I stepped out of the box! Need a little help.

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My Fish Babies.

Aquarium Advice Activist
Joined
Mar 2, 2012
Messages
176
Location
Indianapolis, Indiana
After three years of exclusively keeping only goldfish I now own three Bolivian Rams. My goldies have moved on up to a 55 gallon and I found myself with an empty well established 29 gallon.

29 gallon
HOB Penguin 200
Large river gravel substrate
Drift wood
Bubble wall
Very Lightly Planted One Moss Ball, One Anubias
(stock)
3 Bolivian Rams
1 Rubber lip pleco
3 Mystery Ivory Snails

(Please humor me and be kind):)

OK my first question......The three Rams have been in the tank for almost 24 hours now. I am curious if they are bottom swimmers? I have read a lot about their diet and natural habitat but, nothing about their swimming habits. These three sat like statues for most of the day yesterday I have noticed more activity this morning and they did eat the gel food I placed in the tank last night but all 3 still on the bottom of the tank. Is this their comfort zone? I was told that there are two males and one female, but the guy wasn't 100%. Their sex isn't an issue for me.

Question 2. CAVES? Is this a must have?

Question 3. Compatibility? Stocking? Like I mentioned above I am really only familiar with Goldfish.....I purchased these Rams from a Mom&Pop LFS. I felt like they had great input and knowledge but am still apprehensive to follow store advice until I consult you guys here on AA. Would I be OK? adding a school of neon tetras say around 10? I would also like to add two dwarf Gouramis? This seems like a large amount of fish to me for a 29 gallon. I am use to the Goldfish keeping rules.

Any suggestions or input you have would be immensely appreciated.

Thanks in advance.
 
im not an expert on this, but i think you may have to keep a male and a female, and return the ram that did not pair up. someone correct me if im wrong lol
 
Hi :) Bolivians are a favorite of mine, loads of personality! Mine are super comfortable in my tank, and still never leave the bottom 1/3 of my tank (2 ft deep). I have never seen one use a cave, so I'd say provide plenty of plant cover and driftwood if you can. You may have to end up either getting rid of one of the males (if those sexes are correct as Bolivians are notoriously hard to sex unfortunately) as these guys are monogamous. Once they pair, they usually stay together for life.

Also I've heard two dwarf gouramis together can be hit-or-miss due to aggression towards conspecifics, not to mention most DGs at pet stores are males.
 
Thanks guys, I am relieved that them staying on the bottom is normal. I really don't know their sexes yet. All three have just kept together in a school so far. I would hate to return one but I guess I will have to see how things pan out. I very well could have all males or all females as far as I know right now. They are so timid still which I am sure is normal for being in a new tank.
 
In a new tank, yeah, they'll be timid, but once they're comfortable, not much phased them lol
 
Just an update! The three are coming out more now but still seem quite shy. None of them seem to have paired up yet. One stays behind a lava rock on the right one in the cave on the left and one hangs out behind the driftwood in the middle. They get a little aggressive with each other during feeding which I have read is normal. Three males possibly?

Still hoping for additional stocking feedback......Someone.......Any one?????????? Please.
 
Hatchets tend to stay towards the top 3 inches of the tank, look into those :) I like the marbled hatchets beat
 
I have 2 male bolivian rams. True, they stay in the bottom 1/3 of the tank. I added 8 Blackskirt tetras to the tank and they brought my rams out of their shyness.
 
Well today I added 5 Diamond Tetras. (They are schooling fish?) Read that an odd number was better to have. Is this true? The Rams came out to investigate for a few minuets then went back to their individual seclusion spots. Added another cave like structure and Some Vallisneria. Since I am not use to stocking beyond Goldfish I want to ask if this stock is OK so far.........
29 gallon
3 Bolivian Rams
1 Rubber lip pleco
3 mystery snails
5 Diamond tetras.

My question is? I would be interested in adding a school of 10 neons. Is this rational thinking or would I be overstocking this tank if I do so? Any advice is really really appreciated.
 
Just a side step away from the neons....you mentioned dwarf gouramis. I've got 3 in my tank, I initially added 2 and they bickered. I added a further one a week later and the bickering stopped. I read they are to be kept in numbers
More then 2 and need lots of plants to hide in. So I got more plants...all is well
 
My Fish Babies. said:
Well today I added 5 Diamond Tetras. (They are schooling fish?) Read that an odd number was better to have. Is this true? The Rams came out to investigate for a few minuets then went back to their individual seclusion spots. Added another cave like structure and Some Vallisneria. Since I am not use to stocking beyond Goldfish I want to ask if this stock is OK so far.........
29 gallon
3 Bolivian Rams
1 Rubber lip pleco
3 mystery snails
5 Diamond tetras.

My question is? I would be interested in adding a school of 10 neons. Is this rational thinking or would I be overstocking this tank if I do so? Any advice is really really appreciated.

I have 2 male Bolivian rams in my 29 gallon. They have little disputes, but nothing real serious. Ive read on here that males are better than females because they are less aggressive. Just something to think about. Also, more than 1 mystery snail might equal babies. May only want to stick with just 1. And with 3 mysteries and 1 rubber lip, they might run out of food(algae) unless supplemented.
 
Interesting observation over the last few hours........The three Bolivian Rams have been out from their hiding spaces longer then usual. They seem very intrigued by the Diamond Tetras. Maybe this will break them of their shyness a bit.

@Tetra1990, Thanks for the feedback.....I do drop algae wafers in every other night to supplement the snails and plecos diet. I am not too worried about baby snails just yet although some snail hanky panky has definitely occurred. I guess I will cross that bridge when it happens.

@Malemew. Yup dwarf gouramis were on my wants list but I changed my mind. I think they are beautiful fish but, Want to keep the tank as peaceful as I can. I have heard stories about males especially being more aggressive.
 
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