Tempting baby rams . . .

[eraagne]

Today at the local feed store they had a tank full of tiny tiny (about twice the size of dario dario so about an inch maybe) blue/gold rams. Half looked to be female. Are blue rams picky about choosing a mate? If I did get a few of these could I raise them in a 20g species only tank and slowly remove them until I only had a pair?

I'm also aware that the blue/golds don't breed as well but they're very tempting at that size.

I prob wont get them in the end but I was just curious.

 

[rockhoe14er]

i've never bred rams before but your idea sounds good to me.

 

[snoopy65]

Yes they like to choose their own mate. They are very sensitive to water conditions. Rams need about a 12" square of tank floor space to call their own territory. Some a little more and some a little less. At 1" they are still very young and very difficult to sex accurately. A 20 gal long would do nicely for a pair, but would be difficult to maintain with any more than that in my opinion.

 

[eraagne]

Cool, at what size do they pair up? When should I remove the others? I did read they are sensitive little things. Would keeping them in some kinda black water with peat and almond leaves help the little buggers? And I only have 20g reg for them. Well and a 29. But I had other plans for that. Is that too little for them? And when they pair should I add dither fish like tetras?

 

[snoopy65]

My rams were 2 1/2" - 3" when they started pairing off. I personally would use the 29 to find your pair and then move that pair to the 20. You need to make sure you have someone to take the others though. Then use your 29 for what ever you were planning. Understand when you get all of the rams though, that rehoming fish is not as easy as it sounds. So, make sure you have plans for the other fish before setting off in that direction.