Would like to keep a pair of Blue Rams, but have some questions

B

bfloyd

AC Members
Jan 6, 2009
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Miami, Fl
My tank specs:
20 gallon tall
Top Fin 20 power filter (Looking to add another or replace)
Tank has Pool filter sand for substrate, two pieces of drift wood, and is moderately planted with different types of anubias and dwarf sags.
Tank was setup on 2/19/09, currently I am in the process of cycling it.
pH is stable at 7.2, have not checked the gh/kh yet but will be picking up test kit.

Now for the questions:

1. Stock: I really want to keep corys and rams so, would this be okay?

2 Blue rams
5-6 cory (probably julii, trilineatus, sterbai, or panda willing to do 3-4 but would like a school if possible)
2 nerite snails
Some maylaysian trumpet snails.
And possibly 4-6 neons (or other small schooling fish) if this is not too much

2. Filtration

I know the rams need pristine water conditions frequent water change sre going to be my best friend, but I think my Top Fin 20 will not provide enough filtration, so I was looking to add-on/upgrade with an Aqua Clear. What do you think would be better get a AC 20 or 30 and run with the Top Fin or just run 1 Aqua clear 50?

3. About the Blue Ram

I have read that the tank should be established for some time before adding the GBRs. Is this from the time the tank was setup or from the time it was cycled and the first fish were added. Also how long would you suggest this time frame be?

The source I am looking at for the rams (Florida guppies plus) says they are "pure wild Colombian Rams, imported by us and in captivity for over 3 months or pairs that consist of a wild cross male and a pure wild female". What are the Pros/Cons of having wild rams? Is this good or should I look else where?

Please let me know what you guys/girls think, and feel free to make any recommendations and ask any questions if I have left something out that should have been stated. Thanks in advance for the help.

 
your stock list is fine I think. But if you're going with wild rams they would do better with a ph 5-6.5. Captive breed rams are hardier and would do better in 7.2. i would skip the snails, just me anyhow. Also if you get neons get at least 6. some smaller rasboras would also look nice.

oh about the filtration I would go with the Ac 50. Going with 2 filters has it's benefits and downsides. That would allow you to clean one filter and keep the other going, but then you'd have to clean 2 filters instead of one and clean them more often. Also 2 filters would create more current in the tank which is ok for neons but rams I think perfer slower moving water.
 
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nguyendetecting said:
your stock list is fine I think. But if you're going with wild rams they would do better with a ph 5-6.5. Captive breed rams are hardier and would do better in 7.2. i would skip the snails, just me anyhow. Also if you get neons get at least 6. some smaller rasboras would also look nice.

oh about the filtration I would go with the Ac 50. Going with 2 filters has it's benefits and downsides. That would allow you to clean one filter and keep the other going, but then you'd have to clean 2 filters instead of one and clean them more often. Also 2 filters would create more current in the tank which is ok for neons but rams I think perfer slower moving water.
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Okay, so the 5-6 cories will be fine with a pair of blue rams in a 20 gallon tall? I am just worried that since both species inhabit the bottom level of the tank that the 20 tall will not provide enough space for them both. Any one have experience with this?

And about the pH the website says "that the rams are quarantined at the wholesale facility and the quarantined at our store for several days. This is to insure that when you receive them they are acclimated to water with a slightly higher pH and eating flake foods and commercial formulas.Upon receiving the fish, your tank water where the fish will live should have a pH of about 7.0. and a water temperature of at least 82-84 degrees". So I think the pH will be okay I am more concerned about the water temperature because from what I read most of the other fish I want to keep don't really like that high of temperature.

Anyone keep rams and cories together? If so what type of cory do you have and what is the water temperature?
 
pH isn't very important. The GH and KH are; if the rams are wild caught these should be very low.
 
I keep my 2 Blue Rams with 3 Sterbai cories and never had any problems. This is the second tank they have been in together. My PH is 7.0. Not sure what my GH/KH is as I don't have a test kit for that. I was told when I purchased the Blue Rams that they have about a 2 year lifespan and mine are way over 2 years old. Going on three this July. Also, my Rams are not bottom dwellers like the cories.
 
dafferspup said:
Also, my Rams are not bottom dwellers like the cories.
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Mine are not bottom dwellers either, they spend a lot of time lower in the tank, but are also swimming at other levels and get in the mix with the tetra's at feeding time. Only had them a week though, so not sure if they will stay like this (but hoping they do!!).
 
Ok, I'm not sure where to post this. I purchased 2 GBRs from Country Max. Small one made it through the night, while larger one was being eaten by an apple snail the next morning. Purchased 2 from Pet World, male and female. Female began to eat and slowly move to a vertical swim position while they were still in the acclimation-drip bowl.
I acclimated all the fish with a slow drip from air line tubing.
My water: Ph is at 6.6, as a direct result of C02. Almond leaves and peat have been added, but the water has not turned that nice tea color like it did the first time I added just the leaves. I have peat granules in place of carbon in my filter. Temperature is a constant 83 degrees F. Ammonia, nitrates, nitrites, all 0.

There are 2 males and 1 female in there now. The 2 males were colorfully sparring last night, totally ignoring the female, who was sort of drifting along the bottom, looking tired and losing almost ALL of its color. The only color left was yellow in the fins - even the black spots have faded.

This morning, she's toward the top of the tank, seemingly gasping for air. The other two have lost color now.

I would greatly appreciate any help, as there seems to be very little about this online. Most troubleshooting discussions involve some sort of bump or white fuzz, but that's not the case here. The closest diagnosis I found online was parasites, but do I really want to dose my whole tank? Then again, they are the most delicate fish in there. There are 3 zebra danios, 1 bristlenose pleco, and 5 apple snails.

Should I dose with an anti-parasitic med?
The water was JUST changed Saturday.

Thank you!
 
There is something else here. You have both species of snails that absorb a lot of calcium. Should you consider lowering the KH and pH, you'll need to rehome the nerites and possibly some MTS (if you really want your MTS to survive) as the shells erode quite quickly in acidic water.
 
Lupin said:
There is something else here. You have both species of snails that absorb a lot of calcium. Should you consider lowering the KH and pH, you'll need to rehome the nerites and possibly some MTS (if you really want your MTS to survive) as the shells erode quite quickly in acidic water.
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That is good to know I didn not even realize that, thanks. I did some research since you said that and found that the pH should not be less than 7 for them, but I could not find information about the KH.

So, how low of KH could they be kept in? Also in the case that I do have to lower the pH and KH, would it be possible to house them in a different tank and only put them my main tank with the low KH and pH for like a week long period once a month to help keep the tank clean. Thanks
 
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