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I have four rams of which I think two of them are getting ready to breed. They have setup a sort of nest (rock surrounding by a wall of javamoss about 5 inches high.

If they do lay eggs, what would be the best approach to save some of the babies.

Thanks for comments!

My Scapes

I would move the two rams that have started defending the rock into a bare bottom 15-20 gallon breeder tank, add thier chosen rock and a few other alternate sites, plus maybe a few plastic plants for hiding spaces, add a cycled finepore sponge filter and let them have at it. I would also get the brine shrimp hatchery ready to go.

Depending on what else you have in the SA tank, they may or may not be able to defend their fry if left in the community tank. I had kribs that were able to hold off angels, clown loaches, siamese algae eaters, bristlenose and cacatuoides in a planted 90, but it was brutal for the other fish. Had to reduce the kribs spawn way down to about a dozen fry before relative peace was restored in the tank. At 100 plus fry, the kribs were running all the other fish ragged! With only a dozen fry to patrol, they were much more relaxed.

Thanks for the input Heaven2.

I wasn't really going to get into the whole breeding thing. I have a 46g bowfront S.A. setup with lots of driftwood and javamoss. The fish in the tank include: 2 Angels, 4 Rams, 11 Cards, 9 Rummys, 5 otos and 3 plecos. Do you thing any of the fry will survive if I let them breed in there.
Rams aren't as aggressive as kribs, but then again they are breeding.

Thanks!

My Scapes

Any babies would probably get eaten in that tank. Angelfish are good fry eaters, and plecos have been known to snack on baby fish as well. Though cichlids usually make good parents, the rams probably wouldn't stand a chance against all of those fish, and in such limited space.

Also, what kind of rams do you have, and what kind of plecos? I think that Bolivian ram fry are hardier than German ram fry, which might affect how well they do. Also, if those plecos are one of the larger varieties, then they will outgrow that tank.

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And when he gets to Heaven, to Saint Peter he will tell: "One more Marine reporting, Sir! I've served my time in Hell."

The Rams are German Blues and the Plecos are all dwarfs (Snowball, Candystripe, Albino)



My Scapes

I dont think the fry will survive in the tank with Angelfish in there. I dont know too much about plecos, but the Angels would easily make a snack of the eggs.