German Blue Rams!!

[ocminpin]

GERMAN BLUE RAMS!!
Wellllll.... Okay, so I admit I dove into his whole fish business like an Olympic Diver... With much more knowledge and experience than i started with, I have a dream building together of a future tank.

The tank is a 20g L ... Currently housing Juvenile Mollies in various stages of growth on their way to the LFS.

Once it's empty I'm thinking of a pair of German Blue Rams...
I'd like your advice, comments and suggestions way in advance of my purchase... I've had my eye on Rams the last month or so imagining I'd like to have them in the future.
Would they be happiest alone in a pair, or with tank mates? I'd be perfectly happy keeping them alone if it's suggested... Im exploring planted tanks, but am interested in growing my own from bulbs or having plastic for now... I have gravel rocks in my tanks. I took a picture of some rams today... Absolutely gorgeous! I've attached the pictures...
Would the tank I want to use be sufficient? What other tank mates can I add with GBR... or keep alone? Planted or plastic plants? Decor...?

Thank you... And I must admit I'm very proud to research and ask questions BEFORE purchase! I'm grateful somewhere deep inside I'm learning patience! :-0

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[jcolon]

I'm not one to advise on GBR's but I do agree those are gorgeous specimens you snapped a pic of.

 

[iadubber]

I love GBRs! BUT, they are so sensitive pre-adult stage. Those look a little older than the ones I've tried. I would only recommend them going into a very well established tank. I've lost 4 over the last couple months.

 

[kdpuffer]

A pair of rams in a 20g long would be good. If your looking to get a pair I'd recommend getting a group of juvies and letting them pair off and sell the odd ones out back to the LFS or do your research and know what to look for in sexing rams. I have a pair and they are awesome little fish, my female is always at the front glass looking out at the goings on in my living room. I would also recommend getting a school of mellow fish to put with them as it makes them feel more safe and secure which in turn makes them more active. I would avoid danios as they tend to be a bit high strung and hyper. Tetras are a good choice, I keep mine with cardinal tetras to keep the blue and red theme going then I have some panda cories to mix it up. Also provide lots of cover, plants are a must (real or fake) and some caves aswell. Lots of people use terra cotta planting pots as caves, I have some unique drift wood that I use.

 

[ocminpin]

I found Long Finned Gold/black Skirt Tetras...
Would these work well? They're gorgeous!


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[bruinsbro1997]

Nice fish!

Careful with the tetras, there is a slight possibility they may nip at the rams. Though I'm not sure how they would do together with the rams I think they should fit in a 20G.

IMO the most important thing with rams is consistency. As in consistent water changes, consistent pH, consistent nitrates that do not get too high, and consistent food. Do that and you should be fine with them after the first few months.

 

[ocminpin]

How many tetras? 6? OR what other schooling fish would be able to work well with rams in a 20g L?
How often would you suggest feeding?
I feed alternating Omega One Veggie Flakes, Tropical Flakes/Crisps..

 

[bruinsbro1997]

Neon, cardinal, glowlight, black neon, rummynose tetras are some good choices.

I feed my fish 2-3 times a week.

 

[ocminpin]

After a recent debacle I discovered the nitrates out of my tap are 20 ppm...
Would this be dangerous to rams if I were able to keep it at that?

 

[Nu-Nu the eel]

Rams are very sensitive and dont get your hopes up on raising babys, because it is very difficult, even for very experienced fish keepers IMO. They are much harder to raise then mollies, platys, and guppys and i would wait for a while until you gain more confidence and skill. THEN try rams. If you do try it, good luck!

 

[ocminpin]

Rams are very sensitive and dont get your hopes up on raising babys, because it is very difficult, even for very experienced fish keepers IMO. They are much harder to raise then mollies, platys, and guppys and i would wait for a while until you gain more confidence and skill. THEN try rams. If you do try it, good luck!

I don't think I'd try to breed them just get a pair... Could I even get two females? Are males more colorful?
Rams aren't in my near future with all these mollies and the new platys... I'm not getting another tank...
Out of curiosity, and i know we talked about Tetras with rams... I also read about the schooling fish in with rams to calm them... Would a male and female platy work? Or maybe I could put ONE ram in with the platy pair in 20g L?
Just researching wayyyyyy in advance

 

[kdpuffer]

No experience with platies but I think they would be ok platies are more mid-top water fish were rams stay closer to the bottom. As far as color the female rams are just as colorful as males.

 

[ocminpin]

No experience with platies but I think they would be ok platies are more mid-top water fish were rams stay closer to the bottom. As far as color the female rams are just as colorful as males.

Would a Bolivian female and German Blue female do okay in a 20g L with a few platies?

 

[Harryhorse]

I have to female gbr an they get along fine

 

[absolutangel04]

Honestly, that sort of depends. I suggest you plant the tank pretty well to help absorb the nitrates. If I were you, I would try it. Just make super sure that you are getting good stock that is very healthy. Its good if you can find a local breeder, that way the rams will have been raised in water similar to yours. If not, I suggest you make sure the store you get them from purchased them from a good breeder. Good stock is very imprtant with these guys IMO.

 

[00youknowit00]

IME, its largely about stock, with my experiences with then you can tell within hours how they'll do, if you acclimate them, and they just sit behind a plant from the time they go in to the time you go to bed, chances are you'll wake up to a dead GBR.. But if you put them in and an hour later they're front and center watching you, playing around, exploring, acting fine. Chances are they'll be fine if you stay diligent on keeping your nitrates low. This is all IME though.

 

[ocminpin]

Thanks guys..... Looks like in the future before Rams I'll make my 20g a planted tank... Sounds good... The whole thing will be an experience
After all I've learned I won't ever get another fish, especially something as special as Rams without through investigation.

 

[00youknowit00]

Just be warned, if you do get some rams, you'll fall in love instantly.

 

[JesseMessykinn]

Ive had my rams here about a week, they seem to doing fine. Ive got 3 since they shipped 3 in so i took them all. When I added them to my tank I had to remove my platy cause it kept nipping at the rams. IMO If you Doing rams, get a tank and base it around the rams. House them with smaller non-nipping fish. Mine are kept with neons and glow fish. One of my Rams is going to have to be rehomed due to minor aggression between the trio. They are one of the most beautiful fish ive ever kept.

 

[ocminpin]

Ive had my rams here about a week, they seem to doing fine. Ive got 3 since they shipped 3 in so i took them all. When I added them to my tank I had to remove my platy cause it kept nipping at the rams. IMO If you Doing rams, get a tank and base it around the rams. House them with smaller non-nipping fish. Mine are kept with neons and glow fish. One of my Rams is going to have to be rehomed due to minor aggression between the trio. They are one of the most beautiful fish ive ever kept.

In the beginning of this thread I posted a few Rams I saw at the store and I love the Black Skirt Tetras...
My male platy is so peaceful... He is very gentle with his little girlfriend Trixie. She is quiet too.. They just swim around the tank together. Hopefully they stay peaceful and would work with Rams... If not I'll move the Platies.