Best food for Bolivian Rams.

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The fish store that I bought the pea puffer from would gladly take it back if I said he started nipping fins, which is what I recently observed him trying to do and will do in the future.

For the Ram tank, what algae eaters would you suggest. I would like a clown pleco, or would you suggest maybe red cherry shrimps and snails.

Is the tank fine when it comes to decorations? Im planning on adding some leaf litter to add more tannins. Is this a problem when it comes to water changes because the water that I put into the tank is more basic than the water in the aquarium.
 
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She has almost no ich on her. Her color is very vibrant and it seems like she always wants food.
 
For the Ram tank, what algae eaters would you suggest. I would like a clown pleco, or would you suggest maybe red cherry shrimps and snails.

If this is the species Panaqolus maccus, it attains just over 3 inches. I would want it in a larger tank than a 10g. The other thing is algae...these fish are fussy as to what "algae" they will eat. This species must have wood to eat (not for nutrition, but essential for intestinal and digestive health). Snails will eat algae, but minimally so again not a solution for any problem algae. Shrimp may well get eaten by the ram.
 
Is the tank fine when it comes to decorations. I plan on adding some leaf litter to add tannens and provide food for bacteria and the ram. Is this a problem when it comes to water changes with the water in the tank being more acidic than the water that I use to do water changes? Is there anything I can do if this is a problem?

I also just added some planted substrate to mix in with the beginning substrate in both of my tanks. Will this cause problems in the 10 gallon because the substrate has small pebbles. The 10 gallon still has sand. It is called Caribsea flora max.

I will also be giving away the Chinese algae eater, the pea puffer, and the loach. I will then be adding 4 black neon tetras and a small bottom feeder to clean up any leftover food. The tank stocking would be 5 WCM, 7 black neons, 1 goby, 1 unknown bottom feeder. Any suggestions on the bottom feeder?
 
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Is the tank fine when it comes to decorations. I plan on adding some leaf litter to add tannens and provide food for bacteria and the ram. Is this a problem when it comes to water changes with the water in the tank being more acidic than the water that I use to do water changes? Is there anything I can do if this is a problem?

No problems, and yes beneficial. If we study photos and videos of natural habitats of our aquarium fish, we find that most of them live over substrates of mud or sand with a thick layer of dead leaves. Aside from providing food (infusoria) for fish, these are beds for microscopic critters that will be fish food and beneficial bacteria. The decaying leaves and tannins also tint the water, but it will still be clear and clean. I use leaves in several tanks, and always in spawning tanks; I don't notice the tint in most tanks unless the leaves are very thick. I also do not worry about parameters; Regular water changes of 50-60% of the tank volume every week tend to keep parameters consistent. They do vary from tank to tank, so other factors enter the equation, but the tank will generally settle down and remain consistent.

I also just added some planted substrate to mix in with the beginning substrate in both of my tanks. Will this cause problems in the 10 gallon because the substrate has small pebbles. The 10 gallon still has sand. It is called Caribsea flora max.

I am not a fan of these so-called plant enriched substrates, and my view is they are next to useless. Plus they can cause problems, depending. I have never used the flora max. I tried Flourite for two years and then got rid of it, as the plants showed no benefit at all and the substrate fish had to be removed. The ram will pick this up and "chew" on it. I would change to plain inert play sand.

I will also be giving away the Chinese algae eater, the pea puffer, and the loach. I will then be adding 4 black neon tetras and a small bottom feeder to clean up any leftover food. The tank stocking would be 5 WCM, 7 black neons, 1 goby, 1 unknown bottom feeder. Any suggestions on the bottom feeder?

No fish will eat leftover food, per say. Substrate feeding fish must be fed proper sinking food for nutrition. Several years ago I noticed flake food that settled on the substrate, and the cories completely ignored it for days until I removed it. I was slightly overfeeding the upper fish, and no longer have this issue, but it shows that "leftovers" don't cut it. Snails are your best bet for this, as they will eat all organics. I feed sinking foods in several tanks because of certain species; the cories and loaches clean their food up within a few hours, but in a couple tanks where I have 2-4 Farlowella vitatta the disks can stay for a day or two as the fish are not so numerous as to eat all of one disk. But next morning I invariable see the remainder covered with a host of Malaysian Livebearing Snails, and it is gone by late afternoon.
 
Ok! Thanks for your advice! When I go get the leaves, I will also get some fine sand for the 10 gallon. It will be hard to remove the substrate it the 29 gallon but I will definitely do it in the 10 gallon. I don't think this will be a problem in the 29 gallon due to me not having any substrate feeders in this tank except for MTS.
 

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