Bolivian/Blue Cross?

[Clurin]

I just inherited a fish from a friend who needs to tear down some of her tanks. She said it was a blue ram, but now that I've had him home and have had a chance to look at him closely, he kind of looks like a cross between a bolivian ram and a blue ram. Is this possible?

He has the blue speckles on his posterior of a blue ram (very faint, however), but his head and front (pectoral?) fins are shaped much like a bolivian's. He lacks the red highlights associated with the bolivian's, however.

I will try and get some pictures when I get home from work. Is this cross possible? (Note: he does not have a mate, so he will not be breeding in my tank - unless the A. Cacautoides male lets him near a female.. but I don't think that cross is possible)

 

[psyko2k2]

To the best of my knowledge they cannot cross breed. they are a different genus( i think that is the right term). The blue rams might be able to breed with gold rams but i believe that the genetics of a bolivian and a blue are too different.

 

[kcooley]

they are both microgoephagus ramirezi

i have seen a few crossbreeds of theese, including at a fish auction where they were rejected because they were cross breeds

 

[IndianaSam]

The blue rams might be able to breed with gold rams

Oh, they definately can since they're the same species.

i have seen a few crossbreeds of theese, including at a fish auction where they were rejected because they were cross breeds

Well, they're technically not "cross-breeds" since they're both the same species. I've seen some crosses of these two varients and they looked pretty neat to me. Oh well, it's a shame they were ignored at the auction.

 

[Clurin]

Hmm..

They have the same genus, they are different species:

Bolivian Ram = Microgeophagus altispinosa
Blue/Gold Ram = Microgeophagus ramirezi

Now, the Blue Ram has had a few different genii applied to it (Apistogramma among others), but it is currently Microgeophagus.

It certainly may be a pure blue that is just a bit deformed, but the fin and head shape really strike me as a bolivian while the coloration is blue ram (just a bit duller).

 

[Clurin]

Pictures

Here are the pictures:

Fish in question:

Male Blue Ram:

Female Blue Ram:

Male Bolivian Ram:

Female Bolivian Ram:

 

[psyko2k2]

sorry i got genus and species mixed up, i was pretty sure that blue and bolivian couldn't cross though.