Blue And Gold Rams

[Rhykiru]

Hm, i always wanted to keep Blue and Gold Rams/ aka Butterfly Rams but i could never find them in any petstore. Well, i went to the little aquarium shop today as my mom was shopping for groceries, lo and behold, i find those rams. They are 10 dollars each *isnt much of a problem to me even though im not rich =P* but they are only about 1-1.5 inches big max. I was thinking if maybe i could get a pair, since i hear they like to be in pairs, for a 10 gallon tank. I know that they need at least 10 gallons per (from what i read from the sticky above) but these rams are really small i would like to know if they would be able to live in a 10 gallon. Or maybe i should just buy one ram and put him in the 10 gallon, which i heard was fine.

any help?

 

[DiscusAngel]

what else is in the 10g? and is it planted?

 

[Rhykiru]

hm, well i havent acutually setted it up yet, gonna learn more first

i plan to keep only the rams in the 10 gallon, no other fish.

plants are gonna be real. I am going to try to get 1-2 amazon sword plants and maybe get some Riccia to put on the bottom if i can.
i have a question though, how do you make your water softer because i hear rams like softer water

thanks for the reply ^^

 

[DiscusAngel]

hm, well i havent acutually setted it up yet, gonna learn more first

i plan to keep only the rams in the 10 gallon, no other fish.

plants are gonna be real. I am going to try to get 1-2 amazon sword plants and maybe get some Riccia to put on the bottom if i can.
i have a question though, how do you make your water softer because i hear rams like softer water

thanks for the reply ^^

ok, well i think Gold rams are the smallest in the ram family so 2 in a 10g by themselves and with lots of plants will be fine.

whats your ph? they need around 6-7

 

[Rhykiru]

ok, yay, so now i can tell my parents that i can keep two butterfly rams lol

i dont even have my tank set up yet, all i have is a 10 gallon tank, some gravel, and a 10 gallon filter that my friend gave me. I still need a hood and all that.
I dont know my ph yet lol, my tanks not even set up

but how do i change my ph lvl and hardness/softness of water to my rams likeing?

Edit: wait h/o, im going to get gold and blue rams which look like this :

im just confused because in your last post, you said gold rams and i googled that picture and this is what i got

i dont want that kind because the petstore doesnt even sell that lol

can you clarify this for me x_X

 

[DiscusAngel]

ok, right the "german" rams, are a little bigger and it may not work. i think you could try, but be prepaired to take one back. even tho we need to know you ph before saying how to adjust it.

 

[Rhykiru]

oh, if i might have to take one back, i think i should just keep one. Because this store isnt exactly a big chain store and i dont think they accept refunds or take-backs.

Hm, well if i keep one, im scared that he will be lonely without any partner =( i dont want to keep fish if i only make him/her sad

 

[DiscusAngel]

oh, if i might have to take one back, i think i should just keep one. Because this store isnt exactly a big chain store and i dont think they accept refunds or take-backs.

Hm, well if i keep one, im scared that he will be lonely without any partner =( i dont want to keep fish if i only make him/her sad

Well, try it, and if it doent work, take out the male. then put the female in. then put the male back in. When adding the fish let he female in. i should let her get settled so e doesnt get all the tank to himself.

just make sre you have quite alot of plants, and then im sure itll work. and atleast 3 caves.

 

[Rhykiru]

how many plants would you recommend lol

im thinking maybe 2-3 Amazon Swords?
i mean, if i have to much plants, there will be no place for me to put caves lol. sidenote: can i use clay pots?

hm, so ill add a female first, then add a male

but im just kinda scared because im not sure where this aquarium got the fish because i heard that a lot of rams that are breed in Asia are injected with hormones before shipment over here and i read that that makes the fish look all bright and healthy and can affect it. Sometimes making the fish not be able to give birth. Any suggestions on how to tell? because ive never seen a regular one so i can't really compare lol. Maybe i can ask them if i can take a pic of their tank with german rams. Just say that i have a tank and im gonna cut out these pics to see what the fish would look like xD, which i also want to do.

