As some of you may know I rescued a Ram the other day. I read up on them and it says they like caves which mine has found one he likes to hang out in. Do they normally hang out at the bottom of the tank? Mines pretty much stays low and does not go to the top for food, just kinda lets the flakes fall down to him. He also picks up my gravel and spits it out.....is this normal? What kind of food should I be feeding him? Are flakes and freeze dried bloodworms sufficient? Just trying to get an idea on how to care for him.
Characteristics of the Bolivian Ram?
- Thread starter FaFaFooey
- Start date
Good for you for saving the fish!
Frozen is better - mysis shrimp, bloodworms and cichlid pellets which sink. Rams need a higher protein diet than regular fish. Mine also much on sinking spirolina algae pellets.
They will feed off the bottom, their technical name being micro (small) geophagus (earth eaters). They will inhabit the lower portions of the tank so getting food down to them can be a problem if you have feeding frenzy danios, tetras or rainbows. If you can't get food past the crowd on top, try using a turkey baster to shoot it down to them.
They might also dig for themselves little shallow pits in the gravel to hang out in. Hope you like him/her!
Cathy
Frozen is better - mysis shrimp, bloodworms and cichlid pellets which sink. Rams need a higher protein diet than regular fish. Mine also much on sinking spirolina algae pellets.
They will feed off the bottom, their technical name being micro (small) geophagus (earth eaters). They will inhabit the lower portions of the tank so getting food down to them can be a problem if you have feeding frenzy danios, tetras or rainbows. If you can't get food past the crowd on top, try using a turkey baster to shoot it down to them.
They might also dig for themselves little shallow pits in the gravel to hang out in. Hope you like him/her!
Cathy
I persoanlly think the Bolivian ram is a very cool fish. :bday:
I like them cause they are the most active fish on the bottom of my tanks(no cory's)
just an FYI, there has been debate as to the scientific name/s
Microgeophagus altispinosa
Mikrogeophagus altispinosa
Crenicara altispinosa
Papiliochromis altispinosa
just food for thought..
I like them cause they are the most active fish on the bottom of my tanks(no cory's)
just an FYI, there has been debate as to the scientific name/s
Microgeophagus altispinosa
Mikrogeophagus altispinosa
Crenicara altispinosa
Papiliochromis altispinosa
just food for thought..
I have 1 male Bolivian Ram in both my 20G tanks. They both used to hang out on the bottom all of the time but as they became comfortable in the tank they began to venture towards the top more. Essentially they are bottom dwellers though. I have a sand substrate and they both love to keep it clean .
I feed them fast sinking shrimp pellets, algae wafers and if they feel like it they'll eat flakes/pellets from the surface. I find if you put some flakes in first then add some sinking food all the other fish will be too busy eating the flakes. They also LOVE eating the bugs that come around the light at night and fall into the tank.
Great little fish with personality. Here's one of my guys doing what Bolivian Rams do best...posing....
.I feed them fast sinking shrimp pellets, algae wafers and if they feel like it they'll eat flakes/pellets from the surface. I find if you put some flakes in first then add some sinking food all the other fish will be too busy eating the flakes. They also LOVE eating the bugs that come around the light at night and fall into the tank.
Great little fish with personality. Here's one of my guys doing what Bolivian Rams do best...posing...
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