Bolivian ram?
- Thread starter fishwish34
- Start date
I am curious. All this discussion about having enough algae for an oto, vs not over feeding your fish because their stomach is only as big as their eye - just how much algae can one oto eat in a day? Algae seems to accumulate pretty fast under certain circumstances and almost any tank seems to have some even if it isn't taking it over and all that noticeable.
From my own experience, otos are little stomachs with fins. They are constantly munching on algae. They are also almost constantly pooping as well. And as we all know, pooping is a sign of digestion, which means they're digesting algae pretty much as fast as they're eating it. Which is why a constant source of algae is needed.
Having done plenty of disections, I can tell you that this is not true. Not an excuse to overfeed, but the 'eye size' is inaccurate.
As for otos and other vegatarians, they have a much larger stomach compared to body size than omnivores or carnivores. Otos do not have a swim bladder so they have a seperate section of their stomach to store air. This helps them to be neutrally boyant when they need to swim for great distances, but also allows them to absorb oxygen into their bloodstream via the stomach with the air they gulp and not 'waste' time using their gills if they find a good food source. Using the gills means they cannot rasp the algae they have found.
A little oto trivia
Back to the Rams!
As for otos and other vegatarians, they have a much larger stomach compared to body size than omnivores or carnivores. Otos do not have a swim bladder so they have a seperate section of their stomach to store air. This helps them to be neutrally boyant when they need to swim for great distances, but also allows them to absorb oxygen into their bloodstream via the stomach with the air they gulp and not 'waste' time using their gills if they find a good food source. Using the gills means they cannot rasp the algae they have found.
A little oto trivia
Back to the Rams!The electric blue rams are GORGEOUS!! I saw one of those at the same pet store a while ago. I don't remember how much they cost exactly, but it was a lot...
Good to know that $10 is a normal price for a ram. I don't try to kill my fish, but I worry that I will somehow. And then I keep having to replace them. At least that's what happens with my guppies...I have some, one dies, I buy another, another dies, and so on.
Good to know that $10 is a normal price for a ram. I don't try to kill my fish, but I worry that I will somehow. And then I keep having to replace them. At least that's what happens with my guppies...I have some, one dies, I buy another, another dies, and so on.
+1!! I went through SIX rams from one of my LFS before I gave up on them. Went to the other LFS and they had GBRs, so I asked how long they'd had them in stock (they hadn't carried them before). When they said that the rams had been in their tanks three weeks and they hadn't had one death yet, I decided to give one a try. I still have him and it's been 10-11 weeks since I got him.
Mylochromis, Cyrtocara and Buccochromis. Unlike the vegetarian Mbuna, Haplochromis species are piscivores which means they prey on small fish, particularly other small cichlids. Most Haplochromines are only moderately aggressive. Also classified in this first sub-group are the sand dwelling species that include Lethrinops, these are some of your "rams" they are not as nice nice as you think be careful what ram you are buying...
Dude, we're not even talking about Lake Malawi species. We're talking about South Americans, ramirezi/altispinosus. What you're talking about are closer to kribs. They have a completely different temperament and are easily recognizable as a different type of fish. Only a blind person could get the two confused.