And about waterparameters. Why do i read some sites and it says that nitrate lvl for these fish have to be near 0 all the time? How frequent would i have to do water changes? imma go a fishless cycle before adding the fish offcouse. Maybe thats why you told me to add a lot of plants so they soak in the nitrates?

 

[DiscusAngel]

how many plants would you recommend lol

im thinking maybe 2-3 Amazon Swords?
i mean, if i have to much plants, there will be no place for me to put caves lol. sidenote: can i use clay pots?

hm, so ill add a female first, then add a male

but im just kinda scared because im not sure where this aquarium got the fish because i heard that a lot of rams that are breed in Asia are injected with hormones before shipment over here and i read that that makes the fish look all bright and healthy and can affect it. Sometimes making the fish not be able to give birth. Any suggestions on how to tell? because ive never seen a regular one so i can't really compare lol. Maybe i can ask them if i can take a pic of their tank with german rams. Just say that i have a tank and im gonna cut out these pics to see what the fish would look like xD, which i also want to do.

And about waterparameters. Why do i read some sites and it says that nitrate lvl for these fish have to be near 0 all the time? How frequent would i have to do water changes? imma go a fishless cycle before adding the fish offcouse. Maybe thats why you told me to add a lot of plants so they soak in the nitrates?

well add as many plants untill you think its right.

yes, clay pots are ideal, or put some halfed cocunuts in.

yes, many breeders do this. but its hard to tell.. you just have to buy a pair ad hope for the best. it may make your male sterile. but you will never know. the everage ram size is 2.5" they getful colours at around 1.75" so if there under that and colourful then idsay theyve been fed on hormones.

Water params, well with all fish you need low everything. so.. like you said the plants will reduc yor nitrates. once youve set up the tank take readings and then say your reading, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate and PH.

even though this is how id lay out ur tank

2 Amazon swords either side of a piece of bogwod in the middle
atleast 2 caves one either side of the tank
use sand or pea gravel as your subsrate.

Good luck, Cona

 

[Rhykiru]

aww, the fish at the aquarium look really coloful. Like i can even see the gold on their cheeks and they are only 1 inch. not counting fins. I also see like dark black on the front dorsals. I go again today if i can and try to get a pic...

hm, i heard that amazon swords grow really fast. How do i trim it? do i just cut off the leaves or something?

i like the way you said you would set up it lol. I wonder if i can find bogwood small enough to put in the middle though. Clay pots is a yes. I might take the black gravel with a lil rainbow colors in it out of my betta tank and put it in here. Then use small river pebbles for my betta. Should i put a backgroud? i was thinking something solid like black since i hear black makes a fishes color shine.

Also, i was thinking of putting something like tile that is leftover from from making my room tile in the the tank as so there is a flat surface if the fish decide to spawn and i hope they do lol. Thats why i dont want any that have been injected with hormones >.> and i think it can make the fish sick too...

How much watts should i have for my light? i dont want algae to grow but i also want enough for my swords to grow. Maybe 2-3 wpg? and staying away from blue content bulbs which i think attracts algae.

 

[DiscusAngel]

aww, the fish at the aquarium look really coloful. Like i can even see the gold on their cheeks and they are only 1 inch. not counting fins. I also see like dark black on the front dorsals. I go again today if i can and try to get a pic...

hm, i heard that amazon swords grow really fast. How do i trim it? do i just cut off the leaves or something?

i like the way you said you would set up it lol. I wonder if i can find bogwood small enough to put in the middle though. Clay pots is a yes. I might take the black gravel with a lil rainbow colors in it out of my betta tank and put it in here. Then use small river pebbles for my betta. Should i put a backgroud? i was thinking something solid like black since i hear black makes a fishes color shine.

Also, i was thinking of putting something like tile that is leftover from from making my room tile in the the tank as so there is a flat surface if the fish decide to spawn and i hope they do lol. Thats why i dont want any that have been injected with hormones >.> and i think it can make the fish sick too...

