Tank pics! Suggestions?

[rayjay1234]

I just got a German blue in my 10g community tank with Tetras and Ottos. I was wondering how people arrange terracotta pots in there? I have put up some pictures to show you what I've currently got. Also wondering if someone could give their opinion on the fish, he isnt really colourful :help:

Here is a picture of my little guy
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g90/rayjay1234/bluesep14.jpg
From another angle

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g90/rayjay1234/DSC02766.jpg

Here's a picture of the cave
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g90/rayjay1234/DSC02759.jpg

And just for some suggestions, what my whole tank looks like. Water sprite and what are THINK are some kind of swords which seem to be doing well but the leaves always die soon but are quickly replaced. Also some Java Fern on the driftwood which grows insanely well.
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g90/rayjay1234/DSC02767.jpg

[quiksilver]

he looks stressed did you acclamatize him proply? also when you bought him was he colourfull, did he look like he was dominant in there tank. i bought 2 a while ago one had great colour and the other wasnt as colourfull, but now hes coloured up.

looking at pics could be female, the 2 fins under the head in males get long. hard to tell without colour. how longs he been in the tank?????

your tank looks awesome! your sand looks just like mine. if you want a more natural look than the pot you could try lavarock to make a little cave. i rarely see mine in the caves in my tank they're always moving around there territories makeing sure the other isnt coming nere it.

whats your ph nitrates ects.

[rayjay1234]

He's really new, probably only a day or two old in the tank. He's definitely much less shy than he was at first, swimming around, constantly picking at the sand.

pH 7.5
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 5
GH 130 - I think this might be one of the issues so I've bought some Peat Plates by Hagen so hopefully soften and acidify the water.

None of the rams in the tank looked particularly colourful but they were also all quite small, about 1 inch or so, so I was just assuming they were juveniles. I guess lesson learned?

[Bunny13]

Did he have any color on him at all when you bought him? He almost looks like an albino variation of the blue ram. My LFS was carrying a couple of them last time I was there.

[rayjay1234]

He looks pretty much identical to the way I bought him. Like I said, he's only 2 days in the tank now. Bought him on Tuesday (today is Thursday for me).

He's been getting a little more iridescent lately and the black dorsal has been much bolder and has been sticking up a lot more. I'm hoping he's just getting settled and will eventually reveal his brilliance. Either that or I screwed up huge and will have to go to the other LFS downtown and buy a different ram, costs almost 50% more there though :(

[quiksilver]

the lfs you got him from could have only just put them in themselves, so he could be stressed from so many different water changes. i wouldnt try changing your water par, the ram isnt wild caught.

[Captain Hook]

i've heard they colour up as they grow too

[quiksilver]

what are you feeding him? frozen bloodworms are cheap and its fun to watch your fish go crazy over them. it also helps them grow and colour up. once or twice a week should be good.

[rayjay1234]

He is getting a sinking tropical fish pellets from Nutrafin and a mixture of freeze dried bloodworms and flake food from big als.
The worms and flakes are mixed together and they get that on alternate days. He doesnt seemed concerned with the pellets, the tetras love them though, but I've come tot he conclusion that they'll eat almost anything.

[dvsgp6]

i just bought a ram and looks almost like yours but probably because its a bolivian ram usually they r lighter in the colore blue rams have alot more color that bolivians

[H3D]

It looks like a "gold" German ram that is starting to show up.

[jm1212]

i just bought a ram and looks almost like yours but probably because its a bolivian ram usually they r lighter in the colore blue rams have alot more color that bolivians
his new ram is not a bolivian. they do not have the characteristic eye stripe that the german blues do. that also why i dont think it is a gold ram. he probably just it a bit stressed and once he is more firmiliar with the tank he'll show better color.

[H3D]

Your right jm1212 it does show some of a blue German rams coloration. But it missing a lot of the normal black color. It may just be results of a failed breeding attempt.

[jm1212]

now that i look at the pick better i dont even see the usual traces of black.
it may then be a blue/gold mix

[quiksilver]

no its blue the black will come when he colours up.