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Okay, I have added two more rams to my 29 gallon, making four total, since I have no clue as to their sexes as yet. I hope to get at least one true male/female pair out of this group. And when I do figure it out, is the best plan to take the other two back to the fish store, unless there turns out to be two true pairs, in which case, is it safe to keep two breeding pairs in a 29 gallon? (complicated question....forgive me.)
Also, I have added 7 small bloodfin tetras as dither fish, per advice read. Is that cool?
Thanks for patience and advice to all!

Actually Bolivian Rams dont breed in pairs like say angelfish or the like. In the wild, these fish form Harems, 1 male to several females. It is likely in your case that you will see this also happen, 1 male with group with as many females as will tolerate each other, and he will fertilize all the eggs of these females.
It is called Unimale Polygynous Breeding Strategy. They should be breeding age and size by 8 months of age or so. You may have to wait awhile depending on the size/age of your fish.

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Actually, I believe these fish are pair-formers, or are at least willing to form pair bonds in captivity. Males and females will pair up, much like the related German ram. Two breeding pairs will be fine in your tank, if you do happen to end up with two pairs.

As for your other question, the tetras should be fine. The rams should tolerate them just fine.

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Many thanks for the input, sirbooks and pete!
My fish seem to be co-existing peacefully. It seems like I might have one male Ram and three females, because one seems to be more dominate than the others and colors up really nicely. The other three seem to hang around together as a group, and the one sort of guards a cave area. But who knows?

in my experience there harem breeders n not to harsh on other tank mates

This is the first I've heard of bolivian rams being harem breeders.

Mine definitely formed a distinct pair and kept all others up in the corners of the tank even when not spawing (which is why the other two, one male and one female not paired up, went back to the LFS) in my 29 gallon tank.

Have you actually seen harem behavior or just unpaired fish coexisting with a pair? Just curious...

Eric


Last edited by Big E at 16-Feb-2005 23:07

Yes, I have seen Harem breeding behaviour, hence why I said how they breed. I have several friends who keep Harems of Bolivian Rams, one friend keeps 4 females with 1 male, another friend has 7 females and 1 male, and another has 2 distinct harems in his 180g tank- 1 group with 1 male and 5 females, the other with 1 male and 3 females.
I have never heard of them being pair breeders before. I wonder if maybe you have only 1 female and the other fish that are being kept away are males??


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Right now I only have the pair, but before I definitely had the pair plus another male and another female - they were all of sexable age and size.

Who knows - fish are odd!

Eric

ive doen alot of readin on bolivians recently because i havent just bought some. everything ive read says they pair off but will "sometimes" harem breed much like blue rams will. they arnt "true" harem breeders but will do it once in a while if permitted but its not required.