Qs About Gbrs

[coldcazzie]

The really annoying thing is that I actually really like them, and I'd love to keep them and put them in my 240L. This aft I went to a friend's grandad's who breeds loads of diff types of fish (went for a couple of hoplos) and mentioned I had a pair of GBRs and wasn't sure what to do with them - he said he thought they would be fine in a community tank at 26oC if I wasn;t bothered about breeding them, which I'm not especially. So now I'm really torn...

To be fair, he has a tank of them, plus a tank with a breeding pair in it with v.young fry, plus 2 more tanks with fry at diff ages...so I really want to believe him.

Would I be able to put a pair of bolivians in there as well? Would they mix? Kinda wondering about that as an option instead of trying to find a shoaling fish that I could add to the tank...

On the sexing front, the guy who sold me them did say that if he had gotten the sexes wrong I was fine to take one back and swap in a couple of weeks...

 

[ALW]

The really annoying thing is that I actually really like them, and I'd love to keep them and put them in my 240L. This aft I went to a friend's grandad's who breeds loads of diff types of fish (went for a couple of hoplos) and mentioned I had a pair of GBRs and wasn't sure what to do with them - he said he thought they would be fine in a community tank at 26oC if I wasn;t bothered about breeding them, which I'm not especially. So now I'm really torn...

To be fair, he has a tank of them, plus a tank with a breeding pair in it with v.young fry, plus 2 more tanks with fry at diff ages...so I really want to believe him.

Would I be able to put a pair of bolivians in there as well? Would they mix? Kinda wondering about that as an option instead of trying to find a shoaling fish that I could add to the tank...

On the sexing front, the guy who sold me them did say that if he had gotten the sexes wrong I was fine to take one back and swap in a couple of weeks...

As i said above GBRs need a min of 28c, sorry but you can't keep them with Bolivians. The Bolivians would kill them.

 

[Curiosity101]

The problem with GBRs at low temps is that apparently they have very sensitive digestive enzymes. So often at lower temps their digestion goes too slowly, so they tend to lose condition, and have a lowered immunity leading to more regular infections.

I haven't kept them myself...so I can't say from experience, it's just what I've been told and have read.

However on the bolivian front...you're looking at more like 2-3 months, and even then you'd only be able say if it was male or not, not neccesarily give a postitive female ID.

I'm not trying to put a downer on it...just stating facts. Obviously I hope you do find a female...but at the moment they seem like the holy grail. I've only found some at coxwell aquatics, but felt quite selfish putting a female through being postage when my male may not even accept her.

 

[ALW]

I personally can't.

Sorry Curiosity, dont want to sound nasty but i didn't think so.

 

[Curiosity101]

Don't want to sound nasty....but even though you didn't need to post you thought you would

The only reason I can't, is because I don't have any breeders I know that would allow me to vent their fish. I get practically all of my fish from shops.
If you read the guide you posted a link to then you'll see the poster actually says that looking at the vent from the side still isn't a 100% method.

And out of the two of us I'm the only one with proof as to why they can't be sexed. IE. been there, done that. And I think if you were to do a poll on here and ask people to say whether there rams were male or female (aswell as posting a picture). Then you would find 80% were male.

 

[coldcazzie]

*sigh*

I'd better take them back on Friday then. I can;t keep them in the QT as it;s the only other tank I have an I need it incase any other fish get sick...such a shame maybe in the future when I've more space and money and a hubby who will let me go crazy with my hobby! *wistful look*

P@H did have some bolivians in when I went in yesterday. Not sure if they would be happy for me to buy a group and keep them until I got a pair and then take the rest back...guess I'll only know by asking! Failing that I suppose I could put a classified add on here...

How long does it take for two to pair off? The ones in P@H were about 1.5 inches long - I doubt they would know the age of them if I asked, but how old would that make them?

 

[ALW]

At 1.5 inches they are about 6 months old. " The young fish can usually be sexed at about 4 cm (1.6 inches) total length, around 5 months old." http/www.cichlidae.com/article.php?id=31

 

[coldcazzie]

Right. Best bet would still be to get a group and see what happens wouldn't it?

How long do they take to pair off?

 

[Curiosity101]

^^ That is what I would do yes.

They probably 'can' remain as a group long term if you find problems trying to re-home the excess fish. But if it were me I would buy a group and re-home privately.
It can take anywhere from a couple of weeks to a couple of months for them to pair off. I would expect a pair to have formed after 3months at the most.

Ps. Andy, the writer is writing this after many many broods...do you see anyone else here with that much experience? Enough said. And I'm not responding to anything else from you.

 

[ALW]

Here is a link on venting cichlids... Venting link (note: don't look if you're easily...shocked)

There African not New Worlds. Whole different ball game.

Ps. Andy, the writer is writing this after many many broods...do you see anyone else here with that much experience? Enough said.

Exactly "experience" Which was my point that it is commonly agreed that its all but impossible to sex immature Bolivian Rams.

 

[coldcazzie]

Oki, then I have a plan!

Return the GBRs on Friday (and apologise profusely for my pregnancy-brain-moment), then go get a group of 4 BRs and hope to god I get at least one female in there!

 

[ALW]

Oki, then I have a plan!

Return the GBRs on Friday (and apologise profusely for my pregnancy-brain-moment), then go get a group of 4 BRs and hope to god I get at least one female in there!

Sounds like a good plan. Watch the tank for some time before making a purchase, that way you can at least try to sex them . It may help. Good luck!

 

[coldcazzie]

Oki, then I have a plan!

Return the GBRs on Friday (and apologise profusely for my pregnancy-brain-moment), then go get a group of 4 BRs and hope to god I get at least one female in there!

Sounds like a good plan. Watch the tank for some time before making a purchase, that way you can at least try to sex them . It may help. Good luck!

Heh thanks - I'll take a cushion and make myself at home on the floor of P@H!

 

[ALW]

Heh thanks - I'll take a cushion and make myself at home on the floor of P@H!

Keep us informed!

 

[coldcazzie]

Well, I got 3. That was all they had, so I was kind of limited in my choice lol.

Currently they are acclimating to my QT, where they will be staying for at least the next 4 weeks. Hopefully that will be enough time to find out sexes, as well as making sure they are not going to infect my tank (don't trust P@H much!)