Now That I've Found A Home For My Rams....

mislisa · Dec 9, 2011

are there any other suggestions? Something to consider besides gouramis or rams?

onidrase · Dec 9, 2011

Apistos might work, they might not. There are so many types of them, I don't really know much about them.

If you go for rams, aim for two, not one.

Not sure what to suggest otherwise. Lotsa big fish eat little fish, and you've got a lot of little fish. But I like big fish more. :lol:

mislisa · Dec 9, 2011

I'd like to get some thoughts on possibly adding a red tailed black shark.... i am aware that they can be quite aggressive, and am prepared to have to take it back, but i'd like to know what others with more experience with them think. I've never actually owned one of these guys, just a big fan!

onidrase · Dec 9, 2011

mislisa said:
I'd like to get some thoughts on possibly adding a red tailed black shark.... i am aware that they can be quite aggressive, and am prepared to have to take it back, but i'd like to know what others with more experience with them think. I've never actually owned one of these guys, just a big fan!

I'd personally not do it, but I can't say it isn't possible for it to work. Just keep in mind juvenile anything is going to be a lot less aggressive than an adult. So I'd be more worried about not knowing what to do with it if it grows aggressive when it's older than if it's aggressive as a juvenile.

I've heard rainbow sharks are somewhat less aggressive than RTBS, but I can't vouch for it myself, as I've never owned any of these types of fish. I'm more of a lazy catfish lover :lol:

mislisa · Dec 10, 2011

hmmm... something to think about anyway. i may just wait until i can set up a tank around one of these guys. i'd hate to get attached and have to rehome it!

I guess i'm gonna have to choose between the gouramis and the bolivian rams.

If i did get some gouramis, how many would you suggest?

onidrase · Dec 10, 2011

mislisa said:
hmmm... something to think about anyway. i may just wait until i can set up a tank around one of these guys. i'd hate to get attached and have to rehome it! I guess i'm gonna have to choose between the gouramis and the bolivian rams.

If i did get some gouramis, how many would you suggest?

One. IME They're almost as bad as bettas when they get in contact with each other. You'd also have to avoid any of the larger three spot species. Blues, golds, and opaline gouramis are all aggressive and they'd eat your fish.

some people aim for 1 male and 2 females or something of the like, but even then there could be trouble.

In some cases, even dwarf gouramis will go after smaller fish.

I'd aim for the bolivians. They're much less aggressive, not to mention very cute. I've never seen one attack any other fish. They might bicker with one another now and then, but the bickering never ends with any torn fins or high stress. And it never extends past among their own species.

I'm taking a gander that with your tank, you can get up to 4, but that's a guess, not a fact.

mislisa · Dec 10, 2011

great, thanks. I'd heard that some gouramis like the honeys can be kept together, but i have little experience myself. I'm just a bit concerned that the bolivians may be difficult to find. I'd also kind of like having something a little different than what i have now. I'm feeling the pain of "multiple tank syndrome" without being able to actually have multiple tanks. :lol:

Is there really no other fish that would do well??? :blink:

I'd like to have a few others brought to my attention, as still don't know which fish do best where.

onidrase · Dec 10, 2011

mislisa said:
great, thanks. I'd heard that some gouramis like the honeys can be kept together, but i have little experience myself. I'm just a bit concerned that the bolivians may be difficult to find. I'd also kind of like having something a little different than what i have now. I'm feeling the pain of "multiple tank syndrome" without being able to actually have multiple tanks.

Is there really no other fish that would do well??? I'd like to have a few others brought to my attention, as still don't know which fish do best where.

What's keeping me from adding in more suggestions are the harlequin rasboras and cardinals. There are a lot of fish that can fit in a 4 foot tank, but not a lot of them that won't try to eat such small fish. Gouramis and dwarf cichlids are kinda the main candidates for such a role in that tank.

mislisa · Dec 10, 2011

*sigh* i thought that might be the issue. :sad:

oh well, thanks anyway. i'll have a look through the dwarfs and see if there may be others that catch my attention.

Kribs are really common here, but i don't believe they'd do well in my tank... Am i right? (i don't know why i'm always thinking of these guys... odd)

onidrase · Dec 10, 2011

mislisa said:
*sigh* i thought that might be the issue. oh well, thanks anyway. i'll have a look through the dwarfs and see if there may be others that catch my attention.

Kribs are really common here, but i don't believe they'd do well in my tank... Am i right? (i don't know why i'm always thinking of these guys... odd)

Ehhh... Tough call. They're known to be more aggressive than other dwarves.

mislisa · Dec 10, 2011

dang! I'm guess i'm stuck with the rams.... (not that i really mind, they are pretty) so you think 4 would be ok? that wouldn't be too many?

onidrase · Dec 10, 2011

mislisa said:
dang! I'm guess i'm stuck with the rams.... (not that i really mind, they are pretty) so you think 4 would be ok? that wouldn't be too many?

Using my own judgement, I think 4 would be fine. 2 at least.

I honestly don't know why german blue rams are so much more readily available than bolivians. Bolivians IMO are just as pretty, and they're much more suitable for the average home aquarium.