New Bolivian Ram won’t eat for a week and a half now… help!

Hello, I’m starting to get worried about my new Bolivian Ram that I bought as a companion for the one I adopted from my daughter (he was sold as a “Jack Dempsey” so they had him in with Oscars until they realized it wasn’t what they were told).

The one I already had for a few weeks is a male, and a bit bigger than the new one I bought a week and a half ago (was hoping for a female, I think it might be but too early to tell). They have gotten along fine from the very beginning, other than a couple of times in the first few days I saw him flap his tail at her, like he was scooting her over a little, but has never charged her or nipped or anything else. Within the first half hour of getting her it looked like he gently kissed her cheek once, but that has been the one and only time I saw something like that.

She always sticks close to him for the most part, follows him everywhere he goes, she does not seem shy, she’ll be up at the front of the tank most of the time, she’ll come watch me when I sit nearby and just seems to have a sweet personality. Occasionally she’ll go off behind a rock or plant, but she mostly just sticks by my male Ram.

So, the problem is, she hasn’t eaten since I’ve gotten her. I’ve tried many different types of foods (will post a pic), including frozen bloodworms, frozen beef heart, I’ve even gotten the garlic extract and soaked foods in that. I’ve read they sometimes won’t eat for a few days at first, but this is coming on two weeks now, and her tummy is looking conclave to me, she sometimes has the whitish/clear wispy poop hanging from her, and her stress stripes are getting worse. I’ve tried keeping the tank dark with lights out most of the time, but nothing I’ve done has been working. No one else in the tank bothers her. I don’t know what else to try, and I’m getting worried she’s/he’s going to starve to death.

In the tank I have 9 Neon Tetras, 2 Bolivian Ram (including this one who won’t eat), an Emerald Green Cory, two small Angelfish which I just got a couple days ago and they don’t bother her either, she doesn’t mind if they are swimming near her, some snails and rainbow shrimp. It’s a 45 Gallon tank.

The first photo I’ve just taken today of her, she’s looking more stressed (maybe because she’s not eating?), the others I took the other day.

 

Your ram couple sound so sweet
Mine didn’t eat for a while either and his stomach also looked kind of conclaved but little by little he started to eat a bit more every day now he’s normal. Does your female ram eat barely anything or nothing at all?

 

Try sinking shrimp pellets you break up in smaller pieces, mine go crazy for those. Let me know how it goes.

 

Your ram couple sound so sweet
Mine didn’t eat for a while either and his stomach also looked kind of conclaved but little by little he started to eat a bit more every day now he’s normal. Does your female ram eat barely anything or nothing at all?

Nothing at all so far. Today I did see her slowly peck once at the ship decoration in the tank, I don’t feed on that side of the tank so I’m not sure why she did that, maybe some algee was there? No food though.

And thanks, hopefully it’s a she, but she’s definitely sweet and they are so cute together. I fell in love with the male when my daughter and son in law had him, he was a cutie there, so when they found out he wasn’t compatible in their tank I went out and bought a bigger tank than what I currently had (I have a 9 gallon also, with a beta, some tetra and snails), just so I could adopt him!

Try sinking shrimp pellets you break up in smaller pieces, mine go crazy for those. Let me know how it goes.

I have put some shrimp pellets in there, my male ram loves them too! So do the snails. Lol. I have not tried soaking those pellets in the garlic yet though, so maybe I will try that. I have two kinds of shrimp pellets, some round wafer ones and some longish looking ones (actually crab cuisine). I will let you know if soaking them in garlic works. I’ve even dropped different foods right past her face and she totally ignores everything!

Your ram couple sound so sweet
Mine didn’t eat for a while either and his stomach also looked kind of conclaved but little by little he started to eat a bit more every day now he’s normal. Does your female ram eat barely anything or nothing at all?

I forgot to ask, how long did it take for yours to start eating? It’s been almost two weeks!

 

Have you tried feeding it the same foods that your daughter was feeding it? Thats always worth a try, otherwise, she looks ok. If the temp is stable, if the water parameters are good,,, I would try not to worry unlesss you see more symptoms.

 

Have you tried feeding it the same foods that your daughter was feeding it? Thats always worth a try, otherwise, she looks ok. If the temp is stable, if the water parameters are good,,, I would try not to worry unlesss you see more symptoms.

The one I adopted from my daughter is the male Ram, he eats really well. It’s the new one I bought at PetSmart that’s not eating…. I have no idea what they were feeding them, but I could call and ask just to see. The temp is 77F, water parameters are good, the other fish are absolutely fine. I’ve been checking the parameters daily just to make sure since it’s a fairly new tank (bought it 4 weeks ago).

I’ve been over feeding a bit just on my first feeding of the day since the new one hasn’t been eating, but usually the other fish pick at it so there’s not really any left after a while. I’ve been vacuuming any excess out if I see any (like the outer skins of the frozen bloodworms since they seem to suck the insides out lol), I use a 5 gallon bucket so I have been changing out about 4 gallons abt 3 days s eeek.

