# Balloon belly blue rams



## vtchef (Jan 27, 2009)

I was at my lfs today and they just got a few of these in. any one have these or have any info on them. they have nice color and are definitely interesting. I may add a pair to my 20g long.


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## Six (May 29, 2006)

Balloon bellied rams are inbred stock of the natural form of the blue ram. A breeder has selected the fish with a short-body deformity and bred them. They are inherently not hardy fish because of the line breeding (line breeding is inbreeding in order to get a certain quality or mutation out of the fish, guppies are a good example). 

With that being said, I suggest reading up a little more about them and thinking about whether that's a fish you really want. Buying mutated fish shows the LFS that it's OK to sell fish like that because there's a market for them. Sure they're cute, but they are also a marketing ploy- that's why they call them "balloon bellied rams" instead of what they really are. 

If it were me, I would not get them and instead find a local breeder who breeds well acclimated wild-lines of blue rams. Just as beautiful without the deformity. Probably cheaper too.

Gl in your search.


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## plooney (Nov 3, 2009)

I would steer away from those as well


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## jestep (Nov 14, 2009)

Stay away from them. They are "cute" but they usually have markedly shorter lives than well-bred Rams. Rams are not long lived fish anyway. The balloon versions often die in about a year. Just a sad version of one of the more interesting and beautiful fish from any S. American line.

I made the mistake of buying some babies before I knew they were messed up. They are not a healthy or happy fish. Constant health problems, and a very short life even in a very stable and clean environment.


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## DavidZ (Jan 22, 2009)

Agree!


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## OrangeCones (Aug 15, 2009)

I agree also. Why fuel an industry that breeds for a deformity?


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## Knotty Bitz (Mar 11, 2009)

I had two of them and they died off very quickly. My tank was very stable and they withered away within a month.


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