10 gal Question..

[jazzx101]

I've always had something of an interest in cichlids but have never had any. I have just gotten a free 10 gal filtered tank from somebody who was going to toss it away, and I was wondering if there are any breeds of cichlids that stay small enough to live their entire lifespan in that 10 gal tank? I can't count on being able to move the fish into a larger tank later on in life.

 

[Kittycat]

Blue rams?

 

[canarsie11]

U can do a pair of rams

 

[Tempestuousfury]

Apistogramma ramirezi, or the ram.

You need to get them acclimatized to the tank conditions, but once this happens, they should do fine.

One slight problem is that these guys might need dither fish (other small fish that swim around and show them that there is nothing to worry about) to make them feel more safe. These fish might get cramped in there...

 

[parker313]

5 neons or 5 harlequin rasboras should work fine as dithers. I had a pair of rams and 5 neons in my 10g and it worked well

 

[shrimpster97]

Ya! Blue rams are happy in there, two of them. and maybe two danios, they stay small so theres room for them.

 

[David]

You could also get a pair of apistogrammas, or dwarf cichlids.

 

[Cody]

ive never seen a blue ram, i wanted to get one but all the fish stores i went to didnt have them

 

[parker313]

Ya! Blue rams are happy in there, two of them. and maybe two danios, they stay small so theres room for them.

You should get more than 2 danios. They're schooling fish and I'd get 5, same as the neons or rasboras.

 

[David]

Ya! Blue rams are happy in there, two of them. and maybe two danios, they stay small so theres room for them.

You should get more than 2 danios. They're schooling fish and I'd get 5, same as the neons or rasboras.

I don't think 5 danios would fit in a 10 with 2 rams they need a lot of surface area.

 

[Kittycat]

Ya! Blue rams are happy in there, two of them. and maybe two danios, they stay small so theres room for them.

You should get more than 2 danios. They're schooling fish and I'd get 5, same as the neons or rasboras.

I don't think 5 danios would fit in a 10 with 2 rams they need a lot of surface area.

I agree, I read that they need a lot of space because they're very active. Tetras would be a better idea, esp considering lighter biological load. But I suggest you get the tank going first before adding the rams, as they are sensitive and do better if it's already established.

 

[Doggfather]

Apistogramma ramirezi, or the ram.

I'd just thought i'd clarify a mistake:

Rams no longer belong to the genus Apistogramma, i belive they are now known as Microgeophagus ramirezi. Although the name 'Apistogramma ramirezi' still appears in older websties and aquarium publications it is now incorrect and outdated information.

If i remember, rams were excluded form the genus apistogramma due to different breeding habits.

 

[Dwarfs]

  Apistogramma ramirezi, or the ram.

I'd just thought i'd clarify a mistake:

Rams no longer belong to the genus Apistogramma, i belive they are now known as Microgeophagus ramirezi. Although the name 'Apistogramma ramirezi' still appears in older websties and aquarium publications it is now incorrect and outdated information.

If i remember, rams were excluded form the genus apistogramma due to different breeding habits.

I was going to say that I think apistos spawn/lay eggs in caves, and rams are open substrate spawners

 

[clutterydrawer]

interesting, i was wondering why i kept finding different scientific names for them...!


i think a pair of rams and six neons (or other very small tetras) could work well.