Nervous about getting a GBR?

[Cobaltskyy]

Since we r on the topic of GBR's how many should I get? I have been slowly rearranging things in my 4 tanks and now have plenty of room in my 30 gal for some....but how many?
Currently:
5 cardinal tetras (going to get 4 or 5 more)
4 BHT's (want about 2 more of them)
2 white tetras-trying to find a new home for them!
4 cory cats

I was thinking 2 females and 1 male?

 

[eco23]

Since we r on the topic of GBR's how many should I get? I have been slowly rearranging things in my 4 tanks and now have plenty of room in my 30 gal for some....but how many?
Currently:
5 cardinal tetras (going to get 4 or 5 more)
4 BHT's (want about 2 more of them)
2 white tetras-trying to find a new home for them!
4 cory cats

I was thinking 2 females and 1 male?

After my research I went with a solo male. I've heard they can become aggressive towards other fish in the tank if they mate, and sometimes 2 of the same gender simply don't get along with each other.

Obviously it works out fine for most people, but my tank is so peaceful and harmonious that I didn't want to risk it.

My reason for wanting a Ram was more to serve as a centerpiece fish.

 

[Cobaltskyy]

Mine is very peaceful too I love their coloring and I don't have a tank big enough right now for bigger cichlids so I have been working towards the GBR's as my goal!

 

[YLD]

Here is mine is young.

 

[Cobaltskyy]

Very nice!

 

[ejaramillo01]

Here is mine is young.

Beautiful fish!!
As I said, deserve the try!

 

[siva]

I have a really awesome m&p lfs that has great stock. Fish from there almost never die prematurely. I got my first GBR from there, and it never acted quite right, and died on day 6. I recently got another GBR as well as a gold ram from them, and they are doing well so far, but I'm still barely caustiously optimistic. I haven't been able to find a breeder locally unfortunately. If you are in the same position, I would recommend asking your lfs to order the ram(s) for you and call you when they come in. Rams aren't great shippers, but of course this is how they get to the lfs anyway, so this is a chance you'd have to take. This way they never hit the lfs tanks, which typically contain aquarium salt and high levels of nitrates. The stock they get isn't going to be as high of quality as if you ordered directly from a breeder, but you won't be paying the high price of overnight shipping, and most shops are going to offer you some sort of money back guarantee in case it dies quickly, so you take less risk this way.

 

[Tropical]

YLD, the ram looks great! I am really itching to get one now! How many water changes do you do a week and how much.

Also, food? Can I go with Aqueon Cichlid pellets as a staple and frozen bloodworms once a week?

 

[siva]

I would not go with aqueon. I have hikari cichlid pellets, and they like those OK. Hikari and New Life Spectrum are good quality commercial foods. They nibble on java moss throughout the day. They go crazy for Emeral Entree (a frozen food containing both meat and veggies) and also love bloodworms, brine shrimp, and mysis shrimp.

 

[Cobaltskyy]

Im fortunate enough to have an amazing lfs...high quality stock and actually knowledgeable staff! I have been keeping an eye out for them and they get them in regularly! Can't wait to get mine

 

[Tropical]

Ok, thanks for the tip. Does two 30% water changes a week sound ok?

 

[YLD]

I don't change the water weekly, I do it like every 2-3 wks. For the food I give them the flakes and sinking wafers that I use for the corys but you know all the fish like them too. And brine shrimp sometimes. I don't do anything special lol

 

[siva]

I don't change the water weekly, I do it like every 2-3 wks. For the food I give them the flakes and sinking wafers that I use for the corys but you know all the fish like them too. And brine shrimp sometimes. I don't do anything special lol

I wouldn't change water that infrequently even for hardier fish. Rams are very sensitive to high nitrates, so at the very least a weekly partial water change would be advisable. I would judge by your water parameters as far as how often you need to pwc. The second one in the week may not be needed. I typically keep my tanks from exceeding 20ppm nitrates, but I've been keeping the rams tank from exceeding 10ppm.

 

[eco23]

I wouldn't change water that infrequently even for hardier fish. Rams are very sensitive to high nitrates, so at the very least a weekly partial water change would be advisable. I would judge by your water parameters as far as how often you need to pwc. The second one in the week may not be needed. I typically keep my tanks from exceeding 20ppm nitrates, but I've been keeping the rams tank from exceeding 10ppm.

Agreed. Even forgetting the no3 level, my substrate would get nasty without it's weekly vacuuming. It's always a good idea to invest in a Python or other water changing system. I can do a 50% pwc in under 10 minutes on my 48 gallon.

 

[YLD]

I have one of those, my tank is pretty clean, also I have a good filter. I have a 46 gal.

 

[jpchin]

i have 2 rams and they are doing great. i do 10-15% water changes every 3rd day. they are in 45 gal coffee table aquarium that's 53" long. lots of room to swim. 6 glo fish, 3 xray tetra's, 4 platy's, 3 dwarf gourami's, 2 s.a. bumblebee cat fish and 10 shrimp and 2 tiger snails. the rams don't bother any of the fish at all. maybe because of the length of the tank. my ph is at about 6.5.

 

[siva]

I have one of those, my tank is pretty clean, also I have a good filter. I have a 46 gal.

Unless your tank is by most standards very understocked, or very heavily planted, doing a water change/gravel vac every few weeks isn't going to keep the water in good enough condition for rams. If you feel it's working for yours, that's great, but in general it just isn't advisable.

 

[Chelseachuy]

Get one from a good fishstore with good stock I was nervous too but mine are doing great!

 

[YLD]

Well I'll have to start doing it weekly. I don't want my fish to die.

 

[jetajockey]

just keep some plants in it to keep water quality up.

I actually put a few rams into an outdoor tub this morning so they can eat the mosquito larvae