Next fish to get? Rams?

[elmonty]

Okay, the tank has been going for 6 weeks. The numbers have been stable for several weeks, and all is well. According to the maximum expected sizes of my fish, they will be 20.8 inches.

I think I will go for some Rams next, and that should just about max out the tank. I like rainbowfish, too, but I don't think I have the room for them.

I hear that the Bolivian Ram is easier to care for than the Blue Ram. Should I get 3 or 4 of these? Will they be okay with the gourami, who likes to "ram" newcomers (he's always trying to ram the otos)?

What about adding a dwarf frog? Are they really that hard to feed?

 

[elmonty]

Oh no! One of the otos just croaked!

 

[Hypostomus]

The inch per gallon rule is extremely outdated. Twelve 1" neons do not equal the amount of waste produced by one 12" oscar, for example.

Otos require mature tanks with respectable algae growth (i.e. months, not weeks).

Rather than going for rams I would suggest you check your water parameters (Ammonia and Nitrite most importantly), and get another upside-down cat when you get a chance. Another rasbora or two wouldn't hurt either.

 

[elmonty]

My water params have been rock steady for 3 to 4 weeks. Ammonia=0 Nitrates=0 Nitrates < 12. I've used two different test kits to verify these numbers. The LFS has checked my water and verified these numbers, too.

The tank is just covered with brown algae, which is the reason I got the otos last weekend. The big oto that just died never seemed to do much eating or moving around. The little one, though is always moving around and munching on algae.

 

[Menagerie]

I have Bolivians and Apistos in a 50 gal community tank along with tetras and cory cats. I'm not sure how they would get along with the gourami or rasboras. And although I do not follow the inch rule, I reference it from time to time and find it fits when dealing with peaceful community tanks. Aside from your ammonia and nitrite readings, how soft is your water and what is the pH?

I'm sorry to hear about your oto, after the tank is mature, you should try again.

 

[elmonty]

My pH ranges from 7.6 to 7.8. GH is 8. KH ranges from 2 to 3.

The gourami can be mean, I may trade him for something else.

 

[Menagerie]

You may want to trade it in, even if you opt not to get rams. Rams like a nice soft, neutral water. To get my water softer,I put a ton of driftwood in the tank.

 

[elmonty]

I have a very large piece of wood in the tank, covered with brown algae.