Rams - Identity?

[SuperColey1]

I have been looking at several pictures of rams on the internet and found that some sites don't distinguish between the different types at all just calling them all Rams.

I notice in most of the pictures that the German/Blue Ram seems to have red eyes and the Bolivian has clearer eyes. Is this a way of identifying them?

If so then the Blue Ram I was sold was actually Bolivian because it does have clear eyes.

Another thing I was wondering was that they had seperated the females from the males since my previous visit and when I said I wanted a male and a female they told me the females were a different kind of ram and therefore not compatible. Therefore I just bought a male whilst doing some research on them.

These females (red bellys) had clear eyes also so I'm left thinking that the silly LFS just thinks the red bellies are a different species to the yellow bellies. lol.

If they are different species are they still compatible? Are they just different colourings or totally different species?

Any help on this one would be gratefully received.

Andy

 

[ted28]

Hope this helps. Male Bolivian Ram. Females are slightly smaller but more or less the same. It's hard to tell the difference between the sexes. I usually look for the ovipositor beside the anal fin for a female.

 

[SuperColey1]

I bought another since I posted and now I think I have 2 males.

I just joined Cichlid Forums andhave had a few responses similar on ther but I'll post up pics anyway (can't get really clear pics yet)

The larger Ram

The smaller Ram

Andy

 

[ted28]

I bought another since I posted and now I think I have 2 males.

I just joined Cichlid Forums and have had a few responses similar on ther but I'll post up pics anyway (can't get really clear pics yet)

Andy

Well you definitely have two Bolivian Ram Cichlids. But I can't tell what sex they are because of the Pics. I tell the sex as I said already from the ovipositor. Males are tapered and females are tube shaped. My fav fish. Not as beautiful as the Blue Rams but makes up for that with their personalities. Hardy as well. Feed them fish well and they color up nicely.