Bolivian Ram Food and Friends

[Alhazred]

This is my first post so hello to all of you people and thanks in advance for the help.

i used the search option to try and answer my questions but i didnt see anything directly related to my questions

I have a 55 Gallon Corner tank that is in the process of becoming well planted. The main inhabitant is a 6 inch long common pleco. The main point of this tank is his baby and Juvy tank and in a year or two i will move him into a planted 150 or 200 Gallon.

In the mean time i would like to put in a few Bolivian Rams (2 or 4) as well as a few ghost shrimp.

I would like to know if the Bolivian Rams will do well with the pleco and what sort of steps i should take to avoid any fights if the rams pair off for breeding.

In addition i would like to know if the Rams will eat the shrimp (i hope they will) And maybe (fingers crossed) a few of the snails.

And finally i am always open to any funny stories about Rams



Thanks again

 

[Alhazred]

Any information or opinions would be welcome.

 

[Ang]

I would be hesitant to put Rams with a large Pleco like the Common Pleco.

If you have the larger tanks available to you now, i would move the Pleco now.
They might be ok together, I've never tried it.
Plecos are not too aggressive, but Rams are more sensitive to water conditions and Pleco poop might mean you need to up the water changes for the Rams.
As far as the Pleco going after the Rams,.... i dont know.

Also, Bolivian Rams like other rams have very small mouths. So depending on the size of the food... ghost shrimp are small, so they might attemp to eat them as well as the snails, but like I said, they have very small mouths.

anyways, thats my $0.02. Maybe someone else has tried it and can help more.

 

[Alhazred]

Thanks,

i don't think the waste will be a problem as the tank has nothing else in it but plants and has a large canister filter.

Your point about the small mouths is what worries me a bit. ideally i would like something small that would eat shrimp and get along with the pleco.

does such a fish exist or is it to much to ask?

 

[RedDwarf]

There might be enough space in your tank for two pairs of rams but that all depends on how greedy they are. In regards to the pleco, I would worry more about your plants than anything else. Rams can be sensitive but in my experience, if you start out with some nice healthy tank raised rams then you shouldn't have any problems. They do love to eat brine shrimp. They might eat baby ghost shrimp but I doubt they will be able to take down a full grown ghost shrimp. In regards to the aggression between the rams, you can just put some pieces of driftwood in the tank so they can setup their territories. Are you not planning on feeding the fish in this tank? And the rams won't bother the snails. You could always try keep some of the smaller loaches with your pleco, they will eat snails and if they are big enough munch down on the ghost shrimp.

 

[EdCal]

don't think there will be an aggression problem with your pleco and rams but once your rams lay eggs your pleco eat em like a strip fresh algae

 

[HrHagel]

don't think there will be an aggression problem with your pleco and rams but once your rams lay eggs your pleco eat em like a strip fresh algae

This.