Choosing Bolivian Rams for my tank....

[Opicana]

I'd like to add 2 Bolivian Rams to my 72g Community tank.

These would be my 1st pair of rams, so I have been searching the forums and googling for info...and this has resulted in a few questions....

1) If breeding isn't something I am particularly concerned with, does it matter what sexes I get? Are they more comfortable in a f/m situation?

2) I keep seeing people talk about "finding a pair" and they add like 6 to a tank and wait for a pair to form. Is this something I need to worry about, or is this only for breeding?

Sure, babies are always welcome in my tanks, but I my main reason for getting them is just to have some pretty centerpiece fish for my community (and I have read they can add a lot of character, which I am all about).

Thanks!

 

[bl00]

With blue rams, I've noticed its best to have only one male if possible because of aggression, although in a 72, I doubt only 2 of them would have huge territory issues.

 

[evelyn80]

go for a male and female. if ya get fry you could raise and sell em for a profit from the tank. or you could just let your other fish eat them. go for a pair if would be a sweet centre peice!

 

[Opicana]

Okay, so how do I go about getting a pair? Do I have to buy 6 or so and wait for a pair to form and then take the rest back? Or do I just buy a male and a female and then hope for the best?

 

[snoopy65]

I bought 4 and a pair formed from those. I was lucky though. I managed to get 2 males and 2 females. The other 2 have not formed a pair though. The thing is, you could buy 6 and may get a pair and you could buy 1 male and 1 female and may get a pair. But you also may not. Just because you have both sexes doesn't mean they will pair up.

 

[KarlTh]

That is. of course, if you can sex them. They're rather difficult to sex, especially when not in full colour (i.e. at the LFS) and not yet mature (i.e. at the LFS)

 

[vtx-coley]

I have 3 that I bought from twofishguyz and have no idea what sex they are....they all get along great in my 55.

 

[Opicana]

So...what should I do then?

- Get a random pair from the LFS....and see what happens when the mature. If they don't get along, find a home for one, and get another?

- Buy a group, see if I can get a pair....and then do what w/ the rest? How long before I will be able to tell when a pair is formed? Will the LFS really take them back after they are mature?

- Ask around and see if I can find a pair that is already together?

No idea.....what I am supposed to.

 

[vtx-coley]

I agree with bl00. I doubt you'll have aggression issues in a 72 gallon. There's enough room for them to have their own territories. My three pretty much stay in their spot without any issues. If it doesn't matter if they spawn or not, try a random pair. I highly recommend twofishguyz if you're willing to pay for the shipping. Send them an e-mail and see what's available, maybe they can sex them for you. I asked for 1 male, 2 female....not sure what they sent me and as long as they get along I don't really care.

 

[snoopy65]

I didn't buy mine to get a pair. I got them because I like Bolivians, the pair was just a bonus. One of the things I learned in researching them: Bolivian Rams require about 10 square inches of floor space as a territory on average. Some a little more, some less. With the size of your tank, if you are just wanting them because you like them, get them as you have plenty of space for them to claim without having any issues.