Yesterday I got a beautiful female and a probable male from an awesome fish store 3 hours from my home that I had gotten an amazing pair from 4 years ago. Today, the local PetSmart had a GORGEOUS female and a very colorful little male that I just couldn't pass up. (PetSmart. I KNOW!!! I was shocked too!) The first "pair" seemed a little shy and not really very interested in each other. After adding the second "pair", the first male has become all "I'm a male and I was here first!! Everything and everyone is mine!!!". Girl # 1 just kinda hangs out in the back of the tank (she's healthy and active, but shy), Girl #2 is like "Big deal. I'll do what I want, where I want", and Boy #2 is being a little bullied even though he's just minding his own business and friendly with all other fish (although, as I type this, him and male #1 are circling each other and giving each other dirty looks. He's not the instigator, but he's not shying away or backing down). I was hoping that I would end up with 2 pairs. Looks like I'll have to get rid of 1 or 2 (I wouldn't mind a breeding trio and I have the room for it), but my problem is that I don't know who to get rid of! The first male has very little color right now, but he's a bit bigger than the others and seems very interested in breeding. I would hate to get rid of him if he's going to color up later, but the other, smaller male has great color right now and will hopefully get even better. Male #1 seems a little overbearing, even toward the females, so I'm leaning toward him the most.
So, keep male #1 who is bigger and might have awesome color later on, or keep male #2 who is sweet and has good color now? Should I get rid of 1 "pair" (female #2 and a male), or just 1 male?
Info about my tank:
It's a 25 gallon (same floor plan as a 20 High, but taller). I have a big piece of mopani wood that the rams all love, 2 pieces of small zebra rock, black sand (same kind that my old rams used to dig a nest in and lay their eggs in), some val of some sort, some mini crypt of some sort, a dwarf anubias on a rock, 2 marimo balls,
7 neon tetras,
10 very small green neon tetras,
4 spotted dwarf corries,
a pair of forktail blue eye rainbow fish,
a rubber lip pleco, and
a blue mystery snail; in addition to the 4 rams.
I know it sounds like a crap ton of fish, but every one in there (with the exception of the 2.5" pleco and the 1.5" rams), is 1" or smaller and will stay that way. The only other thing/s I'll be adding to this tank are 10 or so cherry shrimp and maybe 2-4 purple and or pink mystery snails if I can find them. Although if I end up with just 1 GBR pair, I'll add more of the rainbows since they are the only ones who spend any time at the top of the tank and they're small and awesome. I also wouldn't mind getting rid of the blue mystery snail and the rubber lip pleco.
Pictures to come and thanks for any input!
So, keep male #1 who is bigger and might have awesome color later on, or keep male #2 who is sweet and has good color now? Should I get rid of 1 "pair" (female #2 and a male), or just 1 male?
Info about my tank:
It's a 25 gallon (same floor plan as a 20 High, but taller). I have a big piece of mopani wood that the rams all love, 2 pieces of small zebra rock, black sand (same kind that my old rams used to dig a nest in and lay their eggs in), some val of some sort, some mini crypt of some sort, a dwarf anubias on a rock, 2 marimo balls,
7 neon tetras,
10 very small green neon tetras,
4 spotted dwarf corries,
a pair of forktail blue eye rainbow fish,
a rubber lip pleco, and
a blue mystery snail; in addition to the 4 rams.
I know it sounds like a crap ton of fish, but every one in there (with the exception of the 2.5" pleco and the 1.5" rams), is 1" or smaller and will stay that way. The only other thing/s I'll be adding to this tank are 10 or so cherry shrimp and maybe 2-4 purple and or pink mystery snails if I can find them. Although if I end up with just 1 GBR pair, I'll add more of the rainbows since they are the only ones who spend any time at the top of the tank and they're small and awesome. I also wouldn't mind getting rid of the blue mystery snail and the rubber lip pleco.
Pictures to come and thanks for any input!
They did spend today eating said eggs though. :/
