Bolivian Rams

[QuietPlotter]

"What's happenin' forum"-Hehe.

I would like to share my newest idea for my ten gallon tank, and after some discussion with members here, I have decided to add a Bolivian Ram into my tank.

Bolivian Rams are dwarf cichlids, and are generally peaceful community fish, unless breeding. While not as brightly colored or sought after as their cousin, the Germam Blue Ram, they share many characteristics yet are different in many ways.

They are both RAMS, meaning when they fight, they butt heads. Kind of cool actually.

The GBR needs a more acidic PH, starting at 7 and going downward. This is a generalization of advice and various websites.

BR can survive in more alkaline waters, like my 7.6 PH.

They are a wonderful addition to any tank, as I have learned from a friend who keeps 6.

I am going to buy the Ram (male, most likely, but maybe a female) either sometime this week, or from now until late December. $6.99 for a beautiful, 2.5in specimen.


He/she shall reside in a non-planted(I know. Will probably plant later after New Year.) 10 gallon aquarium with 3 Platys, 1 Pleco and 1 Fiddler Crab.


Thoughts, ideas, comments everything is appreciated!




Quiet

 

[aqua_chem]

Bolivian rams are all to often overlooked due to their fairly drab coloring. They will still color up quite a bit under good conditions though. They are also much better parents than GBRs. This coupled with their easy going nature and adaptability make them nice starter fish. They are, however, much harder to sex well.

That being said, 10g is to small for both the rams and the pleco. IMO 3 platies in a 10 is well on the way to be stocked with that alone.



Interesting side story. My sister works at a pet store, and was telling me about these "Crimson Clown Rams" that they had gotten in. Turned out to be nice pair of Bolivians. I'm seen them called other random things before too.

 

[QuietPlotter]

Of course! My pleco is simply staying in the ten as a resident for maybe a few weeks, my Jack Dempsey chased him around one day and he tore up some fins, so he is recuperating in the ten.

I'm only getting one ram though.


Interesting side story- Today at my LFS I saw baby convicts being housed with mollies. Thoughts?

I also saw baby Kribensis being housed with clown loaches and some other fish. Thoughts?




QP

 

[bruinsbro1997]

Hey again,

IMO I still wouldn't add the ram. It's too small for any ram to establish territory and your are already stocked with three platies, if you have super good filtration. They are poop machines.

Baby convicts with mollies sounds fine IMO. LFS don't always have spare tanks, so perhaps they were housing them with the mollies as a grow-out plan because the babies were aggressive. Same with other situation there, ya never know

 

[QuietPlotter]

(Luke Skywalker)- NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO- Lol. Well, I'm going to consider that advice very seriously. I'm getting an aquaclear 150, but currently have an aqueon quietflow whisper ten gallow power filter blablablabla.

Just love that little ram so much. He has been in that 15g with 4 others since I saw him in October :'(


Any other cool, 7.6PH fish? I mean, I am looking for a larger, solo, colorful fish. Bolivian Ram was ideal, and ideas? Ha, ideal+ideas.




QP

 

[bruinsbro1997]

For your ten gallon???

Look at some killies. Some that won't work in a ten gallon are golden wonder killies, but the rest I'm not sure about. Look around online and see what you can find and what killifish you can see

I would also recommend a betta, or a gourami, but beware, there is a possibility they will be aggressive.

 

[QuietPlotter]

PH is 7.6, mind you...

 

[QuietPlotter]

Killifish look nice, might get some. Meanwhile, would a dwarf gourami/opaline/flame be aggressive to Platys? Remember, ph is 7.6, please reccomend fish that would thrive in that water...

 

[bruinsbro1997]

Killifish look nice, might get some. Meanwhile, would a dwarf gourami/opaline/flame be aggressive to Platys? Remember, ph is 7.6, please reccomend fish that would thrive in that water...

IMO opaline gouramis get way too big for ten gallon tanks.

Really any fish will thrive in a pH of 7.6. I keep my GBR in 7.6 pH. Don't mess with it really, in that level most fish will basically survive with some exceptions.

 

[Fishkeeper26]

PH is 7.6, mind you...

pH isn't too big of an issue as long as its stable

 

[siva]

"What's happenin' forum"-Hehe.

I would like to share my newest idea for my ten gallon tank, and after some discussion with members here, I have decided to add a Bolivian Ram into my tank.

Bolivian Rams are dwarf cichlids, and are generally peaceful community fish, unless breeding. While not as brightly colored or sought after as their cousin, the Germam Blue Ram, they share many characteristics yet are different in many ways.

They are both RAMS, meaning when they fight, they butt heads. Kind of cool actually.

The GBR needs a more acidic PH, starting at 7 and going downward. This is a generalization of advice and various websites.

BR can survive in more alkaline waters, like my 7.6 PH.

They are a wonderful addition to any tank, as I have learned from a friend who keeps 6.

I am going to buy the Ram (male, most likely, but maybe a female) either sometime this week, or from now until late December. $6.99 for a beautiful, 2.5in specimen.


He/she shall reside in a non-planted(I know. Will probably plant later after New Year.) 10 gallon aquarium with 3 Platys, 1 Pleco and 1 Fiddler Crab.


Thoughts, ideas, comments everything is appreciated!




Quiet

IMO rams need no less than a 20 gal tank. Fiddler crabs are brackish semi-terrestrial crabs that will not survive for long in freshwater without access to air.

 

[QuietPlotter]

My LFS had a strain they've been breeding since 1984, that is pure freshwater. I do have land in my aquarium, so he does have ear.

I see. I will consider all of this when buying.

So I'm up for a Dwarf Gourami. But they do keep 5 BR's in LFS in a heavily planted 10g, those fish look happy as heck! Not contradicting advice(No BR in 10g, NO CHECK YOUTUBE! (example)), just saying they look happy. Anything apart from gourami? Was thinkin' Paradise Fish but the last one I had killed my Mollies.


Thanks,




QP

 

[QuietPlotter]

He doesn't have ear, he has air.

 

[siva]

Fiddler crab larvae develops in the ocean as part of the plankton. I've never heard of captive bred fiddlers. That's pretty cool! The crab does need some type of land though. If you are providing that, then the tank is not completely full and I don't know that it would provide room for a dwarf gourami..since DG's are already pushing it for 10 gals. I don't think a 10 is big enough for paradise fish..they get much larger than DG's. Something like a croaking gourami should work nicely. Or a trio of sparkling gouramis. IMO the smaller species would be better suited to your tank.

 

[QuietPlotter]

Look at the thread in planted tanks regarding moss carpets. There is a picture of my tank. And I know! They breed them in tubs, it's awesome! Anyways, I have a large decoration which extends out of the water. He uses that.

 

[QuietPlotter]

Guys, everything I read about gouramis indicates they hate and will not survive in anything over 7.... :O

 

[Fishkeeper26]

Guys, everything I read about gouramis indicates they hate and will not survive in anything over 7.... :O

Where have you Read this?

I assure you they will be ok, fish can adapt to pH. If your getting fish locally they probably won't have the same pH where their found in the wild.

 

[QuietPlotter]

I googled Pear Gourami, everything on the first page. And thanks alot. Gouramis it will probably be!

 

[Fishkeeper26]

I googled Pear Gourami, everything on the first page. And thanks alot. Gouramis it will probably be!

They should be fine.

 

[bruinsbro1997]

Like said, sparkling or croaking gouramis, maybe honey gouramis as well.