Rams, rams and maybe more rams

[Schalk]

Good day everyone, I'm new here.

I've been out of the aquarium game and though of starting again. So I went out en bought a huge 59-60 gallon tank and a DIY sump of about 8 gallons from a guy online. It's not the best, but it was cheap.

After two weeks of hard work I finally put my fish in the tank today. I'm going to buy plants tomorrow, I were waiting on a local supplier.

Sorry for the long post this is my first time here.

Currently I have 4 German blue rams (gbr) and 4 golden rams. They are still very young and I've only been able to identify that 2-3 of my golden rams are female so I'm not sure about the rest. And it looks like one of the golden female ram paired up with my "alpha" gbr.

Now my question is how many rams can I fit into my tank. I would like to have at least 1 or 2 pairs breeding, but I'm not that worried if they don't. I will be adding some tetras tomorrow along with the plants.

I saw some black rams at my local pet store and want to get some of those as they look amazing.

Do you think I'm overdoing it with them?

I've also attached a picture of my tank and the only clear picture of one of my gbr. Yes the water is not very clear as I added the log yesterday before I added the fish. It's been 6 hours after I've added the fish and it looks like they are starting to get their own spaces.

 

[Flyfisher]

Hi Schalk
I would not add an more fish just yet.
The tank is only 2 weeks old and will not be fully cycled. The tank will not have both colonies of bacteria in sufficient numbers to consume the toxic ammonia fish produce.
Do you have a test kit that tests ammonia and nitrates?

Was the second hand tank wet when you brought it? With wet filters?

 

[Autumnsky]

This post below is old but you can PM CoralBandit, he has great looking fish.

https://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f25/bandits-fish-for-sale-362384.html

The new tank will need to be attended to religiously to preserve your fishs' lives.

These fish can be sensitive to less than ideal water quality.

https://www.aquariumadvice.com/guide-to-starting-a-freshwater-aquarium/

https://www.aquariumadvice.com/i-just-learned-about-cycling-but-i-already-have-fish-what-now/

https://www.aquariumadvice.com/fishin-cycling-step-dark-side/

 

[Autumnsky]

Welcome to the community Schalk!

 

[Schalk]

Thanks for the replies.

Sorry for only getting back now, I was away for the weekend.

I measure my tank yesterday afternoon when I got back and my nitrites are about 4 mg/l and my nitrates are about 40 mg/l, I started to treat my water again with seachem's stability, hopefully that will bring them down abit.

Yes when I bought the tank it came with fish, but I sold those and kept the tank running, doing water changes as the guy I bought it from probably haven't cleaned the tank in more than a month.

So it was about after 2 weeks since I bought the tank that I only introduced the rams.

 

[Flyfisher]

Hi again,
Only water changes will lower the nitrates.

Autumnsky has posted a few links in the last message. I suggest you read up on the nitrogen cycle/ the bacteria we all have.

It’s extremely important mate.

 

[Autumnsky]

Yes, that number for nitrItes is way too high, if not death internal injury to fish will occur.

Nitrite Poisoning - The Free Freshwater and Saltwater Aquarium Encyclopedia Anyone Can Edit - The Aquarium Wiki

 

[Schalk]

Sorry I forgot to add 0. Before the readings.

 

[Schalk]

I'm doing a water change of 10-15% every 2nd day.

Every thing looks stable and it looks like they are starting to get along with each other. I also added a few plants before I went away to help absorb the nitrates, which seems to be working very well.

I had one ram that decided to go on a trip and somehow he got into the overflow, but no idea how since I have a piece of acrylic over with a 1-2mm gap for the water to flow underneath.

Thanks for the advice and links guys. I will be keeping a close eye on the measurements.

 

[Schalk]

It's been a while but I would like to update here.

So my tank is cycled, I'm doing waterchanges when I think it's needed but trying to increase the time between changes and its up to once a week now. The rams are stable and their colours are popping. I did suffer a few losses, but they where because of all the rams I had there were only 2 females. Once my tank was cycled I added over a 2 week preriod 10 corries (supper funny fish) and 2 small red pleco's.

I had 2 pairs that was ready to spawn, but then the bigger male gave the other one a real beating and he died in a quarantine tank a day later. Hopefully the female will pick a new partner soon she looks lonely.

On the other hand, I moved the other pair to a seperate tank (15 Gal) on Thursday the 16th and lastnight they spawned. I will be looking into getting this tank filled up with plants such as in my main tank, but for now the old plastic ones will have to do (We are in lockdown and cannot buy anything like that).

The eggs are being cared for by the dad and the mother fish is just swimming around. I've setup a old webcam to try and capture some interesting behaviours.

I've attached a picture of the pair and where the dad is gaurding the eggs. They are at the back of the pot, probably 100+ eggs.

Feels good getting to this point where the fish are happy.

 

[Autumnsky]

Wow, that has come right along!

Sorry to hear about the loses. It is a hard part of fish keeping.

What are you going to feed the babies!???

 

[Schalk]

Wow, that has come right along!

Sorry to hear about the loses. It is a hard part of fish keeping.

What are you going to feed the babies!???

I have frozen brine shrimp, which I was thinking of grinding it into like a paste for them. Otherwise I can grind the flakes I have.

I wanted to get brine shrimp eggs, but now with the lockdown it's a bit difficult and the cost of that here in South Africa is insane. I found a place that sells 50g sachets of the eggs for a reasonable price, so I might buy there if my first option wont work.