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im starting up a new ten gallon tank and I'd like to get a pair of blue rams for it. They would be the only fish in the tank, but how would I find a "pair" - not necessarily to breed them, just so that they coexhist peacefully? Or would one be enough? Are they ok alone, or do they need to be with others of their species? Thanks.


p.s. sorry for the questions, but i havent really taken care of cichlids before so i'd like to get the basics down from others' experiences.

[span class="edited"][Edited by 2004-09-02 11:35][/span]

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I ordered my rams online because I couldn't find them in any lfs here. I requested M/F pairs but ended up with four males. They are in a 29g community tank. They definitely have personality, and I'll often see two of them facing off, like a stare-down contest. One finally gives up, they both swim away. That's the most 'agression' I've seen from them.


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There is water at the bottom of the ocean

I have some recent experience in this. My first two Rams were both female and fought only a little. One died, and I replaced it with a male, but the male and female fought a LOT, and the female lost. I eventually got desperate to find a way to get this male out of her face, and got two more, one female and one juvenile (possibly female). Well, now that male has found someone he likes, and I have two rams that are persona non grata at the bottom of the tank. The juvie's a lot better at avoiding attention, though. Both of the losers will be going back to the LFS for trade-in - or barring that, for nothing, since I don't have room for them in my plan for Tank #2.

What did I learn from this harrowing experience? Do it the Angel way. Get four to six Rams, more if you have extra space, and put them in a tank by themselves. Observe closely, and if a fish is spending all its time hiding in a corner, get it out of there. You should eventually be left with two fish that spend an awful lot of time together. That's your pair.

EDIT: The one problem with this scheme is that a ten-gallon tank is probably too small for six or even four dueling Rams. I only have my limited experience to work with on this one, but the whole process with mine took place in a 20g community tank, and four Rams in there is a bit crowded, since the rejected suitors basically have nowhere to go.

[span class="edited"][Edited by Silverlight 2004-09-02 12:42][/span]

the problem with that for my situation is, the tank is only 10 gallons, so if there are two males territory would be a much bigger issue and i wouldnt want one to harass the other to death. i see liveaquaria.com sells pairs of dwarf panda cichlids, but i know less about them than about rams

i mean, im not totally set on getting rams, i just like the idea of having a pretty well planted tank with a pair of colorful fish in there, and blue rams seemed to be a pretty good fit.

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If I had it to do over again, I probably would have tried to buy a pair outright. Unfortunately it's pretty clear that the safest way to have two Rams in a small space is for them to choose to live that way. AFAIK both males and females will be aggressive with their own sex, and if they don't like a potential mate they'll be aggressive with that fish as well. This is probably the right time for a grizzled aquarist veteran to step in and remind us that Rams are cichlids too, even if they don't bite chunks out of each other.

thanks for the advice, Silverlight...

it's just that i dont really have the room to do that. unless you count my 46 gallon tiger barb (10) tank, but even that would be pushing it for that amount of rams. plus the tigers might interfere and... shudder... all heck might break loose. ugh, i work too many hours to fish babysit but that's probably the best way to do it... even though you're basicially left with a couple of fish with nowhere to go when all is said and done. wargh, there's got to be a better way!

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Well, from what I understand, when people do this with Angels they do it with the understanding that six Angels are going into the tank and four of those are going to be sold back to the LFS - which is what I'm off to do in about fifteen minutes.

I understand. Well, I'll think about this some more and see what I can do. They seem like a great fish though, and I feel like having a pair in their own little set up would make for a beautiful tank.

Any one else have any ideas?

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get 5 cardinals n 3 harliquin raspboas no comparison to the blue ram but beautiful together jsut the same
jsut a thought

Appistogrammas, You'll be sure to get a pair because the males and females are very different looking. I've got a pair of Agassizis and Cacatuoides, they're pretty cool looking.

I bought them on Aquabid and they got here in great shape.

The guy I bought them from has a website, apistogrammaidiots.com I've never gone there but I think he sells them there.

Have fun, Mike

Just went there. they have a gallery (fishroom) and he does sell them there but you have to get a login# or something. I didn't take the time to do that. They also have rams (Microgeophagus Ramirezi)

Mike

thanks for the suggestions. i actually have been researching apistos for a few days now and i think im going to go with them rather than rams... seems the concensus is that apistos, particularly cockatoos, are a bit less sensitive and delicate than rams, and would be able to stand harder less acidic water. will they be ok in a ten gallon tank, though? most people have said yes, but there have been a few naysayers along the way so im still not sure.

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They're small enough, they'll do fine in a 10.

Have fun , Mike

groovy. thanks for the input.

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