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Blue rams in a 20 high

Filip

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Apr 30, 2020
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Location
Charlotte, NC
UMMmMMM... GUyS?!
I think that Aqadvisor stopped working!!!
I mean, it wasn't very accurate but it gave you a rough idea of your tank! is it just me? what will people do? XD
 
I always ask on here rather than using that. Gotten some very bad advice from that lol
 
Since I got u on here, what do you think of this:
20 gallon high, Marineland 150 filter.
3x: blue ram
10x: some kind of small cory cats.
I have been to my Petco/Petsmart and blue rams are the cichlids that they have, since I wanted to have the krib, but they don't have them in my area. I also wanted to chill on the fish count, since they would have better water quality.
what do you think?
 
Since I got u on here, what do you think of this:
20 gallon high, Marineland 150 filter.
3x: blue ram
10x: some kind of small cory cats.
I have been to my Petco/Petsmart and blue rams are the cichlids that they have, since I wanted to have the krib, but they don't have them in my area. I also wanted to chill on the fish count, since they would have better water quality.
what do you think?
Would probably work, although I think the rams need cooler water. Could be wrong tho.
 
Too many rams for a small tank. A tank that is 2 foot long is suitable for a breeding pair of rams, nothing else if they breed.

Cories and rams equals too many bottom dwelling fish for a small tank. The tank doesn't have a big enough surface area for that many fish that live on the bottom.

Rams like warmer water (26-28C) than Corydoras (22-24C).
 
So maybe a sole ram and some ottos and neons?
Edit: do they need to be in pairs, the rams I mean...
 
I just want corys/ottos to "clean" the tank, and it would add some more movement...
I don't know, what do you think could be kept with blue ram/s
I'll take any suggestions on combinations w/other fish:)
 
Cories def wont "clean" a tank.

And otos are delicate and should only ever be considered for a mature tank (over 6 months). They will keep up on soft algaes, but not all kinds.

Rams like warmer water.

Go for a pair of rams with a school of cardinal tetras.
 
The common or blue ram (Mikrogeophagus ramirezi) in any of its varieties needs warmth, 27-30C/80-86F, and that is where finding suitable tankmates takes some thought. The rams will be better in the upper half of the stated range, but many of the "tropcal" fish we keep will find this very problematic long-term. Corydoras should never be above 27C/80F on a permanent basis, but much lower as Colin noted.

Neon tetra (Paracheirodon innesi) is one of the fish that will not last at higher temperatures; they prefer it in the 21-25C/70-77F range, and mid-range would suit them and cories.

You can keep a solitary blue ram, with warmer water fish such as cardinal tetras (Paracheirodon axelrodi) or the close relative the green (false) neon, P. simulans. The latter is actually a very good match, as it can be found in watercourses with a temperature that can surpass 35°C/95F (Campos, et al, 2017). This brings us to the other parameters though, GH and pH, as these fish have some very exacting requirements.

A pair of blue rams would be interesting, but the fish must select their mate. Any male and any female we put together will not necessarily bond, and that spells serious trouble within a matter of a few months if not weeks, with one fish left alive. I can explain this if asked.
 
The common or blue ram (Mikrogeophagus ramirezi) in any of its varieties needs warmth, 27-30C/80-86F, and that is where finding suitable tankmates takes some thought. The rams will be better in the upper half of the stated range, but many of the "tropcal" fish we keep will find this very problematic long-term. Corydoras should never be above 27C/80F on a permanent basis, but much lower as Colin noted.

Neon tetra (Paracheirodon innesi) is one of the fish that will not last at higher temperatures; they prefer it in the 21-25C/70-77F range, and mid-range would suit them and cories.

You can keep a solitary blue ram, with warmer water fish such as cardinal tetras (Paracheirodon axelrodi) or the close relative the green (false) neon, P. simulans. The latter is actually a very good match, as it can be found in watercourses with a temperature that can surpass 35°C/95F (Campos, et al, 2017). This brings us to the other parameters though, GH and pH, as these fish have some very exacting requirements.

A pair of blue rams would be interesting, but the fish must select their mate. Any male and any female we put together will not necessarily bond, and that spells serious trouble within a matter of a few months if not weeks, with one fish left alive. I can explain this if asked.
Yes! pleas do go on! I want as much info as I can get my hands on :)
 
Yes! pleas do go on! I want as much info as I can get my hands on :)

There are two ways to acquire a bonded pair. One is to acquire a group of the species and let them pair off, which they will do over several weeks usually. The problem then is you have a tank of unwanted fish, as you would need at least 7-8 or more (you might not even get a pair forming from this number, or fewer).

My preference is to carefully observe the fish in the store tank, for 15-20 minutes, and be as motionless as you can be so you don't distract the fish. Males will always be obvious, as they will be "challenging" each other over their territory, and with several males in the normal smallish store tank they will be actively charging one another. Those are the males, the easy part. The fish not taking part in this dominance activity are the females, and they tend to be more involved in picking at the substrtate for food tidbits, basically ignoring the males. Over a period of time, you may see a female that remains relatively close to one of the males, and he basically ignores her in his challenges to the other males. The female closest to the male is likely to bond. There are no guarantees, but this usually does work.
 
Thanks! I'll keep this in mind.
I also have one last question: Since cichlids like to go through the gravel, would live plants be ok? I wouldn't be putting them through the entire tank, maybe just the background and that being it... would this be ok, since they would still have room to peck through the gravel in the front of the tank without disturbing roots?
 
Do you have a QT tank? If so, problem solved. Buy a bunch, half a dozen or more. Provide a couple of coconut caves or similar. QT them. However as well as making sure they are healthy what your going to do is observe and wait, once you have a pair, return the rest to the LFS. If you speak to them beforehand and tell them your intentions they should be willing to offer you store credit or whatever on the rams returned.
If you don't have a QT system, perhaps now is the time to consider getting one, it can be done very inexpensively.
 
Do you have a QT tank? If so, problem solved. Buy a bunch, half a dozen or more. Provide a couple of coconut caves or similar. QT them. However as well as making sure they are healthy what your going to do is observe and wait, once you have a pair, return the rest to the LFS. If you speak to them beforehand and tell them your intentions they should be willing to offer you store credit or whatever on the rams returned.
If you don't have a QT system, perhaps now is the time to consider getting one, it can be done very inexpensively.
I do have a 5 gallon, and I think I have a filter somewhere. The thing is that I am moving in a couple of weeks, and I'm assessing my options on stocking after I establish and cycle my tank. That is a good idea! Thanks
 

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