Pictures of Balloon Rams

[locorosa]

These guys are really nice looking fish. Cute and round, alot like my goldfish...sort of.
I wonder how long this hybrid's been around...or if it's even a hybrid? I hear there are alot of different types of these guys...

Sorry about the fuzzy pictures...the new Digital SLR is on it's way so I will have better pictures soon. They look like chickens pecking around the bottom.

 

[Gillie]

Balloon Rams are variants of GBRs selectively bred for these characteristics. They remind me of smaller, nicer, and more colorful Parrot Cichlid.

 

[locorosa]

Thanks for the reply. I was wondering wth they were as I kept getting pictures of "normal" GBR's.

 

[Sitchy]

Anyone know how common these fish are?. I've never seen them before in any of my LFS, I think they look awesome.

 

[mugginns]

This is just purely speculation on my part, but I'd think those rams would be something to steer clear of. Just purely speculation... i've never kept GBR, but from reading they seem to be hit or miss in regards to hardyness (if you get them from east asia they are very fragile?). Combine that with being selectively bred to have a 'deformity' and perhaps these fish have a lot of problems?

Just purely speculation. Me being bored at work

 

[maxwell1295]

Normal GBR's are hard enough to keep. I can't begin to imagine what the failure rate would be like with deformed ones...

 

[locorosa]

If they are at the ground floor of hybridization I would imagine those are all good considerations. I did find some references to them after really digging around on the web. I cannot speculate how long they have been around but do appear to be fairly "new".
All I can attest to, is I have bought two goldfish from this guy as well as some corys' and all the fish did well. I still have the cories. I would hope if they fish are defective he would not sell them. Perhaps I will go talk to him tomorrow. He's a pretty nice guy so I can work my "wiles" on him and find out how well these guys have done for him. He has had a few shipments of these guys btw.
As for the rarity, I have seen quite a few Rams at different stores and these are the first I've seen. Keep in mind, I am new to tropicals!

 

[Gillie]

The "Balloon" Rams have been around for a few years now as far as keeping them, from my experience with them they seem hardier than normal Rams. Although I never tried to breed them looking back I wish I did.

 

[locorosa]

Other than being very shy, they are fascinating fish. I love how their colors vary, much like moods. At times they are green looking with a little blue and then other times, the black is pronounced and their fins are tipped in red with green and blue throughout. So pretty!
They will come up to the glass when I stand still in front of the tank and they have moved over to a different area of the tank.
I am going to be setting up the new 46 bow tomorrow so in a day or so, they will have a much longer perimeter to cruise for a new "stake out".
I am not looking to breed anything but I did buy one of each sex in the hopes of a peaceful couple. When I went back to the store I looked in on the others still in the tank and it was entertaining to watch a couple of males "sparring".