New To German Blue Rams?

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Diamonte

Diamonte

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Joined
Aug 29, 2013
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194
Location
Georgia
I have a 20 tank that has always been running. Recently I purchased some fish from PetSmart. Well basically my whole tank died (old fish and new fish). So I had to restart EVERYTHING (take everything out and re clean it and add freshwater) So does that mean Its cycling all over again?

Now I want some German Blue Rams. So what kind of tankmates should I get? Should I get two Rams or stick it one? What type of fish do they like to be around?
 
GBRs should be purchased from reputable breeders. Most of the stock at one's local LFS is inbred and/or pumped up on hormones. Lots of unethical breeders out there. Some breeders sell confirmed male/female pairs, and this is the way to go. Putting random male and female GBRs in the same tank is a crapshoot. They may breed, or one may harass the other to death.

If you killed the tank's BB colony when you cleaned it, you'll need to cycle again. Also, GBRs will not do well in recently-cycled tanks. I'd get the tankmates first and then wait three months before adding the rams.

Tankmates will depend on tank dimensions and whether you get one or two rams. In a 20 high (24" long), I would restrict my tankmates to top-dwellers. Rams are substrate-spawners and will get territorial. If you have a 20 long (30" long) or you're only getting one ram, you'll have more flexibility. Also, GBRs need the tank to be at 80 F minimum (82-84 F is optimal). So that will limit your stocking options. Silver and Marbled Hatchetfish are top-dwellers that will tolerate 80. Cardinal Tetras are mid-dwellers that will tolerate 80-84 or so.
 
Okay so Im not going to buy them.....So can Indian Dwarf Puffer fish be my next option?

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Diamonte said:
Okay so Im not going to buy them.....So can Indian Dwarf Puffer fish be my next option?

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I would recommend doing a LOT of research on them before jumping into puffers. They're very intolerant of many things and if not kept in perfect conditions, are prone to disease and death. Also, a mature tank (at least 3-6 months) is needed for their survival. Also, without being specific as to which species you're interested in, there's no way to accurately answer your question. IMO and from what I've read, a 10 is way too small.


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treemanone2003 said:
I would recommend doing a LOT of research on them before jumping into puffers. They're very intolerant of many things and if not kept in perfect conditions, are prone to disease and death. Also, a mature tank (at least 3-6 months) is needed for their survival. Also, without being specific as to which species you're interested in, there's no way to accurately answer your question. IMO and from what I've read, a 10 is way too small.


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I have a 20 gallon tall. But why do people say that they are easy fish to keep? And that they get along with most slow moving fish and like otocinclus?
 
If you want GBRs, look at tank mates that would suit those temps. And be compatible.
http://aquariadise.com/spotlight-dwarf-puffer/

If you want your Ram's fins bitten up, then sure throw a Puffer in there.

I don't know anyone that knows fish that keeps a puffer with their Rams. They usually build the tank around the Rams needs.

Many of my club members have GBRs. I am in an Aquatic Plant club so we all have planted tanks.

Dwarf Puffers, called Pea Puffers in my area are recommended to have their own tanks. Many club members have them. They keep them in 5-10g tanks. At meetings we bring them snails for their Puffers.


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Diamonte said:
I have a 20 gallon tall. But why do people say that they are easy fish to keep? And that they get along with most slow moving fish and like otocinclus?
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If I could answer that I'd be picking winning lottery tickets also. I don't know why people come up with some of the things they say. With the amount of info available on the Internet and in libraries (that place people used to go to for research) I choose to do my own research (6 months at least) on anything before I start asking questions. A good comparison is to walk in to an LFS with a question you already know the answer to. If they tell you the wrong thing, you'll probably not trust them in the future.


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I agree. Research is key. But this site is here to get advice I thought


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Joefish... said:
I agree. Research is key. But this site is here to get advice I thought


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Yes, the site is for advice. And all that advice comes from folks that have (you hope) done their research. From that it's trial and error. Out of that we get success and failure. Failure can be measured as success as long as you've learned from your mistakes. Sometimes, bad or misleading advice is given. The caveat to knowing the difference of good and bad advice is doing your own research.


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Joefish... said:
I agree. Research is key. But this site is here to get advice I thought

Yes we are here to help. But if new people also help themselves by Googling and Searching and Reading Aquarium Advice threads then they can ask better questions. AND they can understand and evaluate the advice they are given better and in a more timely manner.

Plus it is frustrating for people giving advice if new people come on every single day and asked the exact same questions, when the answers are already written all over these forums.

We all had to start somewhere. We have all been newbies. But when someone won't even do their own research at all, after asking question after question, then they start to look lazy.

Just my thoughts on the matter.

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You don't have to comment on the post then if it's that much of a bother


Joefish...
 
The GBR's aren't recommended they need to be in tanks that have been established for 6 months. However if you are willing to wait and just add some of the other inhabitants now you could do a few Zebra danios or a couple mollies. You can do a fish in cycle with those and after 6 months get your GBRs. I also recommend buying from a local breeder or ask your LFS if they know of anyone locally that is breeding them.

Dwarf puffers are great fish and are actually very easy to keep, I am not sure why others said they are difficult to keep. Puffers were my main fish for many years I have kept 6 different types and dwarf puffers are by far the easiest. I kept 3 dwarf puffers in a 20 long that was heavily planted(with fake plants im not a plant guy) I also kept them with 2 bumble bee gobies and a black mollie pair. They did great for years. Unlike other puffers they don't need to grind there beak so no need to feed snails I feed mine frozen blood worms and frozen brine shrimp.

you can't cycle a tank with dwarf puffers so I would do a fish in cycle with a pair of live bearers.
 
I did mean instead of the Blue Ram..... Im Not even getting those....Now I want dwarf Puffers

20 Gallon Tall and Empty 10 gallon

My dead fish is really typing......
 
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