New to cichlids, help me choose?

R

RobD

Medium Fish
#21
Jun 14, 2004
78
0
0
Mt. Pleasant, MI
www.cst.cmich.edu
#21
Okay, a 40% water change bi-weekly doesn't sound like the right plan for me. I'll skip on the borelliis and just think about getting two males to go with these females.

That would put me at 52 inches worth of adult-size fish length, assuming I get 8 Harlequin Rasboras. Maybe I'll have to change to 8 Cardinal Tetras and bring it down to 46 inches.

I need something swimming along the middle & top. The zebras have discovered that the "good" food is at the bottom and hang out down there now. Nobody wants to swim at the top, unless there is food.
 

Purple

Purple

Superstar Fish
#22
Oct 31, 2003
1,666
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Hampshire UK
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#22
A tip for the future - males tend to look slightly different from females. This can show in the fin length, colouration, size (eventualy), and behaviour.

So - if you have two fish that look identical - they're both either male or female. Looking at those pics - whatever you have - you have two of the same sex.

Very hard to tell when they're small like that - but next time that guy at the LFS (who loses 50% of his stock to transit stress) tells you something, ignore him and work it out as best you can yourself.
 

R

RobD

Medium Fish
#24
Jun 14, 2004
78
0
0
Mt. Pleasant, MI
www.cst.cmich.edu
#24
Well, after 4 weeks, the store got some more rams in so after an hour I bought two.

I had asked them to reserve me two males. When I got there, it was a very heated conversation between 3 employees and me (no two identical opinions) about the tank. The only thing is that they agreed that new ram #2 was a male. Somehow I think it might be a bolivian or a cross-breed. In the bag it had very definite stripes, but now it is faded just like the rest.

Here are pictures of new ram #2:



Male or female? German Blue or Bolivian?

I'll have pictures of new ram #1 when I can get some good shots. I think it is a female, very red belly. Majority guess was that the entire tank was female.

I figured I was safe, I either have 3 females now and a bolivian or I have 3 females and a male. Else I have 4 females. Didn't think any of these scenarios were bad for the 46 gallon.
 

R

RobD

Medium Fish
#25
Jun 14, 2004
78
0
0
Mt. Pleasant, MI
www.cst.cmich.edu
#25
I know nobody has replied yet (not worried) but I think I answered my own question. I think this is a Bolivian Ram. It looks just like the ones here: http://www.cichlidae.info/articles/a031.php

So now tomorrow I guess I'll be calling this fish store and seeing what they will do. All 3 employees swore to me that this was a german - I should have trusted my gut.

The only downside is that it will cost me an hour drive each way and $14 in gas to exchange it (if they'll do it, and it'll end up being for a fourth female), and the fish was only $9.

The 3 females are having little spats here and there. One hangs out with the Bolivian and is the brightest in coloring. The second one has her own spot in the tank and only colors up when facing off with the first one. The third one seems to be the lowest in the pecking order and will get "attention" from the other two.

Buyer's remorse is setting in on this purchase...
 

R

RobD

Medium Fish
#27
Jun 14, 2004
78
0
0
Mt. Pleasant, MI
www.cst.cmich.edu
#27
Well, #2 and #4 just spawned some eggs tonight!! So unless they are really confused fish, I think #4 is a male. Now I have to decide to what to do with the eggs. I wasn't thinking I'd ever have a breeding pair, since the water is hard (7.6ish) and I don't change the temperature or anything to initiate spawning.
 

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