Problem Feeding My Bolivian Rams

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GouramiFanatic

Aquarium Advice FINatic
Joined
Apr 2, 2005
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598
I absolutley adore all of my fish for different reasons. The Danios I love because they're so active and fun to watch. What I don't love about them is that they are gluttons! I can't seem to figure out how to feed my Bolivian Rams with the Danios constantly on the prowl!

I've been trying to get my Rams to eat some bloodworms (I read that they love these), but they seem to prefer being at the bottom of the tank. They very rarely swim up towards the top. The Danios on the other hand are all over the top collecting every little bit of food before the Rams can even catch a scent of it! I just don't know what to do.

I'm really nervous that the Rams aren't eating as much as they should because they just can't get to it. They were picking at some shrimp pellets that I put in for the cories yesterday, but other than that I haven't seen them really come up towards the top to collect andy food. They do spend quite a bit of their time picking at the gravel as well. I'm not sure if they're eating the left over food or if this is just normal behavior for Rams, but either way I don't want them poor fish to starve because of the "starving" Danios. What shall I do??
 
My Rams come right up to the top of my tank and get to the food before the Neons do. As a matter of fact, I've gotten them to take brine shrimp from my fingers. I can't put myhand in the tank without them investigating to see what I'm doing.
 
You can try to hand feed them. I did that with my GBR's. Sometimes if they got a little spooked by my hands I used a long skewer or some chopsticks to bring the food up to them.
 
My rams were that way for about the first week I had them, after that they got a bit more aggressive about getting to the food. At first they were obviously stressed from travel and a new environment, but once that wears off they should come to the top, and in general take what food they want. From the fish in your sig I'd guess the only ones the rams would even think twice about taking food from is maybe the gourami's.

There might be something stressing them if they've been in the tank for a while. Either water parameters, or maybe the gourami's. I've seen my german blues chase off angels and my pleco who are FAR larger than them, but that was after having eggs. Before then, they were pretty skittish around the other fish.

What are the water params and the temp?
 
Thanks for the ideas. I think it may just be a time thing. I've only had them for 5 days (I got them Fri afternoon) so they're probably still adjusting to everything. I did a complete 'testing session' this morning and here are the parameters...

Ph = 7.0 | Nitrite = 0ppm | Ammonia = 0ppm | Nitrate = 10ppm | Kh + Dh = 4 | Temp = 79°

This afternoon I put in a couple of tubifix worm cubes as a treat and one of the Rams joined all of the other fish (including the Pleco who swims up to surface to grab the cubes once they come loose). The other Ram stayed in the bottom to middle range, but he was catching some loose pieces. I think I'll skip meals tomorrow because I think I may have overdone it today. :roll:
 
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