Bolivian Ram cichlid Help!!!!

[Fishgovno]

I have a problem with my ram he or she is sitting over a clutch of eggs on a rock in a 50g aquarium with 2 other rams and 3 angle fish,there are lots of plants in the aquarium.
My problem is the eggs seem to be disapearing and I dont know who or what but the one ram just hovers over the eggs.
How do you breed these cichlids and what am I doing wrong?
Help

 

[Seaman]

First off, you more than likely in a community tank will have to move the eggs to another tank, so they can be safe. Also are the eggs white or amber, white means they have fungused, and they arent good...so if they are white you might as well take them out.

 

[~*LuvMyKribs*~]

Yes, in a community tank most often the eggs will get picked off... however the 'parent' who is tending to the eggs might be removing the bad/unfertalized ones herself. I'm not sure i would remove the eggs as they might not survive without the parent tending them? I dont know but if this is thier first spawn then i wouldn't regard it as a total failure... most fish loose thier first spawn and as they breed again they will get better at it. You might want to let this one stay as-is to see if the babies survive a while without you helping.. then you will be able to judge on the next spawn when to remove the eggs/fry.. if at all.


-Diana

 

[Fishgovno]

Thanks

The eggs are white, in eather case the ram ate all of them(crap) I was kind of looking forward to this.To be honest I can't tell which is the male or female of this breed.Any suggestions as to how to tell or perhaps a pic please?
Thanks

 

[Jayhawk]

Cichlids take time to learn how to parent. Many cichlids eat their first few spawns (either in egg or fry form). Give them time. Yes, you can remove the eggs, but then they won't improve their parenting skills which for me is what cichlids are all about.

Eric

 

[jd_7655]

I had a pair of blue rams that were breeding in my tank. I was told by a credable source that ram eggs need a low ph to hatch if the ph isnt low the eggs die and the fish eat them

 

[Haggisman]

Thats not the case with bolivians however.

 

[Z Man]

True that the Altispinosa (Bolivian Rams) don't need soft water. BUT is one of the other 2 Rams a male?

 

[JazzyB]

My pair of Microgeophagus altispinosa spawned about 3 weeks ago, however my shoal of Corydoras paleatus in the tank ate the eggs. Needless to say they're on their way out of the tank. A friend is collecting tomorrow afternoon.

Anyhow, in sexing altispinosa the male tends to have elongated dorsal and caudal fins. As if they were rays. The female does not. That's the easiest way to sex them IMO.

In a community tank, it is inevitable that one of the fish will "snack" on the eggs so it's best to either seperate the breeding pair before they lay their eggs and hope for the best. Altispinsosas tend to be good parents and are a joy to watch gathering their young, etc. I've included some pictures so that you could see the difference.

Male

Male

Female

 

[Tim Bo]

Great pics!