Would this tank situation be alright for a pair of Rams?

I personally do not believe so. Would he live, yes. Would he feel more like he is in a natural enviornment, I do not think so.

I can keep a clown loach in a ten gallon tank. But it will not exhibit normal behavior since they like to school. A group of them are an absolute riot to watch.

They grow fairly slow, but will soon require a 125 gal tank as they hit 12" plus, especially when you have 6-8 of them.
Being kept in a small tank so they are alive doesn't account for potential stress that can lead to illness and death.

I understand the desire to have the rams, I am guilty of MTS and have often loss my patience on acquiring what I wanted before I was physically ready to provide for it.

I understand the desire to have a great tank, quickly, and I see by your other posts you have done some research and are cycling your tank, which is more than many do and I applaud you for that. Please continue that enthusiasm in your stocking plans.
 
ram pair

I've always gone with the 1 male/ 1 female ram pair. They do everything together, and constantly show off their colors. They're great in a peaceful community, and generally ignore other fish, unless they're spawning, but then they'll just kind of scare the others off if they get too close. You'll never regret getting a pair of rams, I'd definitely recommend it over a single one. As far as tank size goes, I had a pair in a twenty gallon that did great, but it was heavily planted and underpopulated, which they appreciate. Now I've got a pair in my 40 gallon, and they're in heaven.

Hail to the Redskins! Beat those cowboy bums!
 
In college? Make it something simple, go to your LFS and find some smaller fish. You can have a beautiful small tank if you find the right fish. Cichlids are probably not suited for this aquarium. They can hog the bank account too :)

Also, if anyone knows about cichlid breeding, help is always appreciated. :) Check this thread:
http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=83491
 
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