Apistogramma's And Electric Blue Ram's

[Brainjuice]

Hi all,
 
I'm going to be setting up my latest and biggest tank soon, hopefully in the next couple of weeks or so, I want all sorts of fish as I'm sure most people do!!
 
The intention is for it to be VERY pretty and nicely planted running CO2, a very good filter and some LED lighting, which I've pretty much got sorted now!!
 
But what I'm kind of stuck on is the fish!  I'm liking Apistogramma's Agassizi Fire Reds,Viejita Gold Sunburst to name just a couple.  But I'm also wanting some Ram's Things like the Electric blue Ram and the Balloon Gold Ram.
 
Would it be alright a tank of different Apisto's with a load of different Ram's?
 
I just don't know what to do for the best.  I'm after a very colourful tank.
 
I await your wisdom.

 

[r.w.girard]

Depends on the size of your tank and the species you are hoping to mix.  More information than "latest and biggest" could help.

 

[Brainjuice]

Depends on the size of your tank and the species you are hoping to mix.  More information than "latest and biggest" could help.

 
Ah yes fair enough, The new tanks 3ft long 2ft high and 1.5ft wide.

 

[r.w.girard]

Rams and apistogrammas tend to stay in the bottom portion of the tank, and both appreciate plenty of hiding places, i.e. caves under rocks and logs, so height is not a particularly important dimension: only surface area matters, really.  As such, you could probably get one pair of rams and one pair of apistogrammas.  Maybe a second pair of rams, but that would depend of the apistogramma species as some are more aggressive than others and would need more space for their territory.  And try to have at least two caves per pair, if not more.


You could probably do a trio of apistos and a pair of rams as well...

 

[David J]

Hi

Sorry to hijack the thread by asking my own question but are the half coconut shells big enough for something such as the Bolivian ram, for a pair?

 

[Brainjuice]

Rams and apistogrammas tend to stay in the bottom portion of the tank, and both appreciate plenty of hiding places, i.e. caves under rocks and logs, so height is not a particularly important dimension: only surface area matters, really.  As such, you could probably get one pair of rams and one pair of apistogrammas.  Maybe a second pair of rams, but that would depend of the apistogramma species as some are more aggressive than others and would need more space for their territory.  And try to have at least two caves per pair, if not more.


You could probably do a trio of apistos and a pair of rams as well...

 
The height may not be particularly important to the fish, that's more for me as I've always wanted a deeper tank.
 
I can handle only having 2 or 3 Apistos but I was really fancying a few more dwarf Rams!

  Oh well I'll just have to make the one's I choose count!

Hi

Sorry to hijack the thread by asking my own question but are the half coconut shells big enough for something such as the Bolivian ram, for a pair?

Hijack away!

 

[r.w.girard]

David, I can't help with that.  I've never tried.
 
OP, my comments about apistogrammas and rams comes from the assumption that a pair of rams needs one square foot of floor space and a pair of apistogrammas needs 2 square feet.  The problem is that the tank is 3x1.5 which does give you 4.5 square feet, which should theoretically give you room for one pair of apistosgrammas and two pairs of rams for a total of 4 square feet.  The problem is how those territories end up mapping on the floor.  Would they each pick a foot of length and run it to the back wall?  That would be ideal but unlikely.  Instead, the extra 6 inches at the back of the tank is, in my estimation, more or less useless and it would lead to an effective surface area of 3 square feet and thus my advice about only two pairs.  But that is debatable.  And, in reality, the problems should only come up when the pairs and spawning.  But you don't want your female apisogramma to go berserk and kill your 4 rams...
 
But I felt like it would be worth explaining the reasoning I was using.  Maybe this will encourage someone to tell you that I am being silly.  And thus get some more experienced voices in on the conversation.

 

[Brainjuice]

Well it all sounds reasonable to me.  It just means if I want more I'll have to get more tanks or a huge one!!