German Rams

[daudy_dojo]

my LFS has a bunch of german blue rams for sale! and i have an empty 10 gallon! i was wondering...
1: if your tank is heavily planted and you have lots of hiding places can you keep 2 blue rams in a 10 ?
2: is it female and female that are agressive or male and male!?
3: what are the blue rams needs and wants?

thank you

 

[parker313]

1) You *can* keep 2 rams in a 10g, but I wouldn't recommend it. They do MUCH better with a 15 or even 20g. Even if you get a mated pair and it's well planted, there could be territorial disputes and where Rams are such sensitive fish, they could easily get stressed to the point of death. Not to mention, where they are sensitive fish, they should be put into an established aquarium, not one going through its cycle.

2) Both F/F and M/M combos can be aggressive - pretty much you'd NEED a M/F mix to even think about making it work in a 10g.

3) The blue ram needs relatively soft water although as long as your water is the same as the water at the lfs, chances are they'll be acclimatised to your water conditions already. Water temp of around 77* F and it should be CLEAN CLEAN CLEAN water - due to a lot of overbreeding, they are pretty sensitive fish.

Again, you *can* do it, but I wouldn't recommend it.

 

[abstract]

a 20 long is perfect for a pair of rams, some cories, and danios or tetras...but like parker said, 10G is just not recommended

save that 10G for a fry tank/hospital/something else tank and get somethin a little larger for now if possible! otherwise i'd avoid the sensitive species such as rams...

 

[daudy_dojo]

oh well it is a cycled 10 gallon sand plants evrything just need the fish!! do they need to be in pairs or can i get one ram with some cories or something?

 

[parker313]

They do better in pairs, but again, 2 is not recommended for a 10g

Avoid cories - if your rams do spawn, the cories will get abused by the rams protecting their territory. If you're going to go against advice and do this anyway, get 5-6 small tetras of some sort to act as dither fish for the rams.

 

[abstract]

well personally i would say your best bet is a single ram with cories in the 10g

 

[parker313]

Yeah, I guess it's 50/50 either way - you're not going to have the happiest rams that you could, either if it's one by itself or 2 cramped into a smallish space

 

[pica_nuttalli]

a single ram and then a small school of neons would be very attractive. neons are also sensitive fish, but the upside of that is if you can keep the neons happy and active, then the ram should be fine as well.

 

[daudy_dojo]

so a ram with some neons or what all could i have in a 20G with the 2 rams?? or in a 30G?

 

[abstract]

in my 20G long tank....pair of rams (bottom dwelling), pearl and leopard danios (top dwelling), cardinals (mid dwelling), black phantom/serpae/rummynose (mid dwelling), cories (bottom dwelling), clown pleco (bottom dwelling)

i'm overstocked and heavily planted though, so don't use me as a prime example.... just wanted to give you an idea of some fish that can live together fine in a relatively small tank...if i could do it over again i would go with a 29 with my current stocking

 

[daudy_dojo]

well this fall i get a 30 gallon tall! will that work with the 2 rams and some other fish?

 

[abstract]

well this fall i get a 30 gallon tall! will that work with the 2 rams and some other fish?

yes, should be good

 

[Ben]

"You *can* keep 2 rams in a 10g, but I wouldn't recommend it."
you're right, i wouldn't recomend it either. and you can't. no way. no how

i wouldn't even keep one in a 10g a 15g is better for one IMO

DD

 

[daudy_dojo]

hmmm so a a 15 gallon with 2? cause im running on lil space and i want to keep them so bad!

 

[parker313]

i wouldn't even keep one in a 10g a 15g is better for one IMO

DD

A 15g is better for 1.

Believe me, I understand wanting fish but being short on space. However, you just have to think about WHY you want to keep the fish in the first place. Do you just want to own the fish, or do you really want to KEEP it? If you really want to keep it, you have to take into account what would be best for the fish, not what will just keep it alive.

In this case, what is BEST for the ram is to be kept in a male/female pair in a tank of at least 20g. If you can't do it, then YOU have to decide whether you want to compromise the fish's health and quality of life or not.