Ram cichlid advice and tank stocking. please help!

[Essjay]

I have been feeding them bloodworms only and the pleco algae discs.

I have just re-read the first post and noticed this. You need to feed more than bloodworms, that's like making your fish live on burgers and nothing else. Bloodworms are high in fat with little nutritional content.They should be kept as a once a week treat for your fish.
You need to get a good quality fish food, flakes for fish that live in the upper water such as the tetras or pencilfish Byron mentioned, and sinking pellets for the rams.



I know you realise you'll have to get a bigger tank for the plec but to you realise just how big if it is a common plec?

 

[exhoudos]

A photo of your tank and pleco will help us in the id side of things if possible, the crab is a red clawed crab, I have kept them in the past but just to let you know they are not fully aquatic and will need access to land too they do not last long otherwise, I would suggest you set up a smaller tank for the crab with a separate land area it would be much happier and you will be able to watch some interesting behaviour.

The crab is dead now. Literally died in the last hour.

 

[Byron]

Its a Hypostomus plecostomus, or suckermouth. That part i am sure of. I know he will probably need a larger tank soon. What kind of effect or concerns should I be mindful of on my current setup?

I would re-home the pleco now. Many plan larger tanks but for various reasons they do not materialize and the poor fish ends up suffering and either dying or causing other problems in the tank.

This species attains at least 12 inches (30 cm) but has been known frequently to get as long as 20 inches, and along the way it produces a lot of waste...a lot. It needs a diet primarily vegetarian but with some "meat" as it is a carnivore but needs sufficient plant matter. And it must have real wood to graze. This fish will need at least a 4-foot tank to grow into.

The problems with this fish even in a huge tank are not insignificant, so it is better to remove it sooner. It is also kinder to the fish to move it early.

 

[exhoudos]

I would re-home the pleco now. Many plan larger tanks but for various reasons they do not materialize and the poor fish ends up suffering and either dying or causing other problems in the tank.

This species attains at least 12 inches (30 cm) but has been known frequently to get as long as 20 inches, and along the way it produces a lot of waste...a lot. It needs a diet primarily vegetarian but with some "meat" as it is a carnivore but needs sufficient plant matter. And it must have real wood to graze. This fish will need at least a 4-foot tank to grow into.

The problems with this fish even in a huge tank are not insignificant, so it is better to remove it sooner. It is also kinder to the fish to move it early.

Ok so I have some updates. The crab is now with the dearly departed, as we found that it was not in fact a solely aquatic crab, and he has now drowned(thank you poorly ran LFS who sold that crab to me without hesitation despite knowing it was going in a fish tank, you're awesome) and I have returned the plecostomus and the weak ram. I didnt buy any thing, just wanted to return those two fish. Now my tank is occupied by one green tiger barb and one very spicy bolivian ram. Where do we go from here boys?

 

[Byron]

Sorry to hear about the crab demise. Never rely on fish store advice.

You have a problem looming though, with the lone Emerald/Green Tiger Barb. You need a group of at least 8-10 in their own 30 gallon tank with this species, as minimum. They can get very aggressive and nippy, and the cichlid is a real target as it is a sedate fish. Since you don't have the space for a group, the barb should be removed quickly.

We can consider suitable peaceful fish to be compatible with the ram.

 

[exhoudos]

Sorry to hear about the crab demise. Never rely on fish store advice.

You have a problem looming though, with the lone Emerald/Green Tiger Barb. You need a group of at least 8-10 in their own 30 gallon tank with this species, as minimum. They can get very aggressive and nippy, and the cichlid is a real target as it is a sedate fish. Since you don't have the space for a group, the barb should be removed quickly.

We can consider suitable peaceful fish to be compatible with the ram.

Ok, Im going this afternoon, will bring back the barb and take a look at their stock, probably wont buy anything as the advice from this forum has helped me so much I dont want to necessarily purchase anything until Ive ran it through here first. What types of fish should I be keeping an eye out for? Keeping in mind that I will only have one bolivian ram in the tank.

 

[Byron]

Ok, Im going this afternoon, will bring back the barb and take a look at their stock, probably wont buy anything as the advice from this forum has helped me so much I dont want to necessarily purchase anything until Ive ran it through here first. What types of fish should I be keeping an eye out for? Keeping in mind that I will only have one bolivian ram in the tank.

I answered this question back in post #11. Same now. Take a paper and write down names of fish you like, scientific name if possible, but common may clue us in. The research here.