rams and ph of 7.8

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
J

Jess.in.WI

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Dec 2, 2006
55
0
0
Abrams, WI
is this possible? I read that they prefer neutral to acidic water, and my water is quite alkaline. I'd prefer to use what I have and not constantly tinker with the water chemistry, trying to force it to do what it doesn't want to do, but does this mean I have to give up the idea of keeping rams? I just want a pair, and I have no interest in breeding them.
Thanks!
 
I would say you're pushing it, they are sensitive. Use RO water from your dealer.
 
I keep mine sucessfully in hard water (not exactly sure what it tests at....)
but it has been doing well with great colors for quite a while now.
 
I'll vouch for Rally, his Ram does look great, but he uses magic beans that he won't share with me.
 
i kept and bred rams for a while my water out of the tap was 7.4 and i had a little trouble at first but when i planted the tank i added co2 and with that stuff just pick what you want your ph to be its really not that complicated and you can do a ghetto setup fairly cheap
 
A freind has one in with his frontosas at 8.4 but it is not very happy (always washed out).
He bought it as a Red Ram but all I can find on the net is Blue Ram. Is this the same fish, it looks similar but like I said it is quite pale.
 
I'd say that it's no problem. I'm from Wisconsin also and our water is quite hard.

You're on the right track by not wanting to tinker with your water parameters. Rams are sensitive, but as it turns out, most sensitive to changes in pH. If you are trying to make your water do something that it doesn't want to, the changes in pH are very stressful - not to mention the extra work for you!

I've had rams spawn at a pH of 8.3!

If you can get them through the first month, they will probably do fine. IME, they are the most sensitive when you first bring them home and they might have some diseases/parasites.

I can't imagine keeping one with a frontosa! Too stressfull, I like to let the rams be the rulers of the tank, and keep them with smaller tetras etc. Stress from other fish really brings them down fast IME. They are one of my favorites!

windsurfer
 
thanks Windsurfer, I have family in and around Madison and Edgerton.

hmm... well maybe I'll just try a pair, what the heck.

I called Petco, I've had luck with thier fish, and I wanted to get my neons and glolights from there. I asked and their ph is 7.4-7.6. I have a "real" fish store that I favor and I will ask them to order some rams when I am ready. It'll take them a week to get them in, and they Q them for a week before putting them in the display tanks. They've always been very good to me.

Now if I could just sell this gosh-darned drilled tank I'd be a happy camper!
 
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