Nearly Broke My Arm Patting Myself on the Back

[anachrotech]

After my nearly 6 years of caring for my EBJD and the necessary heartbreak in euthanizing him a month ago, I went to the LFS to purchase some fish. This, of course, was after replacing the substrate and getting new plants (artificial). My heart wasn't in it, but I did it anyway. Their stock is normally okay to pretty good, but the selection on that day was a bit sparse. I purchased 2 rams, labeled 'Blue Rams' (GBRs I had years ago were nicer), 7 White Tip Tetras, 2 Black Marble Angels (which may be veil tails, though I'm not certain), and 6 mixed Corys (2 each of pepper, green and albino). Should have researched the last as I was not aware they were all different species.
It's been one month, and knock on wood, everyone is getting along and most importantly, no deaths and no illnesses. I did start to see a bit of cloudy water starting a week and a half ago, so I turned off my 'mother hen' persona (they're so little - they have to eat more!) and cut the feeding down. Cloudiness is gone.
I was hoping the 'Blue Rams' would by now show more color, but they may not be well bred or my water parameters are not quite what is ideal for them - 7.6 PH and med hardness (forgot the number - I'll get that tomorrow. I know it's at the upper end of 'medium'). Though again, my last GBRs were very colorful. I think they are the same sex.
The angels - don't know yet.
I'm happy that they seem happy. Sorry - picture heavy.

I'm rather satisfied that my ability to maintain a stable aquarium has increased. I do want at some point to have a low light planted as well as a big >100g SA cichlid tank - for the big boys-maybe dempseys or oscar(s). MTS has started.

 

[Brookster123]

Look like wc rams, nice! ! They'll color up with good food and clean water

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[anachrotech]

Look like wc rams, nice! ! They'll color up with good food and clean water

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Aquarium Advice mobile app

Hope you're correct. I'm itching to expand my single tank to multiple tanks now that I'm recovered from my loss of Mr. Dempsey. I do love the rams. Alas, no room at the present. Someday, before I get too old - pushing 60 now. Oy.

 

[coralbandit]

Rams like 80+.
What temp are you keeping the tank at?
They look good to me.
Coloring says male in pic 4 but the dorsal spikes and anal fin say female to me?
No red bellies ever on either?

 

[anachrotech]

Rams like 80+.
What temp are you keeping the tank at?
They look good to me.
Coloring says male in pic 4 but the dorsal spikes and anal fin say female to me?
No red bellies ever on either?

Tank is currently 79. Would 80+ be okay with the angel, tetras, and corys?
Both rams look almost the same, except one (that hides a lot) is a little larger in the body. No red bellies on either, which has me a tad confused as both have the dorsal spikes and the more rounded anal fin. And, when they do show the bars, the 'black spot' do have blue. Obviously related as they were in the same tank and are about the same size - approximately 1 1/4" in length from nose to tail end (as far as I can tell - corner bowfront distorts a lot). It should be interesting to see where this goes.

 

[coralbandit]

Most get concerned with cories in warmer tanks but many discus keepers use cories in their tanks.
79 is pretty good IMO,but if you are comfortable watching your fish for a couple days give 80-81 a shot.

 

[anachrotech]

Most get concerned with cories in warmer tanks but many discus keepers use cories in their tanks.
79 is pretty good IMO,but if you are comfortable watching your fish for a couple days give 80-81 a shot.

The cories were my main reason for keeping it at 78-79.
I'll bump it up.
Thank you Bandit.

 

[Gillie]

Look like wc rams, nice! ! They'll color up with good food and clean water

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Aquarium Advice mobile app

Definitely GBR, wilds tend to be quite yellow in the front half.

Rams like 80+.
What temp are you keeping the tank at?
They look good to me.
Coloring says male in pic 4 but the dorsal spikes and anal fin say female to me?
No red bellies ever on either?

I see a female also.

 

[Brookster123]

Definitely GBR, wilds tend to be quite yellow in the front half.







I see a female also.

See how she colors up? Pretty washed out I guess.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[CleverBs]

Into experience with sexing Rams the best thing to look for is the blue dots inside the black dot. If the blue are all contained inside the dot it's a male. If the blue spots are in and outside the dot it's female.

 

[coralbandit]

Into experience with sexing Rams the best thing to look for is the blue dots inside the black dot. If the blue are all contained inside the dot it's a male. If the blue spots are in and outside the dot it's female.

^^switch that around and still don't count on spots.
But FOR SURE it is the females that are "supposed to have blue "inside the dot.
At least I think but what do I know?

 

[Gillie]

^^switch that around and still don't count on spots.
But FOR SURE it is the females that are "supposed to have blue "inside the dot.
At least I think but what do I know?

This is true, I did have those 2 females that showed both traits.

 

[bluethunder261]

Adding to that I was under the impression the females also had a mauve hue on their bellies

Sent from my SGH-M919 using Tapatalk

 

[bluethunder261]

My male GBR

Sent from my SGH-M919 using Tapatalk

 

[CleverBs]

^^switch that around and still don't count on spots.
But FOR SURE it is the females that are "supposed to have blue "inside the dot.
At least I think but what do I know?

Oh is it switched it may be havent done it in years. I know its not a sure thing but odds are pretty good. Really I only use this when I was looking at them in the store because they had such faded color and it was the only tiny thing you could go bye because most are still young as well.

 

[Gillie]

Adding to that I was under the impression the females also had a mauve hue on their belliesView attachment 280439

Sent from my SGH-M919 using Tapatalk

There are serious issues sexing line bred rams a lot of the time, Asia pumps so much crap into their fish, that females will completely lack any traits for sexing and farm raised most of the time are no better. Eventually we will have to sex them like angelfish.

 

[coralbandit]

My male GBR

Sent from my SGH-M919 using Tapatalk

He is a handsome ram.

Oh is it switched it may be havent done it in years. I know its not a sure thing but odds are pretty good. Really I only use this when I was looking at them in the store because they had such faded color and it was the only tiny thing you could go bye because most are still young as well.

There are serious issues sexing line bred rams a lot of the time, Asia pumps so much crap into their fish, that females will completely lack any traits for sexing and farm raised most of the time are no better. Eventually we will have to sex them like angelfish.

I can sex mine like people.....
Sexing some one elses by a picture can be difficult to say the least sometimes....

 

[Gillie]

He is a handsome ram.







I can sex mine like people.....
Sexing some one elses by a picture can be difficult to say the least sometimes....

I saw someone selling a strain called dragonfly and both sexes look exactly the same, it irritates me a bit, just like the super hormone fed ones from Asia do.

 

[anachrotech]

Well, all I know, at the moment, is that the ones I have don't really seem to have much of a spot. I can sometimes see an area that would be where the spot should be, but it is pale blue. At least on one I see this. The dorsal spikes on one (the I haven't seen any spot) are getting long, but the spikes are not black. I'll just have to see what happens later. I do know the LFS I go to does have a number of local people he purchases from, perhaps I'll inquire if these are local or imports. His stock never looks like what's in the big box stores. It's a number of levels better.
They're starting to fatten up a bit, which is good, though they still have a bit to go.