Kribs vs Rams??????

[KuchDaddy]

I just set up a 30 gallon long and I am trying to decide how to stock it.

I plan to have:
1) 5 panda cories
2) Some kind of small schooling/dither fish
3) Either a single or pair of either kribs or rams.

Is one more difficult to care for than the other? Also, how difficult is it to find a compatible pair for each? Is it just a matter of getting a male and a female, or would I need to get several and see which one's get along?

Any advice in helping me decide between the two would be helpful.
I have been keeping fish for about 2 years, so I am not a total noob, but I have never kept cichlids.

[KarlTh]

KH/GH?

[KuchDaddy]

KH/GH?

OK, maybe I am a noob, becuase I don't know what that means. :confused:

[KarlTh]

Hardness tests. Most important indicators of what fish are suitable for your tank.

[lucy42083]

Asian-farmed rams tend to be weak when kept in higher Gh/Kh water, they tend to do better in softer water. However, I personally have 2 domestically bred rams that have been thriving for nearly a year in my moderately hard water (pH 7.8, gH 12, kH 8....or maybe I have gH and kH mixed up). If you can get good stock, as long as your water isn't super hard, I would go for rams but that's just my preference. Kribs are cool too and a pair would be great in a 30G.

[inkyjenn]

ill tell you a little something about the whole hardness thing: yes it can be a big factor in trying to breed fish and for fish health in general. however, a lot of fish, if you take the time, can be acclimated to live in the water conditions that are out of your tap. in all honesty, unless you know what you are doing, you can create more problems trying to mess with your pH/hardness/etc. than by leaving it alone. i keep balloon rams (german blue rams with a shortened body). these guys tend to be a bit more sensitive than normal rams. the water out of my tap is a 7.6 pH (i havent tested gh in a while) and they are fine. brightly colored, eating like horses, active. these little guys were bred in water similar to mine though, not imported, wild-caught specimens. do a bunch of research first, then get the fish.

[KuchDaddy]

I don't know the exact parameters, but I know that PH is fairly high, and my water is also on the hard side.

Does one or the other do better in harder water?
I am not necessarily trying to breed them, but it would be cool if it happened.

[jpappy789]

Rams prefer softer water (for breeding mainly) but it depends on the source. Your run of the mill LFS rams are 99% of the time asian bred and will have a difficult time adjusting to harder water. Locally or European bred rams will adjust just fine though.

I haven't heard of kribs being as finicky with water.

[KuchDaddy]

Rams prefer softer water (for breeding mainly) but it depends on the source. Your run of the mill LFS rams are 99% of the time asian bred and will have a difficult time adjusting to harder water. Locally or European bred rams will adjust just fine though.

I haven't heard of kribs being as finicky with water.

Thanks! So far it sounds like kribs might be easier.

[Jakezori]

rams... they wont bully and they are beautiful... dont get the blue rams though as they are more difficult to take care of (at least in my area)

[KarlTh]

They're hardier than the gold or balloon varieties. If you're comparing them with Bolivian rams, they are a different species and do seem to be more robust, especially in hard water.

[jpappy789]

They're hardier than the gold or balloon varieties. If you're comparing them with Bolivian rams, they are a different species and do seem to be more robust, especially in hard water.

I agree, but again it has to do more with the source than the individual species IMHO.

[noodles62]

I would suggest the kribs - I have never kept them myself, but when I kept corys with my rams, the rams were really bothered by the corys frenzied activity at feeding time and often went without eating cause the corys are such (cute) little piggies. Just my experience and opinion.....

[jpappy789]

I would suggest the kribs - I have never kept them myself, but when I kept corys with my rams, the rams were really bothered by the corys frenzied activity at feeding time and often went without eating cause the corys are such (cute) little piggies. Just my experience and opinion.....
Weird.

[KuchDaddy]

Thanks for the input everyone.
So far I am leaning toward the Kribs.
Just they they look cooler, and some folks seem to think they are hardier.

Do you think I could just buy a male/female pair and expect them to be nice to each other, or is it sometimes difficult to find a compatible pair?
If it is difficult, I might just go with a single.