Bolivian rams not eating kinda

[Hybridfish7]

Have you tested your water?

Yes

If I did not test my water...

...I recognize that I will likely be asked to do a test, and that water tests are critical for solving freshwater health problems.

Do you do water changes?

Yes

If I do not change my water...

...I recognize that I will likely be recommended to do a water change, and water changes are critical for preventing future freshwater health problems.

I need to fatten them up... They are clearly eating something because they're colored up, showing breeding behaviors and not emaciated... But when I feed, 70% of the food they take in gets spit. Bloodworms, flakes, pellets, etc

Tank is a 40B. pH is 7.8, temp is 83F, ammonia 0 pH nitrates 5 ppm. Other tank mates are a pair of keyholes, green neons, limia tridens, xiphophorus alvarezi, hyphessobrycon melanostichos, synodontis nigriventris zebra, and a pair of albino hoplos. My guess is the pH is making them uncomfortable but it wouldn't make sense for them to not be comfortable enough to eat if they're comfortable enough to breed.

What do?

 

[duanes]

Although Microgeophagus altispinosus are more tolerant of higher pH and water hardness than their more sensitive cousins the ramrezi.
They prefer pH between 6.5 to 7.2, (the lower the better) your pH at 7.8 is 80 times more basic than that, but .......
what might be more important, is they prefer a water hardness level of <100 ppm (mg/L). If your water is higher, this could be the rub.
If your tap water is higher, I'd be either blending it with RO/DI or rain water.