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I would like to know if rams are easy or difficlt to look after (i mean german blue rams) I know people say about PH having to be acidic, but they are so...domesticated now that i have heard of them going well in nutral, and even hard/alkaline ph.

Do they have any feeding requirements in particular. Can they be kept alone, and what is the minimum tank size?

Thanks in advance

I don't think ph is that big of deal unless your breeding them. The stores here keep them in our 8.2ph water and have had them spawn in the store. 1 pair kept spawning(about 3 times before sold) and killing off the others in the ~15g tank. Stable water parameters, no ammonia, no nitrite, and very low nitrates are required. Also acclimate very slowly. Every time I rushed it I lost the ram in the next day or two. They don't handle changing water conditions very well at all. Once they've adapted to your tank conditions they actually seem to be fairly hardy provided your tank is cycled and you don't let the nitrates get too high. They color up better in higher temperatures and mine prefer 80-82F but will live out their full lifespan in mid 70s range without trouble.

Adult rams have no specific feeding requirements but again will color up better with some frozen foods. Mine like bloodworms and frozen squid chunks. For dry food I feed new life spectrum pellets and brineshrimp flakes.

Tank size depends on exactly what your keeping. Rams are mostly peaceful toward other fish except when breeding. If you end up with a breeding pair any fish too slow to get out of the way will be picked on and if small enough will be killed. Male rams are also somewhat territorial especially with a female around so you can't keep too many males to a tank. It depends a bit on personality since I did have 2 males and 1 female in a 10g but I moved the extra male out to my 90g when they spawned for the 2nd time. He was getting quite stressed about being chased around but wasn't physically injured. A 20g might work for 2 males with no females around and a few other fish. A 29-30g minimum would probably be preferable if your setting up a community tank that includes more than one ram.

My PH is around nuteral, and i think the parameters are pretty stable.

Would it be possible to keep a lone ram in a community (it's a 15 with 4 Albino Bronze Corys and 6 Black Neon Tetras)

Thanks for advice

A single ram would be fine in the tank but it may not show its best colors if it doesn't have a male or female to display before.

I would like to reiterate Sham's statements. Take your time in acclimating the fish to your aquarium. Do not float the bag and dump the contents. Set-up a drip system to a bucket to acclimate the fish to your aquarium water over several hours!

The next emphasis is on water conditions. The fish demand great water conditions - not low pH but low nitrates. You can accomplish the water conditions through water changes and plants.

The fish are susceptible to ich. As a result, I keep them at temps above 80F with my rams at 84 to 86F with my discus.



__________
"To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism; to steal from many is research."
researched from Steven Wright

The problem with blues is that they are highly e to parasites and other diseases. Most of the time it is much easier to keep Bolivians.

"A noble spirit embiggens the smallest man" Simpsons

I think that 1 Ram would be fine in that tank & i also think that they aren't easy to keep & they need some requirements.


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In the end i decided against the ram because
1) at the shop, they are really expensive
2) at the shop, they are really shy
3) at the shop they are all the gold rams and i don't like them (as in the colour varient)
4) at the shop, i fell in love with a blue and purple crowntail betta and bought him instead.

Thanks for advice. I am now going to get a few rams when i get my bigger tank though!

Thanks again.