ram advice and stocking ideas

[julia]

Hi TFF,

I stopped by the local fish store recently to pick up some new additions for my tank and get some water tested. I ended up bringing home 10 more neon tetras and 3 pepper corys, which are all doing great so far. While I was there, I came across some stunning German blue rams. One of the staff members, who seemed to be in charge of the fish section, noticed me eyeing them and actually advised me against buying them. This reinforced my impression that he's a knowledgeable guy, and although I always do my research before making a purchase, I have to admit that those rams really caught my eye.

My current tank setup is as follows:
- 19 neon tetras
- 6 corydoras

I'm planning to add:
- More corydoras
- 1-3 pearl gouramis
- Possibly a blue ram or two, but I'm still undecided

My tank is a 55-gallon with soft water and a pH of around 6.5.

The pet store staff member mentioned a few concerns about keeping blue rams:
- They can be aggressive, especially during breeding
- I would need to get a pair, which could lead to aggression
- He also mentioned that my tank might not be big enough, but I'm not entirely sure if that's what he meant

I've read mixed opinions online, and I recall seeing a similar discussion on this forum earlier, but I couldn't find the post. So, I thought I'd ask again:
- Can I keep blue rams in my tank?
- How many would be a good number?
- What are the potential issues I should be aware of?

While I'm here, I'd love to get some recommendations for fish that have a bit of personality or are a bit unconventional. Something that would complement my current setup would be great. I'm not looking for anything too exotic, but I am considering pencilfish (not the red ones, though - I'm not a fan of red). If anyone has experience with pencilfish or has other suggestions, I'd love to hear them.

Thanks in advance for the advice!

[Tigger]

My experiences with Blue Rams haven't been great, to be honest. I've had 5 rams from 4 different stores, and none of them lasted more than 6 months. They were all healthy at first, but then suddenly developed fungus overnight, which I just couldn't treat. I think my community tanks just weren't suitable for them - the water temperature was a bit off, for one thing. Rams prefer warmer water, at least 5 degrees higher than what I keep my tanks at. And they need really pristine water, more so than most other fish. I'd love to keep them again someday, but only in a species tank.

As for PetStock, I agree with you that it's great when you find knowledgeable staff. But I'd be hesitant to buy aquarium gear from them, to be honest - they're just so much more expensive than other stores. The employee was right about the aggression when breeding, though - they can get pretty feisty. But it's not as bad as some other cichlids I've had, like lake malawi cichlids. And just because you buy a male and a female doesn't mean you'll get a pair - you need to observe their behavior to see if they're bonded. Otherwise, you might need to buy 4 or 5 to guarantee a pair. I think what the employee meant about your tank being too small is that it's too small for a breeding pair, especially with all the other fish you have.

[julia]

Thanks for sharing your experiences with Blue Rams - it's really helpful to get a firsthand account. I had a chance to observe the rams at the store, and the employee mentioned that there were two bonded pairs and a single ram that didn't have a partner. I was actually drawn to the lone ram, partly because I felt a bit sorry for him, but also because he was a stunning little fish. The employee warned me that a pair would be too aggressive, and he was concerned that the single ram would be unhappy without a companion - apparently, one of his colleagues had made the mistake of separating a pair before, and it hadn't ended well.

[Tigger]

I'm inclined to question the claim that a blue ram would perish from loneliness, but I think it's best to leave that assessment to those with hands-on experience in keeping these fish.

[Ireno]

I've had a similar setup in my 45G tank, with 15 rummy noses, 15 cardinals, and 5 corys. I recently introduced a mating pair of blue rams about a month ago, and so far, they're doing well. In my experience, they're a bit underwhelming in terms of personality - they do have a cute habit of following each other around, but my corys seem to have a lot more character.

One thing I've found is that keeping them in a pair is crucial to preventing aggression. As for their water requirements, they can be a bit finicky. What's more important than hitting specific parameters is maintaining stability in the tank. However, temperature is one thing to keep an eye on, as they tend to prefer it a bit warmer, around 28C. It's also worth noting that their lifespan is relatively short, typically ranging from 1-3 years.

Considering your tank, I'd love to know more about your setup. Is your tank planted, and what's the scape like? That might give me a better idea of what kind of fish would be a good fit for you.

[julia]

I'm a bit concerned about the temperature for my other fish, to be honest - I tend to keep it on the lower side to promote longer lifespan. I'll get some pictures up eventually, but I'm still undecided on the tank's overall aesthetic; I'm torn between a biotope blackwater setup, which I know the fish would love, and a more traditional planted aquascape that would fit in better with the rest of the room. I think I'll probably give the rams a pass and go with the three pearl gouramis instead. Are there any other 'shiny' fish you'd recommend? I've always been drawn to fish with striking visual features, like the stripes on neons or the spots on pearls.

[Ireno]

Hi TFF,

I stopped by the local fish store recently to pick up some new additions for my tank and get some water tested. I ended up bringing home 10 more neon tetras and 3 pepper corys, which are all doing great so far. While I was there, I came across some stunning German blue rams. One of the staff members, who seemed to be in charge of the fish section, noticed me eyeing them and actually advised me against buying them. This reinforced my impression that he's a knowledgeable guy, and although I always do my research before making a purchase, I have to admit that those rams really caught my eye.

My current tank setup is as follows:
- 19 neon tetras
- 6 corydoras

I'm planning to add:
- More corydoras
- 1-3 pearl gouramis
- Possibly a blue ram or two, but I'm still undecided

My tank is a 55-gallon with soft water and a pH of around 6.5.

