Diffrent Type Of Ram

[nicky1200]

Just wondering if i can put diffrent type of rams together ? I had a normal ram and then went out and bought 2 golden rams i wanted 2 normal but the pet shop only had golden ones. So i added the 2 golden ones and i noticed the one golden one diead i think the normal one attacked it. The other golden one is fine with the normal one. The normal one i have now is a male so i think the gold one which is left is a female.
 
I want to buy some German x Electric Ram but wanted to make sure that they will not fight with the golden and normal ram ? I am also guessing the diffrent types of ram will breed together ?

 

[mark4785]

The golden rams, german blue rams and electric blue rams are all of the species known as microgeophagus ramirezi so they would breed together.
 
However their mentality is such that if you had 4 Rams in a small aquarium with no hiding places or method of segregation, you'd probably experience fin nipping, bullying and sparring as they are very territorial. It's not uncommon for this to eventually lead to death from stress.
 
I recommend you keep the pair of Ram's that you have now and not add anymore unless you have a big aquarium with lots of hiding places for each ram or each pair of rams that respect each other's space.

 

[nicky1200]

I have a 6 x 2 x 2 tank so don't know if that would be big enough ?

 

[mark4785]

I have a 6 x 2 x 2 tank so don't know if that would be big enough ?

 
That is quite a big aquarium so providing it has lots of segregated areas for each ram / ram pair you shouldn't run into many problems.
 
Do your current rams (golden ram and wild coloured ram) swim closely as though they appreciate each other's space? If so, this inter-relationship rules out the potential for fin nipping or aggression (with the exception of spawning behaviour which can sometimes turn nasty)between them. You will only get this special interrelationship between a male and female pair.
 
Therefore I strongly recommend that when you go to get more Rams that you get the one's with the same plethora of colouration that have 'paired up' because I've never come across, for instance, an electric blue ram that has paired up with a german blue ram in a LFS as they are usually kept in separate aquariums.

 

[fluttermoth]

I saw some lovely little blue rams in P@H the other day that had paired up; they were defending an anubias leaf they'd cleaned and everything

  They very nearly came home with me, I can tell you!

 

[nicky1200]

I think mine has paired up they follow each other around the tank.
The only problam is the one is golden and the other one is normal.
I wish i could get some blue rams but p@h is the only pet shop near me and they don't sell them..
The started selling normal ones and now they have switched them for golden ones..

 

[fluttermoth]

Oh, by 'blue', I meant the normal ones!
 
I wouldn't worry too much if the different colour morphs pair up.