Gold Rams!

[umlaut31]

After going around all of my LFS's today (finding that some were very terrible!) I've picked up 2 gold rams. I'm not sure if they're a 'pair' but one is smaller than the other. I don't know how to sex them either - so do you think you guys will be able to tell me if they are male or female? And possibly how old they are?

Also - In my 64ltr I now have: Bristlenose Plec, 3 Mollies, 6 Zebra Danios and 2 Gold Rams - what otehr shoaling fish is suitable for this tank? I was thinking some kind of tetra or barb - but something that is good in communities, rather small and has a lot of colour. Would serpae tetras or perhaps black phantoms be okay in this tank? What about Harlequin Rasboras?

Thanks again

 

[Gilli]

The colours in the picture are not good but they look more like German Blue rams to me! - you will need to get some better pics for id and sexing!

 

[umlaut31]

The colours in the picture are not good but they look more like German Blue rams to me! - you will need to get some better pics for id and sexing!

Okay dokey - will do =]

 

[Truck]

yeh they are GBR's

 

[umlaut31]

yeh they are GBR's

Does that mean, i can or can't have serpae tetras or something like them?

 

[Truck]

they are semi-community fish, they are fairly docile, but read neales post for more info

 

[umlaut31]

 

[Faythee]

Very cute blue rams. The last pic looks female to me. The males rays tend to be longer, first few front dorsal. Back dorsal extends to the tail. It can be hard to tell. I read females have a pinkish belly.

They are pretty docile. I keep mine with Diamond Tetras, Rasboras, Swordtails, and an Angel.

 

[nmonks]

No, they're really not community fish!

Almost all the Mikrogeophagus ramirezi dumped into standard community tanks die within months. These fish MUST be kept in very warm conditions, around 28-30 C (82-86 F). Too cold, and their immune system and digestive system don't work properly, and sooner or later you have to deal with things like Hexamita.

Conversely, you cannot keep things like neons, danios or Corydoras this warm. They will hate you for it! Neons and danios prefer fairly cool water, around 22 C (72 F) while Corydoras mostly do best under 25 C (77 F). If they're too warm they will have a shorter lifespan and will be more prone to disease.

Over at Wet Web Media I have to explain these facts once or twice a week. It gets boring very quickly! Have you ever wondered why neons die so easily? Or why people can't keep their ram cichlids alive? Temperature is critically important, and yet too many aquarists don't think about this factor at all. Please spend some time reading about a fish before buying them.

I'll also make the point that Mikrogeophagus means "little earth-eater". These are sand-sifting cichlids. Gravel is not an option! Give these cichlids what they need: a sandy substrate tank with some floating plants for shade, a high temperature, gentle current, 0-20 mg/l (maximum) nitrate, and regular water changes. Super-soft water isn't essential, but it helps, and certainly don't keep them above 10 degrees dH, pH 7.0. Wild fish will be living in water with less than 5 degrees dH and pH 5-6. Don't do these things and they won't live that long. If you must add tankmates, choose fish from similar warm-water conditions, such as cardinals.

Cheers, Neale

they are community fish

 

[umlaut31]

So I was going to set up a sandy betta tank - but I could scratch the betta and move my rams to that tank instead (whats the minimum size)? Then get a more suited tank for them?

 

[Truck]

60 litres bare minimum IMO

 

[2excitedkids]

I've read that Bolivian Rams prefer slightly cooler water and also slightly harder water. I hope this is true as we have just got 2 who are in our quarantine tank. We didn't get the german blue rams as our water isn't suitable. I hope we haven't been misled!

 

[nmonks]

You were far from mislead. Bolivian rams, Mikrogeophagus altispinosus, are excellent community fish. They do well across a range of water conditions and do indeed prefer normal aquarium temperatures. It is rare for them to cause problems of any kind.

They are hardy, peaceful, and easy to breed. In every way, excellent dwarf cichlids, probably the best. They are the rams that aquarists who do their homework buy, as opposed to standard rams, Mikrogeophagus ramirezi, which are the rams that people usually buy before reading a book, and then end up watching die.

Well done! Neale

I've read that Bolivian Rams prefer slightly cooler water and also slightly harder water. I hope this is true as we have just got 2 who are in our quarantine tank. We didn't get the german blue rams as our water isn't suitable. I hope we haven't been misled!

 

[2excitedkids]

You were far from mislead. Bolivian rams, Mikrogeophagus altispinosus, are excellent community fish. They do well across a range of water conditions and do indeed prefer normal aquarium temperatures. It is rare for them to cause problems of any kind.

They are hardy, peaceful, and easy to breed. In every way, excellent dwarf cichlids, probably the best. They are the rams that aquarists who do their homework buy, as opposed to standard rams, Mikrogeophagus ramirezi, which are the rams that people usually buy before reading a book, and then end up watching die.

Well done! Neale

I've read that Bolivian Rams prefer slightly cooler water and also slightly harder water. I hope this is true as we have just got 2 who are in our quarantine tank. We didn't get the german blue rams as our water isn't suitable. I hope we haven't been misled!

Excellent, many thanks