I currently have a silver hatchetfish and 5 lemon tetras but was wondering if a small ram would be an okay tank mate? I also plan on adding 1 bleeding heart tetra, a cory cat, 2 small plecos a blue phantom and a L191 and possibly a few black tetras(the lfs gets them in and calls them black tetras but I don't really know wat they actually are) but want to know if rams require other rams and wat some requirements are also do these fish get along with angels or other types of cichlids?
dwarf ram cichlid question
- Thread starter cudamaster13
- Start date
From what I read and was told Rams can be put in community fish tanks. They only get 2" and there is no way they would survive in a South and central American Cichlid tank just cause of there size.
I was like you planning on throwing one in my community fish tank with tetras and tiger barbs. Just haven't yet. Maybe someone who's owned them will shed more light on the subject.
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I was like you planning on throwing one in my community fish tank with tetras and tiger barbs. Just haven't yet. Maybe someone who's owned them will shed more light on the subject.
Sent from my XT1080 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
Rams seem to do better with other rams. I'd recommend keeping them in small groups of four or more. They are fine with hatchets and other tetras, but make sure their tankmates don't mind warm water. Rams do best at temps over 80, preferably 84. They will tolerate slightly cooler water but I've found they don't do well at prolonged periods of that.
I as under pressure the impression that Bolivians don't need that high of temp just gbr, did my memory fail once again? How big of a tank is necessary for a group of 4?
Bolivians can be kept cooler but the OP is most likely talking about M. ramirezi.
You could probably get away with four in a 20 long for a while until they paired off. A 40 breeder or 55 would be better if you planned to keep two pairs (or a pair and extra, unpaired fish).
You could probably get away with four in a 20 long for a while until they paired off. A 40 breeder or 55 would be better if you planned to keep two pairs (or a pair and extra, unpaired fish).
I think I might try bolivians but besides were they are found wat are the differences between the two? temp right now is in-between 79 and 86, but another question was will they be okay with an angel fish, and will they bother the plecos im getting?(blue phantom and L191 royal)
Bolivians (M. altispinosus) should be okay in the high 70s/low 80s. I kept mine at 80 and they spawned. They are slightly larger than blue rams (M. ramirezi) and are more pastel in color. Both species are peaceful and do fine with things like angelfish and peaceful plecos. Since they are cichlids, they can be aggressive toward their own kind. I had a trio (one male, two females) and the male harassed them relentlessly, even in a 55 gallon tank with other tankmates. The best way to curb that is to keep a small group as I mentioned before, or give them a large enough tank with plenty of hiding spaces.
Bolivian rams: http://www.aquahobby.com/gallery/img/Mikrogeophagus_altispinosus_4.jpg
Blue rams (which are the same species as golds, electric blues, etc.): http://www.seriouslyfish.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Mikrogeophagus-ramrirezi-pair.jpg
Bolivian rams: http://www.aquahobby.com/gallery/img/Mikrogeophagus_altispinosus_4.jpg
Blue rams (which are the same species as golds, electric blues, etc.): http://www.seriouslyfish.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Mikrogeophagus-ramrirezi-pair.jpg
I kept bolivians for a little while. I had them in a 20 long and then moved them to a 55 eventually. I don't think you would have any problems keeping them with your other fish they were actually peaceful towards all the other fish I had and really didn't bother each other that much. There aggression is more bark then bite just to show dominance. My tank temp was always around 78-80 and never had any problems with them.. From what I read they are a lot hardier then GBR's. I also went through a spell where I had gotten pretty sick and for a month or two wasn't able to keep up with the tank the way I do now any they still did just fine. I really thought they were cool little fish and have a nice personality to them.