german rams

[Mr.V]

ok i've fallen in love with these fish, and i want to provide a great tank for them, but i am not high on funds so i want the low down before i end up ruining their lives with bad decisions. all i want is a pair of them male and female

questions:

1. What is the minimum size tank for a pair and a few other fish?

1a. what other fish are compatible

1b. how do you tell the difference between male+female

2. I want to really aqua scape the tank and plane on planting it and really like driftwood+ sticks with java moss growing on them along with a carpet of hair grass and some other ferns. Is this a good environment for the Rams?

2a. if not what is a better set up?

3. what kind of filtration/lighting/water peramiters do they require?

4. i know these are a difficult fish(so ive read) but i don't have the money for discus and German rams or just as gorgeous. are they a difficult fish?


any tips hints or advice please im all ears and don't want to start a tank for them until im very educated on them.

 

[ewurm]

Require soft water, perfect water conditions. A small tank is fine for one pair. The male has a taller spike on the dorsal fin, females look a little more plump. Any community fish are OK, smaller is better. If you want to breed them, keep them alone.

 

[Mr.V]

by small do you mean 20-30? or could a 10 gal work(i doubt it myself)

 

[REDKID!!!]

I had a pair in a 12 gallon tank. The way to se them is that the females have a pinkish belly and males dont. In my 12 i had 5 rummy nose tetras(any other kind will work i think) and a botia loach. You might want to watch out for the rams tho they can get mean. I had it planted with a few pieces of driftwood and they seemed to love the plants. The swam through them and hid in them. the tem should be around 70-74 and for filtration i used a penguin 100 and lights i have coarllife duel strip 18w bulbs. The rams tend to get sick more than other fish, they usually get finrot or ich pretty easy

 

[---XR---]

ok i've fallen in love with these fish, and i want to provide a great tank for them, but i am not high on funds so i want the low down before i end up ruining their lives with bad decisions. all i want is a pair of them male and female

questions:

1. What is the minimum size tank for a pair and a few other fish?


1a. what other fish are compatible


1b. how do you tell the difference between male+female

2. I want to really aqua scape the tank and plane on planting it and really like driftwood+ sticks with java moss growing on them along with a carpet of hair grass and some other ferns. Is this a good environment for the Rams?

2a. if not what is a better set up?

3. what kind of filtration/lighting/water peramiters do they require?

4. i know these are a difficult fish(so ive read) but i don't have the money for discus and German rams or just as gorgeous. are they a difficult fish?

any tips hints or advice please im all ears and don't want to start a tank for them until im very educated on them.

10-20 gal's
other small cichlids, and small community fish, ie tetra's, etc
yes that would work fine
just a good turnover rate, on the filter, and good water params, normal as most fish
yes discus are hard to keep, they need soft, slightly acid water, which is hard to get.

 

[davo]

There are a few other threads that have a lot of the information you are looking for, try the search and hit german ram or similar, hopefully some of that will help.

 

[windsurfer]

Require soft water, perfect water conditions. ....

I have had rams live for years and spawn in hard water. If you want to hatch the eggs, you do need very soft water.

just my experience.
windsurfer

 

[Oddball]

Check out the new sticky in this forum.

 

[Mr.V]

thanks for all the help, im going to continue searching for info then its on to persuading my dad to letting me start another tank and finding good deals on supplies.

 

[Headrush]

A 30 will work great if you have enough money to spend. They love planted tanks and very good, WARM water. On another site I got a bunch of info (I'm putting them in my 30 and was in the same spot you are). Anyway the breeder said they prefer warmer water around 82-84 believe it or not.they're awesome little fish and you should have a male with a couple females as they like to "Harem"

I'll be putting 3 in my 30 with 5-6 Emperor Tetras

Good luck!