How much watts should i have for my light? i dont want algae to grow but i also want enough for my swords to grow. Maybe 2-3 wpg? and staying away from blue content bulbs which i think attracts algae.

i dont think it will effect them, it just speeds them, up it wot make them ill just you have a small possiblity that you will get a sterile male.

amazon swords will grow ast with injeced C02, if you dont inject t it will just grow slowly, when it sarts to come out of the water just cut the leaf of not the stem.

you should find a small bit of bogwood, also, use claypots not tile, it could be harmful and also there more likly to spawn in a cave or on the bogwood. i wouldnt use that gravel. its not natural to the fish, and could make them feel "out of place", ge normal pea gravel or sand. Also yes, a Black background would set them off.

2-3wpg will be fine.

 

[Rhykiru]

hm, well ok then lol, ill use this gravel:

My friend gave me those from his old tank. Is it natural enough? i would think so ._.

I hope i dont get a sterile male T_T

One question, when you say a black background will set them off, is that good or bad? i me, set the off can sound like make them mad or set them off can sound like it makes their color shine D;

hm, now i wonder where i can get the money to do this^^
Its almost my birthday and i hope i get Straight A's this semester haha

ok, list of the stuff i need.

Things i have:
10 gallon tank
10 gallon filter with media
gravel
food, flakes/some diff types of pellets *cichlid/goldfish/betta >.>*/frozen bloodworms

Things i need:
hood w/ light
background
fish ($20 >.> this place is so expensive)
2 amazon swords
two medium clay pots
drift/bog wood

What am i missing?

oh yeah, and when my friend gave me the 10 gallon tank, it is like all white on the inside. I think the term is "water spots" like when water dries on glass. How do i get this out? it looks really bad and im not sure if when i put water in the tank, it will dissapeaer (not disappear as in go away but disappear as in the water hides it). I read somewhere that you can use white vinegar to wipe it off but just thouroughly clean your tank afterwards

omg DiscusAngel, you care helping me so so much. I dont know how i can thank you

 

[DiscusAngel]

hm, well ok then lol, ill use this gravel:

My friend gave me those from his old tank. Is it natural enough? i would think so ._.

yea, will be fine

I hope i dont get a sterile male T_T

i dont think you will lol

One question, when you say a black background will set them off, is that good or bad? i me, set the off can sound like make them mad or set them off can sound like it makes their color shine D;

no it makes there colour shine makes them stand out!

ok, list of the stuff i need.

Things i have:
10 gallon tank
10 gallon filter with media
gravel
food, flakes/some diff types of pellets *cichlid/goldfish/betta >.>*/frozen bloodworms

Things i need:
hood w/ light
background
fish ($20 >.> this place is so expensive)
2 amazon swords
two medium clay pots
drift/bog wood

What am i missing?

Thats it!, you dont actually need a hood, but its up to you, all you need it a ligh to sit on top.

oh yeah, and when my friend gave me the 10 gallon tank, it is like all white on the inside. I think the term is "water spots" like when water dries on glass. How do i get this out? it looks really bad and im not sure if when i put water in the tank, it will dissapeaer (not disappear as in go away but disappear as in the water hides it). I read somewhere that you can use white vinegar to wipe it off but just thouroughly clean your tank afterwards

i have no idea how to get rid of this, i think a good scrub will work!

omg DiscusAngel, you care helping me so so much. I dont know how i can thank you

Lol! its ok, thats why i joined the forum, to give my knowlage, and to get knowlage!


Good luck!
cona

 

[Rhykiru]

well, do rams jump? just a safety pracaution lol

and i think its better if i get a hood anyways
i think the price of a hood for a 10 gallon is less then the price of buying something to put on top and a light strip.

hm this i wonder how much this is gonna cost me:
$20-two fish
$20-i think the hood is less but i overestimate
$5-lightbulb if the hood doesnt have one
$3-i think background is 1.5 per feed or something
$7-i honestly dont even know how much pots are
$6-i dont know how much amazon swords are either lol. I mean, i dont even know where it is sold. At my petstore and near my house, its just labeled "assorted swords"
$10-driftwood

=$71

lets just say $75 for everything because i need a ph tester too >.>

oi, that seems so much now ._.
dont know if my dad will let me buy it T_T
maybe if i get Straight A's this semester and make him happy lol. I was one A away last time >.>