Lajos_Detari
Fish Herder
- Joined
- Aug 27, 2017
- Messages
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Hi,
I have some suggestions for you but you have to consider some risks.
Since you like Blue Rams, you can consider getting Discus as your centrepiece as both require warm water and similar temperature and water parameter.
You can consider just one Discus(Size: 2.5 to 3 inch) as your centerpiece.
Even though most people would suggest to get a group of Discus (more than 6), I find that they do fine as a single fish with the company of Rams and schooling fish.
And although they want the company of other Discus, they are very territorial against each other.
If you have less than 4 of them, they may become very aggressive against each other and sometimes it may not work.
Discus is a very picky eater and sometimes it will end up eating beef heart only and refuse the pellets or flakes food.
You have to observe the Discus in your fish store and ensure that it is eating pellet/flake before buying it.
Choose a Discus with thick forehead which mean it's fat and growing healthily.
And choose one that is bold and appear at the front of the tank and not behind the tank. Usually the more aggressive, beautiful and healthy fish will be at the front of the tank.(same for the Rams).
The Turquoise/blue Discus show their beautiful colours at the earliest age. Next is the Red Discus. The Spotted Discus are the slowest to show their colours.
There are many types/variations of Discus - Snakeskin, Leopard, Eagle, Turquoise, Blue, Red Mellons, Orange, Heckle, Brown, Green, etc....
Some are too expensive. Look for the common types which are cheaper.
Secondly, since you like Rams, why not adding consider another 2 Electric Blue Rams and 2 Golden Rams?
Your 4 feet tank is big enough for another 2-4 Rams. I find that Rams are good company for Discus.
But take note that sometimes you may end up with a very aggressive Ram(the alpha male) that may terrorize all other Rams.
So, observe the Rams in the fish store carefully before buying. Make sure that they can stand up against each other and not running away and are of the same size to prevent from being bullied when you bring them home.
Alternatively, you can add another 2-3 Apistogramma Cacatuoides as your centerpiece instead of the Discus and Rams.
Don't buy the old Apistogramma Cacatuoides that is about 2.5 to 3 inch. Old Apistogramma Cacatuoides may refuse pellets and flakes and insist of eating live food(example: worms)only.
Old Apistogrammas can be also very aggressive towards the smaller fish.
Look for a younger Apistogrammas probably around 1.5-2 inch in size that may eat the pellets and flakes.
You can consider 1 Apistogramma Cacatuoides Triple Red and 1 Apistogramma Cacatuoides Orange and only pick the male. The female are dull in colours.
But take note that the price of Apistogramma Cacatuoides(US$8-11) is about the same as Discus(about US$9-11 each) in my country.
So, it's more worth for me to buy Discus than Apistogramma Cacatuoides.
Here are videos of Apistogramma Cacatuoides.
Lastly, be very careful when you buy new fish. Ensure that the tank in the fish store is free of parasitic infection.
If you see any fish in the same tank scratching against the tank/objects in the tank, avoid buying the fish.
Also, avoid buying fish that is breathing very fast, having clamp fins, sunken belly, having white spots and eyes that appeared too big for the body(not propotioned to the body) which are symptoms of parasitic infections or other problems.
It's very very risky if you bring parasites like gill flukes into your tank.
"They are almost impossible to be eradicate from your tank once they get into your tank".
All the best.
I have some suggestions for you but you have to consider some risks.
Since you like Blue Rams, you can consider getting Discus as your centrepiece as both require warm water and similar temperature and water parameter.
You can consider just one Discus(Size: 2.5 to 3 inch) as your centerpiece.
Even though most people would suggest to get a group of Discus (more than 6), I find that they do fine as a single fish with the company of Rams and schooling fish.
And although they want the company of other Discus, they are very territorial against each other.
If you have less than 4 of them, they may become very aggressive against each other and sometimes it may not work.
Discus is a very picky eater and sometimes it will end up eating beef heart only and refuse the pellets or flakes food.
You have to observe the Discus in your fish store and ensure that it is eating pellet/flake before buying it.
Choose a Discus with thick forehead which mean it's fat and growing healthily.
And choose one that is bold and appear at the front of the tank and not behind the tank. Usually the more aggressive, beautiful and healthy fish will be at the front of the tank.(same for the Rams).
The Turquoise/blue Discus show their beautiful colours at the earliest age. Next is the Red Discus. The Spotted Discus are the slowest to show their colours.
There are many types/variations of Discus - Snakeskin, Leopard, Eagle, Turquoise, Blue, Red Mellons, Orange, Heckle, Brown, Green, etc....
Some are too expensive. Look for the common types which are cheaper.
Secondly, since you like Rams, why not adding consider another 2 Electric Blue Rams and 2 Golden Rams?
Your 4 feet tank is big enough for another 2-4 Rams. I find that Rams are good company for Discus.
But take note that sometimes you may end up with a very aggressive Ram(the alpha male) that may terrorize all other Rams.
So, observe the Rams in the fish store carefully before buying. Make sure that they can stand up against each other and not running away and are of the same size to prevent from being bullied when you bring them home.
Alternatively, you can add another 2-3 Apistogramma Cacatuoides as your centerpiece instead of the Discus and Rams.
Don't buy the old Apistogramma Cacatuoides that is about 2.5 to 3 inch. Old Apistogramma Cacatuoides may refuse pellets and flakes and insist of eating live food(example: worms)only.
Old Apistogrammas can be also very aggressive towards the smaller fish.
Look for a younger Apistogrammas probably around 1.5-2 inch in size that may eat the pellets and flakes.
You can consider 1 Apistogramma Cacatuoides Triple Red and 1 Apistogramma Cacatuoides Orange and only pick the male. The female are dull in colours.
But take note that the price of Apistogramma Cacatuoides(US$8-11) is about the same as Discus(about US$9-11 each) in my country.
So, it's more worth for me to buy Discus than Apistogramma Cacatuoides.
Here are videos of Apistogramma Cacatuoides.
Lastly, be very careful when you buy new fish. Ensure that the tank in the fish store is free of parasitic infection.
If you see any fish in the same tank scratching against the tank/objects in the tank, avoid buying the fish.
Also, avoid buying fish that is breathing very fast, having clamp fins, sunken belly, having white spots and eyes that appeared too big for the body(not propotioned to the body) which are symptoms of parasitic infections or other problems.
It's very very risky if you bring parasites like gill flukes into your tank.
"They are almost impossible to be eradicate from your tank once they get into your tank".
All the best.
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