How Would Bolivian Rams Do In This Setup?

[pscl227]

Hey,
Think I've settled on getting a pair of Bolivian Rams, here is my setup.........

My current tank:
-20 Gal, (rather deep, 50cmx49cmx34cm)
-external canister filter
-Moderate planting
-gravel substrate

-1 orange guppy (the only survivor, seems happy enough on his own)
-5 Harlequin Rasbora
-around 40-50 cherry shrimp, the bloody things just keep having babies!!)
-1 freshwater muscle

I would like to possibly get another 4/5 Rasboras in the future as well if that wouldn't be overkill

some pics of the tank in question: http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=280954

 

[Truck]

get rid of the freshwater mussel, you will not be able to sustain it.

 

[minxfishy]

Well your shrimp problem would be sorted fairly well.

 

[Craster]

They'd most likely be OK - though as minxfishy says, you won't get any more baby shrimp.

 

[pscl227]

not bothered about baby shrimp, would they go for the fully grown adults?

in regards to the freshwater muscle, ive had it for 6 months now, i try and feed it ground up prepared foods as well as mushed up bloodworms in a turkey baster, seems to be a fairly successful way of feeding it

so other than what has been mentioned, bolivian rams would be a GO for this tank?

 

[Truck]

not bothered about baby shrimp, would they go for the fully grown adults?

in regards to the freshwater muscle, ive had it for 6 months now, i try and feed it ground up prepared foods as well as mushed up bloodworms in a turkey baster, seems to be a fairly successful way of feeding it

so other than what has been mentioned, bolivian rams would be a GO for this tank?

fresh water mussels eat photosynthetic algae! not blood worms, they need to be kept in green water.

if it dies, it will nuke your tank.

 

[pscl227]

fresh water mussels eat photosynthetic algae! not blood worms, they need to be kept in green water.

if it dies, it will nuke your tank.

Ouch, really!! I did try to read up about it before i bought it but couldnt find much on them, so i just went with what the LFS told me, which is what i mentioned before.

What course of action would you recommend, feed it as i have being except with mushed up algae or take it back to my LFS or what?

 

[Truck]

fresh water mussels eat photosynthetic algae! not blood worms, they need to be kept in green water.

if it dies, it will nuke your tank.

Ouch, really!! I did try to read up about it before i bought it but couldnt find much on them, so i just went with what the LFS told me, which is what i mentioned before.

What course of action would you recommend, feed it as i have being except with mushed up algae or take it back to my LFS or what?

take it back or give it to some one witha green water tank

 

[pscl227]

Is there any other dwarf chichlids that are readily availible in the trade that i could consider?

I never realised how lovely these fish look before!

 

[Truck]

Is there any other dwarf chichlids that are readily availible in the trade that i could consider?

I never realised how lovely these fish look before!

german blue rams, but beware they must be kept at high temperatures (28oC) so that rules out a lot of fish.

otherwise appistogramma sp.

 

[wolfwolf]

A pair of kribs.

 

[pscl227]

So much choice! Would 26.5 degrees be completly out of the question then when it comes to german blue rams?

do dwarf cichlids have any of the agression traits that their bigger cousins have, is there anything else to consider when keeping them?

 

[Truck]

So much choice! Would 26.5 degrees be completly out of the question then when it comes to german blue rams?

do dwarf cichlids have any of the agression traits that their bigger cousins have, is there anything else to consider when keeping them?

yeah it would be out of the question. dwarf cichlids can be aggressive yes, but not as aggressive as say a green terror or JD.

rams need to be kept at 28oC or they will deteriorate FAST!!!

they need to be kept at this temperature so there metabolisms and immune systems can stay at optimum speed/health, rams constantly produce pathogens and their immune system stops them from affecting the fish, but should their immune system slow down, the pathogens will affect the fish, and make it ill.

the most common being hexamita (HITH)

it is also essential you feed them lots of meaty foods full of fatty acids and proteins, such as:

mysis
prawn
mussel
beef
lamb
tuna
salmon
brine shrimp
blood worm (as a treat say once every fortnight.

 

[minxfishy]

OK, I know this is your 'thing' truck to go on about the temp as a must and Im sure you have 100 pages of googled stuff to support this.

However, My rams, german and bolivian were never kept at higher than 26c, never suffered the fate you seem to think, never went down hill fast, in fact thrived, grew and were happy little chaps, right up until the day I homed them with someone else from this forum and to this day as far as Im aware are still happy.

Im pretty sure ALOT of other members and other ram keepers do not keep them at this magical temp either and havent had any problems with them.

You on the other hand, seem to have them die on you quite quickly (observation from your my ram died threads).

Sorry but Im sick of reading this from you over and over again, when its not necessary IMO.

Let the minx bashing begin, which is fine, as Im hardly active round this place anymore.


Oh and to an earlier question in this thread, if the rams can get to the adult shrimp, they will happily snack on them, so plenty of hiding places and plants for the shrimp.

 

[Truck]

OK, I know this is your 'thing' truck to go on about the temp as a must and Im sure you have 100 pages of googled stuff to support this.

However, My rams, german and bolivian were never kept at higher than 26c, never suffered the fate you seem to think, never went down hill fast, in fact thrived, grew and were happy little chaps, right up until the day I homed them with someone else from this forum and to this day as far as Im aware are still happy.

Im pretty sure ALOT of other members and other ram keepers do not keep them at this magical temp either and havent had any problems with them.

You on the other hand, seem to have them die on you quite quickly (observation from your my ram died threads).

Sorry but Im sick of reading this from you over and over again, when its not necessary IMO.

Let the minx bashing begin, which is fine, as Im hardly active round this place anymore.


Oh and to an earlier question in this thread, if the rams can get to the adult shrimp, they will happily snack on them, so plenty of hiding places and plants for the shrimp.

i take it your rams are tank bred? tank bred specimens are loaded with antibiotics to prevent these pathogens from affecting a fish, so with a tank bred specimen its not so important, however if you do keep wild caught specimens, i HIGHLY recommend that they are kept at higher temperatures. both my rams died due to an un explained ammonia spike, which to this day i havent found the cause....learning how these fish work internally would give you a better understanding of how and why these temperatures are important