help with stocking ram cichlids pleaaase

[annnie]

Hi!!

I have just moved to the other side of my country and have an empty tank to play with. sooo while it's cycling i was wandering if someone could give me help with stocking it. I really want to try a tank of cichlids. More specifically rams.

my tank is 19.5 inches high, 24.5 inches wide and 18 inches deep.
so that would make it 37.2 gallons.

How many dwarf cichlids would live in this tank?.. i'm also thinking of a small schooling fish to go in there as well.

What types would you recommend?.. i have been looking at bolivian rams, gold rams, blue rams.

Should i stick with 1 type or could i get a few?

thanks for any help!

 

[annnie]

ughh i just realized there is a cichlid area on the forum.. how can i move this thread over there?

 

[hbeth82]

I think Bolivian rams are among the hardier species, though not quite as colorful as some of the others like the German blue. In that size tank I think you could either get a pair or up to four. I would stick with all of the same species but that's just me. As for what other fish you could put in with the rams, I also have Bolivian rams in a 55 with black skirt tetras, dwarf gourami, and cory cats and the rams pretty much stick to themselves, not bothering anybody else.

 

[annnie]

thanks for the advice! not sure what i want yet.. i'll have to have a look around at pet stores.

Do you have German blue's? I was just wandering why they are harder to care for. I feel like i can provide stable water conditions.. but i dunnnnooo.. I'll probably start with bolivian's like alot of people suggest for a first time cichlid.

 

[taylorodw]

I echo the comments about keeping Bolivians rather than Gold or Blue rams...

The German Blue Ram and the Gold Ram (and electric blue ram... basically every commonly traded ram except the Bolivians) are color morphs of the same species... microgeophagus ramirezi. This species only seems to thrive in acidic, soft water (low pH and GH) and even then I hear few accounts of long-term success. I think (personal opinion here) this is due to over-breeding, and depending on the breeder, use of hormones. These fish are extremely colorful and great community cichlids. This IMO is why they are bred so extensively, which unfortunately ultimately weakens the fish.

The Bolivian rams, on the other hand, are less colorful, but are great community tank-mates as well. The key difference here is, as stated, Bolivian Rams are much hardier. I have heard accounts from people who've kept them for about 20 years, starting with a single pair and introducing new specimens every once in a while to keep genetic diversity, but mostly just breeding them and growing them out.

A good rule of thumb I have heard is a 10x10in area of substrate is about what an adult Bolivian Ram needs to feel comfortable (obviously knowing that each fish is different). So in your tank I would keep 4 (I would try for 1 m 3 f or 2 m 2 f).

If you want to try your hand at keeping any of the German Blue Ram varieties, there shouldn't be a problem keeping them together, however IMO social fish are happier when you have more fish of fewer species, than fewer fish of more species.

I would keep the rams with some tetras, hatchets, and possibly cory cats.

Good luck!

 

[annnie]

taylorodw: thanks for all the info!.. If i go with rams i think i'll just have bolivians with cories.

What do you think of Apistogramma Cacatuoides or any of the similar species in my tank?

 

[hbeth82]

Everything taylorodw said reminds me of why I got the bolivians instead of their prettier German cousins! Bought 5 of them about a year ago and have only lost one, a little guy who never seemed to thrive or eat much. They seem to be doing great in my community tank and aren't any more demanding than the tetras or the cories.

I've never kept them but from what I can find about the Apistogramma Cacatuoides, they look like a good choice too.

 

[annnie]

cool thanks for the input hbeth82. I really want to keep tetra's and maybe cories if there is enough room.

Does anyone think i can keep maybe a pair of apistogramma caca's and a pair of bolivians together?

I'm planning on a nice aquascape that will sort of divide the tank with an open area in the middle and on the sides i'll have some nice driftwood and alot of plants.

My partner suprised me with a nice hunk of driftwood yesterday made me so excited to set up this tank!!!

I was also wandering if maybe i could substitute the pair of bolivians for blue balloon rams?.. aparantly they are hardier and nice and colourful. I've read alot about people not liking them because they are unnatural.. But i mean i like them and i won't be dumping them in the environment.

 

[hbeth82]

Not sure about keeping the 2 kinds of rams together but having the tank divided into different open areas and offering plenty of hiding spots will definitely help. Think the biggest problem would be if you happened to get a pair that mated, they may take over the tank.

 

[annnie]

they may take over the tank.

hmmmm.. that's what i was thinking. Could i keep 1 male of each species? or would they be unhappy without a partner?

here's pics of my tank so far.. it's a bit cloudy because i just put in that black "sand".. more like fine gravel.

Everything's sort of just dumped in there for now. I hope to get heaps of plants next week and i might be looking for driftwood in a dam with some fish people. Also I hope to upgrade my lighting and filters.

 

[hbeth82]

From what I recall, they are happiest in pairs. However, not certain as mine are all juvies but I think I have 4 males in my 55 and they all get along, with the runt Napoleon being the biggest "aggressor" (chasing, lip-locking, nothing rough). Anyway, I would go with at least two of any species but could be wrong.
BTW, what type of filter is that?

 

[annnie]

ok. yeah i would assume they'd be happier in pairs.

The filter is actually 2 internal ones. They are:Aqua One 101F and Aqua One 102F. A Fish store told me they should be sufficient enough... but a friend told me to at least replace the 101F with a 103F. I would like a canister filter but seeing as though with the move and only starting my new job i'm very short on $$$

 

[hbeth82]

I would agree with your friend, a heavier-duty filter will definitely help but also understand being short on cash! I have two AquaClear HOB filters for my tank (30gal and 50gal) and they do a pretty good job at keeping it clean, but not sure what's available in Australia.

 

[WhiteDevil]

I keep german blues, bolivians, gold electric blues and dwarf acara's. Ive only lost rams to (gold on gold murder spree and the electric blues, however they lived a while) I currently keep the dwarf acara,bolivian and german blue in 0-0-0, 5.8 Ph @86 degrees, ive had the gb and bolivian for almost a year now with 3 sucessful spawns.

 

[annnie]

hbeth82: Ok so if i bought a big enough HOB filter for my tank.. i can take the internal 1's out?

Whitedevil: What size tank do you keep them in?

 

[hbeth82]

hbeth82: Ok so if i bought a big enough HOB filter for my tank.. i can take the internal 1's out?

Yes, if you got a filter that was designed for 50-70 gal tanks (yours is 37.5, right?), it alone would be sufficient. If you cycle the tank with the filters you have now and get the bigger filter later, I would suggest leaving at least one of the old filters in the tank and running for several weeks until the good bacteria is built up on the new filter.