hi all...i've been scanning the info on microgeophagus ramirezi & have discovered spawning, sexing info, a little this & that. i'd like to read an overall informative article on the general maintence of the fish. i put a male & female in my 28g w/2 long fin rosy barbs, 3 albino cory cats & 1 dwarf red flame gourami. i put 2 gouramis in a week ago & one wasn't "right". it died & i took it back to lfs & said icould med tank, but the surviving one is quite perky & i don't want to put the corys in my 10g, in case they are tainted. so i'm hoping all is well & since i never see blue rams around here, i jusr had to have them. the store i bought them from are very knowledgable & they compaed my ph to theirs & know the gourami story & seem to think all should be well. all seems to be ok, this the 2nd day. nitrates were elevated so i did a 3 gal water change. long story short, i'm just looking for some general info on the care & maintence of these guys. thanks alot to anyone kind enough to help out.
blue rams
- Thread starter tetralover
- Start date
Generally, blue rams tend to like soft, acidic wate, and can be hard to keep.
But this is just general info ^, as many people could have different experiences with this type of fish.
But this is just general info ^, as many people could have different experiences with this type of fish.
I have found my rams to be very easy keepers. I have 3 german blue rams...one male and two females. My PH measures between 7.8 and 8.0....my hardness is about 80ppm...I dont know what the GH and KH readings are though, but I imagine there must be something about those readings that has helped me be able to keep these fish and actually BREED them in these parameters. I am at present raising two tanks of babies that are about 7 weeks old now and doing just fine. Getting ready to find homes for them soon.
Just keep the water good and clean for them TL...and depending on your parameters they may do just fine without a lot of fuss.....(I LOVE these fish !
)
Just keep the water good and clean for them TL...and depending on your parameters they may do just fine without a lot of fuss.....(I LOVE these fish !
)
Here's a good one: blue ram article
It seems like the quality of rams is hit or miss. Most lfs rams are imported and I have heard countless posts of them living for only a few days (went through it myself). If you can get them from a local breeder they are usually in much better health. Good luck
It seems like the quality of rams is hit or miss. Most lfs rams are imported and I have heard countless posts of them living for only a few days (went through it myself). If you can get them from a local breeder they are usually in much better health. Good luck
Well, thank you 'mooman'. I try to write articles that will help new aquarists. It seems to me the the Blue Ram or 'German' Blue Ram which happens to be the same fish are a very hot item these days. I remember when Angelfish were really hot back quite a few years ago. The store owners love these fish because they get a real good price for them and not many new aquarists are able to keep them alive and thus sell more of them. I really have to smile when I see someone trying to breed these guys when it is the first fish they are working with. Sorry people but it is not easy unless you happen to have great water conditions for these neat little guys.
Caution: Off topic monologue in support of apistos
By the way people, all of z-mans articles are a great read. They really helped me out when I caught cichlid fever.
I agree with blue rams not being a beginner fish. They're pretty, they're delicate, and from what I've read not great parents. The Bolivian rams on the other hand are a great beginner cichlid. They don't seem to be very dependable spawners however. Most spawning posts I've seen on bolivians start out: I had this pair of rams for a couple of year and then.... Not what the person who has just caught the breeding bug wants to hear.
I'd also like to add :OT: that when it comes to being interesting to watch, the rams can't hold a candle to those apistos. It's a shame the cost of apistos probably scares away alot of novice keepers. When I bought my first pair I was heard to mutter, "Don't tell my girlfriend how much these cost." I've found them very hardy and given the right species, much easier to spawn. I'm on to my second species now, and I'm glad I took the leap.
By the way people, all of z-mans articles are a great read. They really helped me out when I caught cichlid fever.
I agree with blue rams not being a beginner fish. They're pretty, they're delicate, and from what I've read not great parents. The Bolivian rams on the other hand are a great beginner cichlid. They don't seem to be very dependable spawners however. Most spawning posts I've seen on bolivians start out: I had this pair of rams for a couple of year and then.... Not what the person who has just caught the breeding bug wants to hear.
I'd also like to add :OT: that when it comes to being interesting to watch, the rams can't hold a candle to those apistos. It's a shame the cost of apistos probably scares away alot of novice keepers. When I bought my first pair I was heard to mutter, "Don't tell my girlfriend how much these cost." I've found them very hardy and given the right species, much easier to spawn. I'm on to my second species now, and I'm glad I took the leap.
Z Man said:
Lol Zman...I must be the exception
I can't seem to stop them from spawning in a ph of 7.8-8.0 ! By the way, the fry are doing great as long as they survive being babysat while I'm away in NC....I get back home on Sat night, I'll have to wait till then to see how they faired during my abscense... :shark:My experience with the german blue ram so far has been not that they're so delicate and hard to keep...as they are VERY difficult to acclimate without stressing them to death. I noticed all of my rams to be very stressed out just bringing them home in the bags...I acclimate them VERY slowly and they still look like they're about to keel over any second during the process. All together I had bought 5 rams and only lost one during the acclimation period. ...died within an hour of bringing it home. So far I havn't had a problem keeping them healthy..(except treating them for internal parasites they had when I purchased them...lost one from that issue, the others came through very well)
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I have a mated pair in a tank with a couple clownloaches and a bronze puffer. I want them to have babies. Are there fertility drugs for fish?
If you could ask your LFS , the P.H they are currently kept at, this would so help. Some are kept at a High and some lower!!
I think it depend's on what the LFS has them in with.
I wanted some from one LFS, for my community, but, they had them at 8.1ppm.
Far too high for my general community!!
Try to ask them, but, please remember that they are they're to sell fish, and will try to fog you off with anything...NOT ALL, but, some..sadly!!!
I think it depend's on what the LFS has them in with.
I wanted some from one LFS, for my community, but, they had them at 8.1ppm.
Far too high for my general community!!
Try to ask them, but, please remember that they are they're to sell fish, and will try to fog you off with anything...NOT ALL, but, some..sadly!!!