The pet store staff member mentioned a few concerns about keeping blue rams:
- They can be aggressive, especially during breeding
- I would need to get a pair, which could lead to aggression
- He also mentioned that my tank might not be big enough, but I'm not entirely sure if that's what he meant

I've read mixed opinions online, and I recall seeing a similar discussion on this forum earlier, but I couldn't find the post. So, I thought I'd ask again:
- Can I keep blue rams in my tank?
- How many would be a good number?
- What are the potential issues I should be aware of?

While I'm here, I'd love to get some recommendations for fish that have a bit of personality or are a bit unconventional. Something that would complement my current setup would be great. I'm not looking for anything too exotic, but I am considering pencilfish (not the red ones, though - I'm not a fan of red). If anyone has experience with pencilfish or has other suggestions, I'd love to hear them.

Thanks in advance for the advice!

I was a bit hesitant about the temp, but I've heard there's some flexibility with tropical fish - think about the midday sun in South America.

A unique fish I'd recommend is the kuhli loach - they're not the flashiest, but their eel-like swimming is pretty entertaining. They're bottom feeders, love vegetation, and are pretty shy, but once they settle in, they're not too hard to spot. Since they're semi-schooling, it's best to get a few of them, as they feel safer in groups.

For something more eye-catching, rummy nose tetras are a great choice. If you get a good batch and feed them brine shrimp to bring out their color, they're an absolute joy to watch. They're very tight schoolers and all swim in the same direction at the same time, making them fun to watch.

Cardinal tetras are also beautiful - I initially dismissed them because they look similar to neons in photos, but in person, the red and blue colors are stunning. They school like neons, so it's great to see a bunch of them together.

If I were you, I'd definitely consider the rummy nose tetras - they school separately from the neons and cardinals, which is nice to see. It's pretty cool to have two separate schools of fish interacting.

[julia]

I've been considering some of the fish you've suggested, and I have to say, the kuhli loaches are definitely an interesting option - I've seen them before, but hadn't thought about keeping them in my tank. As for the rummy nose tetras, they do look amazing, but I'm not sure if I'll be able to find them in my area, so we'll have to wait and see on that one.

I'm not too keen on getting cardinal tetras, since I already have neon tetras, but they might be a good option for a future tank. In the meantime, I was wondering if anyone has any experience with apistogramma agassizii? I think they'd be a great addition to my tank, but I'm not sure if they'd work well with my current setup. If not, I'm also considering keeping them in a 10gal cube - they look really cool, and I love the shiny blue coloration on some of them.

On a separate note, I was thinking of getting pearl gouramis, and I'm not sure what the best ratio would be. Would 2 females and 1 male work, or would it be better to have just one or two? I don't have much experience with gouramis, so any advice would be appreciated.

[sageSe]

Hi TFF,

I stopped by the local fish store recently to pick up some new additions for my tank and get some water tested. I ended up bringing home 10 more neon tetras and 3 pepper corys, which are all doing great so far. While I was there, I came across some stunning German blue rams. One of the staff members, who seemed to be in charge of the fish section, noticed me eyeing them and actually advised me against buying them. This reinforced my impression that he's a knowledgeable guy, and although I always do my research before making a purchase, I have to admit that those rams really caught my eye.

My current tank setup is as follows:
- 19 neon tetras
- 6 corydoras

I'm planning to add:
- More corydoras
- 1-3 pearl gouramis
- Possibly a blue ram or two, but I'm still undecided

My tank is a 55-gallon with soft water and a pH of around 6.5.

The pet store staff member mentioned a few concerns about keeping blue rams:
- They can be aggressive, especially during breeding
- I would need to get a pair, which could lead to aggression
- He also mentioned that my tank might not be big enough, but I'm not entirely sure if that's what he meant

I've read mixed opinions online, and I recall seeing a similar discussion on this forum earlier, but I couldn't find the post. So, I thought I'd ask again:
- Can I keep blue rams in my tank?
- How many would be a good number?
- What are the potential issues I should be aware of?

While I'm here, I'd love to get some recommendations for fish that have a bit of personality or are a bit unconventional. Something that would complement my current setup would be great. I'm not looking for anything too exotic, but I am considering pencilfish (not the red ones, though - I'm not a fan of red). If anyone has experience with pencilfish or has other suggestions, I'd love to hear them.

Thanks in advance for the advice!

I've been interested in keeping A. agassizii myself, and from what I've read, they seem like really lovely fish. I think a 10g cube is probably too small for them, though - they tend to hang out in the lower third of the tank, so a larger tank footprint is better for them. I've seen recommendations for a tank that's at least 60x30cm.

I don't have personal experience with apistos, but I've heard they can be a bit pushy, even if they're not generally considered aggressive. I'm not sure they'd do well with your corys, especially if they're dwarf corys - the apistos might be too aggressive, especially if they have eggs or fry. Larger cory species might be alright, but I'd definitely do some more research on that. The neons should be fine, though. I'm not sure about the gouramis - I'd be a bit wary of putting them with apistos.

I also think the kuhlis might not do well with apistos - they're already pretty timid, and I think they'd get out-competed by the apistos.

As for keeping them in groups, I've heard you can keep a pair if you want to see breeding behaviors - the males can get pretty flashy with a female around. But apistos can be aggressive towards each other in groups, so if you keep more than one, it's best to keep a male/female pair. Some apisto species are harem breeders, but I don't think agassizii is one of them. They seem to do fine alone, too - I'm planning on keeping just one in my 25gal community tank. One thing to note is that breeding apistos can be more aggressive with tankmates in general, not just other bottom dwellers.