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I have a ten gallon tank with a male betta splendens, and two cherry barbs, do you guys think I could add a german blue ram to the tank safely without any problems? Would that be a bit overstocked? (I wouldn't purchase any fish beyond those so I would have a total of four fish in there) I also keep up on my cleaning, and my nitrite/ammonia levels are perfect. Thanks

you've fixed your problem?

well, everyone says kuli loaches can get a bit too big for a 10, but the single one i had was never a problem in my 10, but yes, they are very active, maybe i am wrong, but it should do fine as long as it has lots of room on the bottom and you keep the tanklid secure so it doesnt jump out...

i have seen your other posts. plecos are way too messy, my baby bristlenose pleco female is going to a friends tank when she gets over 3 inches, and she is in a 29 gallon at the moment.

i wouldnt go with a ram, i have heard they are sensative to water changes and quaility, not to mention that i have heard at times they can get agressive, dunno i would trust it in with a beta, also they get big...

if it was me, i would keep up the hunt at local fish stores for a non schooling peacefull small bottom feeder. the stock of the beta and 2 cherry barbs seems good, due to the beta, there isnt a whole lot you can add to the tank...my vote goes to a small loach or a south american bumblebee catfish....

I wouldn't add anything or else add 1/2 more Cherry Barbs.


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i agree with jason, add some cherry barbs if anything.

German Blue rams are extremely sensitive to water quality however bolivian rams are much easier and are tolerant of most water conditions within reason.

I still wouldnt go with the ram in your case because you would end up with 2 large fish in a small setup which could result in aggression.

"A noble spirit embiggens the smallest man" Simpsons

But the german blue ram gets to be 3" tops and my tank is way understocked I have four inches worth of fish in there and everywhere else I have read said that rams are peaceful, thogh the betta would probably bully him

how about 1 platy and three rasboras then?

Without the betta I think it would be good but the issue is that the betta would probably bully the ram. You are correct rams are very peaceful but I have found mine gets agressive during feeding and has nipped some of my tetras before (no harm just small nips) I am not sure how it would react towards a betta but if it went bad you would most likely end up with two dead fish. Hopefully someone with ram and betta expierence can help you out.

EDIT: I can not stress the fact that geramn blue rams are a bad idea. They are e to parasites and need extremely good water quality. Go with the bolivian even though its colors arent as bright they are still great looking fish.

Last edited by bcwcat22 at 09-Jan-2006 19:53

"A noble spirit embiggens the smallest man" Simpsons

yeah, it seems like you understocked from what the people at the fish store tell you, but trust me, you arent, for a ten gallon, just get yourself a small bottom feeder to go with the two cherry barbs and single beta.

i wouldnt add a platty...plattys get big and often get shredded by betas. rams are sensative, even bolivians, and they get big. if spawning is near they can get mean, they also have been known to be agressive or teritorial at times like one poster mentioned.

honestly i wouldnt risk it. not to mention rams get too big for a ten gallon. just get a south amrican bumblebee cat, a kuli loach, or some other catfish that is solitary and stays under 3". its really not a good idea to add alot of similar sized fish with a beta, betas are territorial. it might not bother the cherry barbs, but they are 1" and shaped like mini torpedos. add in a brightly colored fish the same size as the beta with longer fins and a round body and who has sometimes teritorial behavior mixed with how rams like to keep their fins up, the beta will most likely pound it, resuliting in whoever is stroner or larger winning, and you will end up with 1-2 dead fish...

What about a sparkling gourami/three spot/pearl gourami? Would that work?

it is genereally a bad idea to mix labyrith fishes together.

but without the betta, in a 10 only sparlking gouramies would be ok in that many gallons,

blue/crosby/golden gourmaies are way to large and swimming aggressive for a ten.

peral gouramie is alittle to large for a ten as well.


basically what most of us are trying to tell you, is in a ten gallon ur options to adding more fish are slim to none.

Last edited by BettaChris at 10-Jan-2006 21:19