[Digiten]

I have a 30 gallon that currently just has a single male Bolivian ram among other fish. Obviously I'd like to get him some company, and was considering two females rather than just one. As someone relatively unfamiliar with most cichlids, I was going to apply the "one male to multiple females" rule, but I know that Bolivian rams form monogamous pairs.

My question is: if I introduce two females to the tank, will the male pair with one and subsuquently act aggressive towards the the other female? Will I be better off just sticking with a pair of two?

 

[Auballagh]

I would say that depends a lot on how large the tank is and how you have it stocked. A spawning pair of Bolivian Rams will not tolerate a non-paired female close by the spawning site, because she will pose a threat to the eggs or newly hatched fry. Chasing could definitely occur to drive her away from the spawning site. But, if you have a 30 inch long - 30 gallon tank, and some other non-Cichlid 'dither' fish stocked in the tank also for the parent fish to spread out the aggression on, she should be (relatively) safe with this pretty mild species.

 

[Digiten]

I would say that depends a lot on how large the tank is and how you have it stocked. A spawning pair of Bolivian Rams will not tolerate a non-paired female close by the spawning site, because she will pose a threat to the eggs or newly hatched fry. Chasing could definitely occur to drive her away from the spawning site. But, if you have a 30 inch long - 30 gallon tank, and some other non-Cichlid 'dither' fish stocked in the tank also for the parent fish to spread out the aggression on, she should be (relatively) safe with this pretty mild species.

Thank you for the info! The only other fish currently in the tank are 3 female pearl gouramis and 3 kuhli loaches. My only worry with that is that since the gouramis sit at the upper level then the pair will have no choice but to take out the aggression on the other female.

 

[Auballagh]

Your unpaired female Bolivian Ram should be fine. But, definitely keep an eye on things. And if she is getting excessively harassed or beaten (unlikely), then place her temporarily in a fry net or quarantine tank until the babies are all free-swimming and can be pulled out of the community tank for grow out in a separate tank.