think they are asian bred. Kyle

[Z Man]

It's very unlikely any store will be able to tell you where they actually came from. Most all retailers purchase from Florida wholesales and the fish usually don't carry a note saying where they originated. Your best bet would be to purchase some with good color that were bred by local hobbyists. Many LFS's purchase these and can tell you exactly where they bought them.

[snakeskinner]

funny you should mention the "local breeders" because the LFS I bought my gold ram from was telling me about how she can't get any females. I wanted a pair but she said all of hers were males. She had tried getting females from them and they never send any. She said the only way she gets some is when she actually goes to the wholesaler's and hand picks the fish. On the other hand, she said she'd been to a store in Dallas (we're in Oklahoma City) that buys from the same wholesaler and all of theirs were females. Her theory is that they are not selling pairs to keep the number of possible breeders to a minimum to eliminate competition. Anyone else seen this at their LFS's? I think most people have pairs of them. I'm not sure if any of the other LFS's have had any females, most of them have a hard time getting any rams period. maybe later this year. Kyle

[J&JsTA]

I was just a local chain store here in Toronto Canada (Petcetera) that had about 12 Blue Rams today but they are so small I couldn't tell if they were M/F but they were looking real good with a nice color coming for such young fish :) ..... store employees were no help :mad:

[vaheelsfan]

I just got two rams today, but had to drive 2 hours to get them. I went to three stores (two lfs and a petsmart) and the two lfs had like 6 rams apiece. The first one I went to had all males from what I could tell, going by the 2nd/3rd ray being longest. The second lfs had males and females, and I think I got one of each. I asked the guy working if I could get 1 male and 1 female and he was like, "Well I don't know which is which." So he netted some and I think I got one of each. They're both only about 3/4 of an inch and are in a 55 gallon tank now, and the other fish seemed more interested in them than visa versa. They don't really seem to have much interest in each other, either, as they are both swimming around checking things out. If they are a pair, how long will it take for them to pair up, and if not, will they be alright in a 55 gallon tank, or should I look into getting a pair of the opposite sex?

[fishdude]

mine said it was time of the year too then they ordered em when it was time

[fishdude]

when they get about an inch long they will form a pair
mine i think are doin that now :D

[Fresh04]

Thanks ya'll.

One more favor, does anyone have a picture of a nice male female pair so that I can pick a good couple at the LFS that actually has some!

Is it easy to tell male/female at the LFS, and also, is there a good number anyone would recommend? Would a pair be fine, or two pair?

36 Gal
1 Pearl Gourami
2 black neon tetra
5 red eye tetra
3 oto cats
2 giant danios

[Z Man]

The female is the one on the bottom.
http://members.aol.com/WnyZman/pram.html

[fishdude]

wow that looks just like my female xcept my male has a longer dorsal ray