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I have had a 10 gal tank that has been housing 5 Danios for the past 2-3 years. Last month I bought a Bolivian Ram to add to the tank after many people assured me that he would not eat my Danios. Well they have not been eaten, but they have been attacked. The Bolivian Ram protects his food very ferociously fending off all the danios. Feeding time seems to be the only time that he attacks, but I’m afraid two of the Danios are injured pretty badly. They both have pretty good size holes in their sides from being attacked. If I get a 20 gal “tall” tank will it help the Danios by giving them all more living space, or do I have to separate them completely? Many people have said “well the Danios are a few years old, and should be expected to dye soon anyways.” But I don’t want them to be eaten alive in the last stage of their lives. Any suggestions? Will the bigger tank help?

Sorry to hear about your danios.

I think a 20 gallon tall would help. Rams, like all cichlids, are territorial and a ten gallon tank doesn't really give them a lot to work with. It sounds like you have a particularly agressive ram - mostly I've heard they're pretty peaceful, especially with dither fish like danios. As long as your danios stay up in the tank (the 20g tall) the ram should be content to hang out around the bottom. Try feeding him sinking food and the danios floating food so that their paths don't cross at feeding time. Also maybe get a little cave for the ram so he has his own defined territory - it might make him a little less skittish. A clay pot will work well.

As for the injured danios, things look pretty bleak for the two with holes in them. The best you can do is dose Melafix - not a full dose right off the bat, start at half then work your way up. Overdosing that stuff can be more harmful than using none at all. Good luck

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Back in the saddle!

Do you have plants and rocks in the tank? Size of tank is definitely an ssue so I would upgrade to the 20g. Just to let you know I have a bolivian ram with many small tetras and I've need seen him even look at them funny, but my tank is a 72g. I'm assuming you only have one, they would get aggressive if they were protecting their fry, but bolivians rams are very peaceful fish. In any case I would make sure you have some plants and rocks.

My Scapes

I do have plants (live and fake) I have a rock cave (the ram doesn’t seem to use it.) He is peaceful for the most part. I have been feeding the danios flakes, and the ram sinking pellets. The Danios eat their flakes, but they are greedy and then try to go for the sinking food when all the flakes are gone. This is when the ram gets defensive and chases them all off. Now the thing is that I have never actually seen the ram get a piece of one of the danios, they normally swim off before he can get them. I am only assuming that the holes are from the ram as I cannot think of any other logical explanation. Is there another reason why my Danios would have holes in their bodies? I am going to look at the 20 gal tall tank today. I will probably buy it.

Without seeing a pic it's tough to tell, but the holes could be from a disease, etc. As nowherman pointed out the Rams usually stay on the bottom and the danios toward the top, so I'm surprised your having problems, but the tank is a small one.

My Scapes

I have never kept danios with a ram but I did have 3 danios for almost a year in a 10g. With any fish I put in there..dwarf gouramis and black widows (at 2 different times) the danios stood up for themselves. With the black widows I only had 1 danio left and 2 black widows and the danio constantly tortured the others. I know rams are more territorial and I'm sorry your danios got attacked. I think getting a bigger aquarium will help and will make your danios much happier. I only had 3 at the most and knew they needed a bigger tank because they swim constantly. Good luck and I hope they get better!

*Kristin*

I went and got the bigger tank last night. I found a 20 gal tall w/ stand for $109.00 which I thought was a really good deal. I am planning on setting it up tonight to make the switch. It also came with fluorescent lighting opposed to the incandescent lighting I have now, which I am also very happy about. I’ll let everybody know how it plays out.

Thumbs up

Good luck!

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Back in the saddle!

It's quite unusuall to have problems with Rams & Danios. Try to put some gravel, water & filter media from your established tank, to your new tank, to fasten the cycling process.


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Well, the new tank is set up and things seem to be going good so far. I did transfer the old filter and plants/rocks into the new tank, and the tank water itself, but did a 100% gravel change as I had a very bad snail problem. It looks to me as if the wounds could be healing, but I am starting to think the danios may be attacking each other and the ram has nothing to do with it.