German blue ram

[JF213]

Who can educate me about the German blue ram? I have done a lot of research on them. my problem is that I am mainly using Internet and I am finding conflicting stories.

I am really looking for tank mates for my 2 Bolivian rams. I want at least one more pair of cichlids (not keyholes). I have a 50 gallon tank and am looking for anything under 6 inches.

I know that these two types of fish require different water temperatures but have read several articles were people have been able to keep them together.

Thank you any information that you can provide.

 

[molliwopp]

Theres so many different types of cichlid. What types were you thinking? South american, central american? Malawi africans? Tanganyika africans? Ect

If you dont know, why not match the cichlids to your water.

Is your water soft or hard? acidic or alkaline?

 

[TheCommunityCichlid]

How about festivum? They are cool and intelligent also not many have them

 

[jpchin]

i have a bolivian ram with blue rams and gold rams. they are in a community tank with several different types of rainbow fish, dwarf gourami's,serape tetras, glow tetras, etc. bolivian, blue and gold rams are all south american dwarf cichlids. they are great cichlids for a community set-up as they are very peaceful. i must say that i have an all male tank so i'm not sure how they act when females are added to the mix. i keep my water temp at about 80 and feed flakes pellets and live black worms. they are about 2 years old. i do a 15% water change every 3rd day. i have a 50 gallon coffee table aquarium.

 

[JF213]

Molliwop, I was looking for a SA/CA cichlid to go with my Bolivian rams.

The festivum sounds like it might be a good idea. What area of the tank do they usually prefer (bottom/top)?

Jpchin, thank you for confirming that I can mix Bolivian rams with other rams.

 

[TheCommunityCichlid]

I would assume they go all over.

 

[JF213]

Could I put Emerald Cory with the Rams? I am asking since all of them prefer the bottom of the tank and I know that the rams can be territorial.

 

[TheCommunityCichlid]

Corys would be fine, rams really don't prefer the bottoms they will travel all over the tank given the right aquascape. If the only cover is at the bottom this is where they will stay

 

[JF213]

Thank you for all of your help.

Can I get 1 or 2 cories or are they schooling fish?

 

[TheCommunityCichlid]

They like schools of 5 or more I would say but I'm no Cory expert. They are defiantly schoolers though

 

[Freakgecko91]

I would assume they go all over.

Festivum are top dwellers, rarely venturing below the top third of the tank. Rams in general are bottom dwellers

 

[TheCommunityCichlid]

Festivum are top dwellers, rarely venturing below the top third of the tank. Rams in general are bottom dwellers

Rams or at least mikrogeophagus ramirezi (have no personally experience with Bolivians) are not what I would consider "bottom dweller"

 

[bshenanagins]

Rams or at least mikrogeophagus ramirezi (have no personally experience with Bolivians) are not what I would consider "bottom dweller"

Yeah absolutely not, Bolivians I would agree with that. They are the only "Ram" exception. But all my rams and even my apisto are all over the tank as TCC would agree.

 

[Freakgecko91]

Yeah absolutely not, Bolivians I would agree with that. They are the only "Ram" exception. But all my rams and even my apisto are all over the tank as TCC would agree.

Hence why I said generally...and yes, in the wild they ARE bottom dwellers. In a tank environment, with a dither species, they are going to feel comfortable enough to venture out. My ramirezi does move all over my tank, but typically it never hovers more than a few inches of what is solid, like driftwood.

 

[TheCommunityCichlid]

Hence why I said generally...and yes, in the wild they ARE bottom dwellers. In a tank environment, with a dither species, they are going to feel comfortable enough to venture out. My ramirezi does move all over my tank, but typically it never hovers more than a few inches of what is solid, like driftwood.

Yes because it would be impossible to replicate even the small area mikrogeophagus ramirezi come from. So an in aquarium their behavior is much different

 

[bshenanagins]

Yes because it would be impossible to replicate even the small area mikrogeophagus ramirezi come from. So an in aquarium their behavior is much different

Agreed. There are plenty of dithers in Ram waters so I'm sure their behavior would not be much different. Much of the water they are found in is not much deeper than most of our tanks as TCC mentioned anyway. So in a sense of them being in such shallow water then sure, but if that's the case then all of our fish are bottom dwellers lol