# Bolivian Ram-Community fish?



## zaky9 (Feb 14, 2010)

Okay, so i bought 2 Bolivian rams from a pet store the other day. The guy at the store said that the rams are community fish, and they're doing well in my tank. I am worried that they may become aggressive when they are full grown, and i saw one eating one of my ghost shrimp yesterday. I have a male and a female, both about 1.5 inches long. Are they good community fish or not? :fish:


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## adam79 (Jun 27, 2007)

The term community fish doesn't really mean much. You can have a group of aggressive fish in a community. Many cyprinids and characins considered "community fish" can be nippy and down right nasty. Most any fish with protein in there natural diet will eat what they can fit in there mouth. Crustaceans can be vulnerable during a moult where their new shell is soft and tasty. Bolivian rams are generaly far from aggressive and can be kept with small peacefull fish, but small shrimp may be on the menu.


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## aquariam (Feb 11, 2010)

I have kept bolivian rams with large amano shrimp with no issues. they will attack small shrimp. they never bothered my other fish including very small killis, very small tetras, angelfish, plecos, corys, loaches.

One of the mellowest fish I've ever seen. I'm not sure they're really capable of hurting another fish. It just isn't in them. I wouldn't worry if I were you. They are harmless. certainly less dangerous than even serpae tetras.


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## iLuvAngels (May 14, 2008)

My Seprae Tetras chase each other all the time but they also swim together sometimes. I didn't know that they did that until after I put them in the tank! Fortunately they don't mess with any of my other fish, just each other. I have had many people tell me that if I get a small cichlid then that may calm them down a little bit. I had planned on getting a pair of Bolivian Rams anyway so I am hoping that once they are added to the tank then maybe those fiesty little guys will calm down a little bit.

They have been in the tank for over two months and are doing fine. No injuries, they all eat well, leave the other fish alone and have beautiful colors. I figure it is just their nature so I am just leaving them in there. They do liven up my tank a bit.


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## Dutch Dude (Sep 14, 2006)

To the Bolivians those shrimp are just giant lobsters. So don't blame them from snacking. I kept Bolivians for years with a large group of cherry shrimp. The Bolivians kept the number "down" to +/- 200 shrimp.

Bolivians are suitable for a communety tank. They won't bother tetras but might have issues with cories. Cories often want to snack eggs so they get chased roughly by the Bolivians in order to protect their spawn. Bolivians should be kept in small group of 5 fish or more just like their big relatives Geophagus. You can check the BRC thread for tons on info.


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## zaky9 (Feb 14, 2010)

Thanks everyone, but now all of the shrimp have been eaten  . The rams are doing fine though.


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## DeadFishFloating (Oct 9, 2007)

ROTFLMAO

I'm sorry, but what did you expect putting cichlids in with small shrimp. Of course they were going to eat the shrimp. Bolivian rams are excellent cichlids for a non aggressive community tank. They do prefer to to be in a school of atleast 5 or more. What are the dimensions of your tank?


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## leopartner123 (Jun 29, 2009)

I have bolivian rams with Amano shrimp, Cherry shrimp, Ottos, Juli Cories, Cardinal tetras and there is no aggression towards any of them. I wish I could take a video of what i saw the other night. I was Feeding them sinking food for a snack and the largest shrimp and a bolivian ram both ran after one. The shrimp eventually back down but there was no aggression.


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## Darkside (Feb 6, 2008)

DeadFishFloating said:


> ROTFLMAO
> 
> I'm sorry, but what did you expect putting cichlids in with small shrimp. Of course they were going to eat the shrimp. Bolivian rams are excellent cichlids for a non aggressive community tank. They do prefer to to be in a school of atleast 5 or more. What are the dimensions of your tank?


What's funny is that my Dicrossus, completely ignore ghost shrimp, but my tiny lampeyes demolish them as soon as they molt. No shrimp for me.


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