 

I brought a group of Bolivian Rams home a few months back, 5 of the 6 fish went into shock and never ate anything. It took almost 3 weeks for the last of the 5 to starve to death in my quarantine tub, refusing a wide variety of food. The one healthy fish never missed a beat, started eating the first night.

I'm assuming they either had parasites or excessive stress from the transition, maybe pH shock. It was after this ordeal that a different LFS employee told me confidently that those Rams can't really handle my higher pH. I'm still not sure of the cause but nothing I did had any impact on their appetite, they were just doomed.

 

I forgot to ask, how long did it take for yours to start eating? It’s been almost two weeks!

Maybe just a week or so before he started pecking at the food. I was starting to get worried too since he’s my first Bolivian ram. I just hope yours doesn’t have parasites.

 

I brought a group of Bolivian Rams home a few months back, 5 of the 6 fish went into shock and never ate anything. It took almost 3 weeks for the last of the 5 to starve to death in my quarantine tub, refusing a wide variety of food. The one healthy fish never missed a beat, started eating the first night.

I'm assuming they either had parasites or excessive stress from the transition, maybe pH shock. It was after this ordeal that a different LFS employee told me confidently that those Rams can't really handle my higher pH. I'm still not sure of the cause but nothing I did had any impact on their appetite, they were just doomed.

Well, at least that gives me a timeline…. The PH in my tank is a little too high perhaps. I tested my tap water levels and they were the same as my tank, which runs the regular test as 7.6PH and high PH test showing between 7.4-7.8. I’ve heard it’s best to keep a stable PH than trying to chase the perfect level, so while I do have PH Up, and PH down, I haven’t used it to try to fix it yet.

Maybe just a week or so before he started pecking at the food. I was starting to get worried too since he’s my first Bolivian ram. I just hope yours doesn’t have parasites.

I hope not as well. I don’t have a quarantine tank at this time, so if she needs to be treated I’d have to do it in the community tank. I do have Imagitaroums parasite remedy on hand, and also Seachem Paraguard, I have not used them yet. Should I maybe start treating the tank just to be on the safe side? She still hasn’t eaten over the weekend.

I have seen her flash against the sand just a couple of times (few and far between), but that’s also normal behavior for a Ram. My bigger Ram did that a few times when he was first in the tank but I haven’t seen him do it since.

Try sinking shrimp pellets you break up in smaller pieces, mine go crazy for those. Let me know how it goes.

I tried that over the weekend, she still hasn’t touched any food sadly. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

How is your ram doing so far? Is she still not eating?

 

She’s still alive. She has not eaten anything I’ve put in the tank, but I have seen her peck at the moss tree I recently put in there. Not often, but once in a while. Her little tummy is indented so she’s not getting the nutrition she should be getting.

I did set up a hospital tank and set her and my original ram in there (I thought she would be lonely if she was alone), but they both seemed to do worse, never really moving from one spot, stress stripes and even sort of ignoring each other mostly. My original Ram barely touched food I put in there but he did eat a little. So after a day and a half I put them back in the main tank.

in the main tank they are much happier, back to always being near each other and her stress stripes aren’t as bad as they were in the hospital tank. And at least she’s pecking at things once in a while…. The miss tree, the pirate ship etc. I assume she’s getting a little algae off whatever she’s pecking at, but I’ve not seen any poop yet, nor any wispy clear stringy poop like I saw before.

I’m wondering if I should treat the tank for a possible parasite, but she shows no other signs of anything other than not eating. She does every once in a while flash against something, but it’s not often. She’s even rubbed up against the male Ram a few times. I’m thinking this might be normal behavior?

 

Here are some photos of how she’s looking now…. You can tell her tummy is shrunken in, but she definitely has a will to live since it’s been over 3 weeks now. I’ve started dosing the tank with paraguard every other day because I don’t know what else to do for her.

 

Has she eaten yet? Bolivian Rams are very shy. It takes them a while to get comfortable. I didn't read the whole post, but I recommend keeping your lights off till she is comfortable.

Here is one of mine (fell free to vote for him for fish of the month)

If you need anything, I've kept rams for 15 years.
What temperature are you at? What tank size? Any tank mates? I'm glad to try to help. I see your original post, still in the same aquarium?

 

She looks pretty ok, she's been eating for sure, maybe not as much as she "should" but when I had starving rams they were paper thin and very dark colored before this point.

 

Has she eaten yet? Bolivian Rams are very shy. It takes them a while to get comfortable. I didn't read the whole post, but I recommend keeping your lights off till she is comfortable.

Here is one of mine (fell free to vote for him for fish of the month)

If you need anything, I've kept rams for 15 years.
What temperature are you at? What tank size? Any tank mates? I'm glad to try to help. I see your original post, still in the same aquarium?

