Mixing Kribs With Rams?

[cuda]

I have a 110 gallon heavily planted tank with a pair of breeding kribs(about 25 fry) along with other tetras and assorted fish. Question is do I dare introduce a pair of Rams in with this mix or will they get beat up?

 

[KevM]

I suppose you could try it if you broke up the lines of sight really well and kept a keen eye on things, although I personally wouldn't for fear of what might happen to the Rams. If you could keep their territories seperated well enough it could work, but the more likely outcome is that the Kribs will go into seek and destroy mode once they're showing their kiddies about, and would then just take the Rams out. Were the Rams to spawn at the same time as the Kribs you'd likely have a nightmare on your hands.

 

[ColR1948]

I bought a breeding pair of Kribs at the same time as Blue Rams, I asked at the shop if they would be OK together, course I was told 'Yes'
The Kribs did spawn and kept every fish at bay including the rams which were bigger than them but they made a lurch at every fish that came near.
I managed to get the fry out of the tank then I got the Kribs out, funny enough the tank (community) now seems more settled and happier.

(Side Note) The baby Kribs are doing fine, I have them in a small tank on their own and the parents are now in another tank with 5 x Dither fish, they haven't started to spawn again yet but they too seem happier.

 

[gregswimm]

My kribs killed my pair of GBR the day I added the kribs to my 20 long (the GBR were killed overnight). I checked the water all day and no ammonia spike, the rams were also missing all their fins and a ton of scales. Microscopy showed that the fins were removed antemortem.

My kribs also show aggression to anything close to their size, smaller fish are generally ignored. When my pair of kribs spawns they will attack the algae magnet and my hand. Bites are never painful and never break the skin.

Generally you want the rams to be the most aggressive fish in the tank. I think you can house them together in a 4 foot tank with lots of cover and line of sight breaks but I wouldn't try in anything smaller. The male always shows some degree of territorialism , claiming roughly 1/3-1/4 of a 30" tank. The female is generally very easy going unless she has a brood.

 

[cuda]

Thanks for the info, I will heed the advise and keep them seperate. My breeding kribs are in a 110 gallon planted and have succesfully raised there first brood. They did chase away all other fish at first but have settled down now that the young are on their own, except the male always chases the dwarf gourami for some reason. I have a single blue ram in a free 20 gallon long I found, and have a gold faced ram on hold at the lfs, any thoughts on breeding these two together?

 

[gregswimm]

Don't, kribs are ruthless when spawning.