How many nitrates is too much for Blue Rams

[kaiofcanada]

Hi all...I have a new 10g set up for a trio of blue rams, currently housing only two. I used media and a mature filter that has been used on one of my 4 year old tanks for one month. So the tank was ammonia and nitrate free.

They have been in hiding for nearly 2.5 weeks, which I expected. I noticed them this morning sipping air at the top of the water...so I checked the water and ammonia 0 nitrites 0....so I checked the nitrates and they were around 20.

I did a 60-65% water change immediately, as I read that Rams are sensitive/intolerant to high nitrates. The tank is lightly planted currently. I am waiting for an order to arrive next week. I will monitor the nitrates daily until then, but was wondering how many nitrates are too high for Rams?

My Blue Ram is now exploring the bottom again and in and out of pots. The water change seemed to do the trick, but I don't want to damage her gills by letting nitrates get too high again. Any other suggestions...

 

[Fishguy2727]

Did you check ammonia and nitrite too?

Nitrate shouldn't cause problems like that at 20ppm.

Lower is always better but 20ppm shouldn't be problematic.

If you already have a pair adding a third to get a trio may not happen. They can be aggressive little devils and two settled in probably won't take kindly to a third, especially in a 10.

 

[Fishkeeper26]

Ten gallon is too small for a pair even if they're alone, they need at least 20 gallons

 

[kaiofcanada]

Did you check ammonia and nitrite too?

Nitrate shouldn't cause problems like that at 20ppm.

Lower is always better but 20ppm shouldn't be problematic.

If you already have a pair adding a third to get a trio may not happen. They can be aggressive little devils and two settled in probably won't take kindly to a third, especially in a 10.

I posted the readings above ...ammonia and nitrite are zero and have been for the whole time the fish has been in the tank. And right now there is only one Ram, the other two are on order. They should arrive this week. This one is female and the other two are one female and one male.

Once I get a pair, my friend will take the third fish, he has a male that he wants to pair.

 

[kaiofcanada]

Ten gallon is too small for a pair even if they're alone, they need at least 20 gallons

I am aware of the size requirement. I am in the moment of transitioning my tanks 20-->40 and 10-->20. This is their housing while I cycle the large tank and mature the filters. But I didn't ask about size of the tank, I asked about toxicity of nitrates. Just want to keep this about the topic of inquiry, thanks.