Awww, he’s gorgeous! At first I kept my lights off for several days, then I started turning them on sometimes. I usually have them on for 6 hours or less now, but I can try keeping them off again. Right now I have only a few neon tetras in the tank, an emerald green Cory, a couple rainbow shrimp who mostly hide out, and these two Bolivians. The tank is a 45 gallon, it’s narrow and tall. They never go up to the top of the tank, mostly stay at the bottom, and sometimes swim mid tank but that’s not often. The temp is 77. I’ve still never seen her eat, only peck once in a while at the moss tree, ship or wood in the tank. She totally ignores the food when it drops around her. She also never grabs a mouthful of the sand like my other ram does. He’ll grab some in his mouth, chew on it a little, then spit it back out. And yes, still in the same aquarium. I tried to move them to a 10 gallon hospital setup but they hated it, never moved around the tank, color got even darker etc, so I put them back it the main tank.

She looks pretty ok, she's been eating for sure, maybe not as much as she "should" but when I had starving rams they were paper thin and very dark colored before this point.

Well that’s good to know. She’s much thinner than the photos make her look, but she’s still alive and it will be 4 weeks (in about 3 more days) since I’ve had her…. I sure wish I knew how to make her happier, or if something else is wrong with her that I should be treating.

She has been trying to rub up against my other Ram, I’m not sure if that’s normal behavior? She’s not really rubbing against anything else.

 

As you know, Bolivian tend to stay towards the bottom, though mine will come up to eat off the surface of the water before their food sinks.

Keep us updated, good luck.

 

As you know, Bolivian tend to stay towards the bottom, though mine will come up to eat off the surface of the water before their food sinks.

Keep us updated, good luck.

Thank you, I sure will. Is it normal behavior for her to rub up against the other Ram? I’ve noticed her doing this lately sometimes. I haven’t seen her rub up against anything else really though.

 

My male and female Rams I currently have rub against each other often.

 

So sorry to hear of your trials. I don't know that I buy into the Ph theory as have 8.0-8.2 and have kept Bolivian Rams fine. Behaviorally, however, I have found them to be way more skittish and shy than there German Blue counterparts.

The other thought I have is maybe there's not enough cover to feel comfortable for her. Can you show a pic of your tank? A 45 gallon is a good sized tank and if there's no enough cover, maybe she's just really apprehensive.

I'm hoping for the best!!

 

So sorry to hear of your trials. I don't know that I buy into the Ph theory as have 8.0-8.2 and have kept Bolivian Rams fine. Behaviorally, however, I have found them to be way more skittish and shy than there German Blue counterparts.

The other thought I have is maybe there's not enough cover to feel comfortable for her. Can you show a pic of your tank? A 45 gallon is a good sized tank and if there's no enough cover, maybe she's just really apprehensive.

I'm hoping for the best!!

Here’s a few photos, had to turn the lights on because of too much reflection otherwise from my living room lights.

The bigger Ram seems to not be very shy, he’s usually up around the front of the tank on either side (by the wood in the sand, or by the corner plant in front of the ship), and usually comes to check me out if I’m next to the tank. The smaller Ram mostly hangs out near him, or likes to be near the rock in the middle on the pebbled side, back near the bamboo moss stick. She likes to come check me out as well.

 

Have you tried homemade foods

 

Have you tried homemade foods

No, I have not tried that. What should I try giving them? I’ve never done any home made things so not sure what/how to prepare/make it.

 

You can search up homemade fish food recipes online. Homemade foods are healthier and fresher than store bought foods so it might tempt your ram to eat. One you can try is hard boiled egg yolk.
Here’s a thread you can check out:
Homemade Fish Food Recipes? | Fish Food Forum | 47984

 

Thank you very much, I will check that out!

 

Just thought I would post an update. My poor sweet little Ram didn’t make it. She never did eat anything, I was able to finally capture her and put her in my hospital tank and tried treating her for parasites just to make sure that wasn’t the problem, but I think she was just too weak and sick by that point as she only lasted 4 days after that.

She’s been gone a few weeks now, and I went out an brought another little Ram home that has a great appetite, but doesn’t seem to get along with my other Ram unfortunately. I quarantined it for a week and treated the tank with Artemiss and Herbtana to make sure it didn’t bring anything to the new tank. It’s been in the new tank about 4 days now, my bigger Ram chased after it a bit, and now they just stay away from each other.

The new one does seem to be a bit more aggressive, as I’ve seen it put it’s lips on the Cory’s in the tank and push them around once in a while. So maybe this new one is also a male? I guess time will tell, I was hoping for another sweet female that got along with my older male Ram. I’m not sure if I should keep this new Ram a while to see if things change since it’s still so young, or if I should try and trade it with a different Ram.

Here’s a photo of my new Ram, and also a new photo of my tank since my lily bulbs have exploded into a huge mass now! Lol. And my big original Ram.

 

I’m sorry about your loss (also sorry that im a bit late)