New Bolivian Ram Seems Agitated

[pscl227]

Got a Bolivian Ram last week, it is about 2 inches long just now, its not shy, it freely swims around the tank, but it is showing little if any colouration on its body.

It always seems to be swimming up and down the glass, my tank is 22G so it shouldn't be too small?!

I do regular water changes, I change 3 gallons every 4 days, and the tank is moderately planted with plenty of hiding spaces

It shares the tank with 10 Harlequin Rasboras, and a lot of cherry shrimp

All my stats on water quality are excellent

 

[Curiosity101]

Does it look like this?

If so I'm lead to believe that's a happy reaxed ram.
Any signs of stress? Clamped fins, not eating etc?
What temp is the tank at?

 

[minxfishy]

If its female, it wont be very colourful.

 

[pscl227]

Yer it does look like the one above, phew i that there might be something wrong, when you search on google for Bolivian ram it seems to bring up rainbow coloured fish!

I'm not fussed about the colouration personally, just so long as it is happy.

Apart from the colour, is the behaviour i mentioned normal?

The tank is 26.5 degrees, no clamped finns and it is eating just fine.

 

[Curiosity101]

Some people will quote 28 degrees as being the lowest temp a ram should be at.
However, my tank is about the same temp as yours and my girl is happy as anything.

He/She sounds fine colourwise anyways. The repetative behaviour may be something you need to address though. Are there plenty of plants and caves etc to explore? Don't suppose you have pics?
By the way the fish above is male (see the extended fins at the back?) is yours male or female?

 

[pscl227]

Some people will quote 28 degrees as being the lowest temp a ram should be at.
However, my tank is about the same temp as yours and my girl is happy as anything.

He/She sounds fine colourwise anyways. The repetative behaviour may be something you need to address though. Are there plenty of plants and caves etc to explore? Don't suppose you have pics?
By the way the fish above is male (see the extended fins at the back?) is yours male or female?

lots of caves and plants to explore, mine is still young, but im about 70% sure its male

 

[Curiosity101]

Well I don't know then.
If water stats are fine, there's plenty of aeration, good temp, no harrasment and he's eating fine...
Then so long as he's not showing any signs of, bloating, rapid gill movement, fin clamping or going very dark and stripey...general ill signs.
The perhaps that's what the fish likes doing.

 

[pscl227]

Well I don't know then.
If water stats are fine, there's plenty of aeration, good temp, no harrasment and he's eating fine...
Then so long as he's not showing any signs of, bloating, rapid gill movement, fin clamping or going very dark and stripey...general ill signs.
The perhaps that's what the fish likes doing.

oh wait! he does that quiet often, whats that a sign of?

 

[Truck]

Well I don't know then.
If water stats are fine, there's plenty of aeration, good temp, no harrasment and he's eating fine...
Then so long as he's not showing any signs of, bloating, rapid gill movement, fin clamping or going very dark and stripey...general ill signs.
The perhaps that's what the fish likes doing.

oh wait! he does that quiet often, whats that a sign of?

overall poor diet/health and stress, what are you feeding him? does he appear bloated?
what is the tank temp?

 

[pscl227]

Well I don't know then.
If water stats are fine, there's plenty of aeration, good temp, no harrasment and he's eating fine...
Then so long as he's not showing any signs of, bloating, rapid gill movement, fin clamping or going very dark and stripey...general ill signs.
The perhaps that's what the fish likes doing.

oh wait! he does that quiet often, whats that a sign of?

overall poor diet/health and stress, what are you feeding him? does he appear bloated?
what is the tank temp?

temp has been mentioned, my fish get fed a combination of prepared granules, flakes and pellets as well as a cube of bloodworm every 3-4 days

 

[Curiosity101]

I've been told + have read that it's a sign of a unhappy fish. Poss due to, stress, disliking environment, disliking tank mates...things like that. I'm sure people will correct me if I'm wrong.
My girl did it the other day when my dad insisted on removing 'her' bit of bogwood. She sat in the plants for a few hours looking dark n stripey, then seems to relax a bit later and return to normal colours (pale yellow).

 

[pscl227]

well i'll give it another week see how it goes, after all it is still a relatively new fish

thanks for the help, much appreciated

 

[minxfishy]

As its nearly introduced to the tank, it sounds like stress behaviour, pacing up and down the glass, so once more settled might become less stressed, however, you might like to try feeding a few more things, like prawn or tuna as they do like some meat in their diet