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Jessie J.

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Hi everyone. I am getting some dwarf blue rams for my 10-gallon and trash.bihn95 suggested that I could put in some fish to get the water more established then take them out when it was time for the rams. My question is, what fishes (danios, guppies, or bettas) could be kept with the cichlids after establishing?
Thanks!
 
A 10 gallon is not sufficient space for blue rams. This fish needs a 24-inch length aquarium minimum, such as a 15 gallon or 20 gallon high. It is also a warm water species, with 80F (26 C) being minimum. Many of the "tropical" fish we keep will have difficulty managing in such warm water permanently, so selecting tank mates is more involved.

But going on from that, Betta (assuming a male) is not a community fish so it needs its own space. Danios are too active, aside from needing much cooler water. And guppies might work, but these being livebearers need moderately hard water. The hardness of the water for rams depends upon the source of the fish; wild caught Mikrogeophagus ramirezi must have very soft water. Commercially raised blue rams are best in water close to that in which they were spawned/raised which means knowing the breeder's water. All of the varieties (german blue, gold, etc) are commercially raised as none of these are natural wild forms but were developed from M. ramirezi.

The advice to establish the biology of the tank before adding the rams was sound. And just so others are not confused, we are talking established, not cycled, which are two very different things. A mature tank that has been running for a few months is (or should be) "established." Some fish will settle in better with fewer problems in established tanks, and rams are one of these.

I'll just mention it now in case you are not aware of it, but with rams you must ensure the male/female pair have selected each other and bonded. Any male and female may not accept each other, and if not, one will be dead before many weeks have passed.
 
This is where I read tank requirements. If there weren't any other fish could a pair be in a 10 gal?

BLUE RAM CICHLID CARE GUIDE

The Blue Ram cichlid, also known as German Blue Ram, is a beautiful and peaceful cichlid, popular among aquarists, but not recommended for beginners.

German-Blue-Ram-Cichlids-600x300.jpg

Tank requirements for Blue Ram Cichlid
The minimum tank size for a Blue Ram is 10-gallons but you’ll need at least a 29 gallon aquarium if you intend to add other fishes.








(This is not mine it's from another website)
 
This is where I read tank requirements. If there weren't any other fish could a pair be in a 10 gal?

Not advisable. Tank size and fish numbers is much more involved than merely the ratio of fish mass to water volume. I have no doubt a pair of rams would "live" in a 10 gallon, but this is not good fish care; a case of "survive" but not "thrive." It is comparable to keeping a horse in your bedroom; it will live, but at what cost? A 24-inch tank will allow some space for their territory, and they will have one even if there are no other fish, as this is inherent in their DNA.

Oh, that was another thing. How do I sex them to be sure I get a pair? Thank you Byron.

This is not always easy, but as I said previously you cannot just select any male/female, they have to select each other. So the best way for this is to observe the group of fish in the store tank and look for a likely pair. Males will be obvious as they will continually "charge" toward one another. Females will be the rams not doing this. Look for a nice male, then see if there is a female close to him that he basically ignores. This is likely a possible pair that may bond. There are no guarantees.

Sometimes people suggest buying several rams, putting them in a decent sized tank, and letting them "pair off" over a few weeks. This can certainly work, but then you have a tank of rams to get rid of once you have a likely pair. And they are not inexpensive either.

Below are two photos of pairs. In the first photo, the female is the lower fish, cleaning the rock for egg laying. In the second photo which is a wild caught pair (hence much more colourful), male on left according to the caption.
 

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  • Mikrogeophagus ramrirezi wild pair.jpg
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The shelf space I have left is for a tank 1 ft. 54 in. tall, and about as long and wide as a 10-gallon long. How big is a 15 or 20-gallon tall?
 
The shelf space I have left is for a tank 1 ft. 54 in. tall, and about as long and wide as a 10-gallon long. How big is a 15 or 20-gallon tall?

Both of these have a footprint of 24 inches length by 12 inches width. The 20g is 16 inches high, to tank frame not including space for cover/light. The 15g is not as high which is where the five gallon difference occurs. There is also a 20 gallon long, that is 30 inches length by 12 inches width, and obviously not as high as the "high" 20g. With fish that have territories like the rams, it is the length/width that is more important than height or volume.
 
I might be able to scrounge together enough space for a 20 gallon long if it comes down too it.

That would be better. But now, you can consider a 29 gallon which has the same footprint as the 20g long, but the additional 9 gallons due to 4 inch height addition opens up more options for tankmates. I have two of these tanks among those in my fish room and really like them.
 

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