Rams

[Debbie_19]

I was just wondering if anyone could answer a few questions about Rams. I was in my local aquarium this weekend and saw some balloon rams they looked lovely, I am in the middle of setting up a new tropical tank. It is 2.7ft long and holds about 20 gallon.

Anyway would Rams be ok in a community tank, with plaites, corys and mabey guppies. Also how many Rams are best for a tank?

 

[ox5477]

Balloon rams? I dont think I've ever heard of them. The two species seen in lfs to my knowledge are german rams and bolivian rams.

Rams are very peaceful when it comes to other fish. They are a great addition to most community set-ups. For as to how many, the best is usually 1 per 15 to 20G (if your not sure on the species as this will stem male agression between eachother) or can have one breeding pair per about 30G (if the lfs is selling a confirmed pair to you)

 

[Debbie_19]

Balloon rams? I dont think I've ever heard of them. The two species seen in lfs to my knowledge are german rams and bolivian rams.

Rams are very peaceful when it comes to other fish. They are a great addition to most community set-ups. For as to how many, the best is usually 1 per 15 to 20G (if your not sure on the species as this will stem male agression between eachother) or can have one breeding pair per about 30G (if the lfs is selling a confirmed pair to you)

Thank you for the advice. Mabey the shop had just named them wrong, but they did look smaller and rounder than most rams i have seen before and usually they are a good aquarium and know what they are talking about. But I will look into this a bit more. Thanks again

 

[thegnu]

balloon rams, Molly's, parrot cichlids are freaks, deformities that have happened at birth and instead of being put down breeders have actually chosen to breed from these poor fish to make the deformities more and more pronounced to the stage that we see now. all to make a few quid by selling a "different" fish. we will see this more in the future if people buy them. i wonder what we shall see in the future. perhaps a squashed up, stunted discus with a long neck they can call a giraffe discus!

Edit; i'm not having a go at anyone who has bought any of these fish in the past, and if you have got any of these fish please don't love them any less just because of anything i might say. this is just my opinion, it doesn't mean i am right or wrong.

 

[Debbie_19]

balloon rams, Molly's, parrot cichlids are freaks, deformities that have happened at birth and instead of being put down breeders have actually chosen to breed from these poor fish to make the deformities more and more pronounced to the stage that we see now. all to make a few quid by selling a "different" fish. we will see this more in the future if people buy them. i wonder what we shall see in the future. perhaps a squashed up, stunted discus with a long neck they can call a giraffe discus!

Yeah I have heard that balloon mollies are not a good fish, and have more trouble with swim bladder problems that normal mollies. I probably won't go for the balloon ones anyway, it was just I saw these and it got me wondering about rams, as they do look like lovely fish, but i doubt that these will be the ones i finally go for.

 

[ox5477]

balloon rams, Molly's, parrot cichlids are freaks, deformities that have happened at birth and instead of being put down breeders have actually chosen to breed from these poor fish to make the deformities more and more pronounced to the stage that we see now. all to make a few quid by selling a "different" fish. we will see this more in the future if people buy them. i wonder what we shall see in the future. perhaps a squashed up, stunted discus with a long neck they can call a giraffe discus!

This is the sad aspect of almost all animals domesticated by man. We breed out the characteristics we dont want and make sure we breed to death the char. we like..... sad for all animals. It causes so many health probs in dogs and cats and people dont care, they just want a certain animal the way they think they should be. Most of these animals like you said would be dead very soon in the wild as these "traits" are deformaties. I seriously doubt a chihuahua could survive in nature. People should stop trying to shape nature as we shaped the rest of our world.....

 

[mematrix77]

Unforyunately we humans are worse than a virus and we destroy much more than we ever save. Now back to original question Rams are very easy to keep mind you get them from a local breeder or a dealer who gets Czeck german or wild bred fish the aisian ones are week in my oppinion and lots of times pumped up on hormones to color them up for sale at younger age which strilizes them But you can find good ones mostly by watching the tank at the lfs and observing their behavior pick wisely. But don't buy Ballon anything.

Sincerely Curtis

 

[tmack]

balloon rams, Molly's, parrot cichlids are freaks, deformities that have happened at birth and instead of being put down breeders have actually chosen to breed from these poor fish to make the deformities more and more pronounced to the stage that we see now. all to make a few quid by selling a "different" fish. we will see this more in the future if people buy them. i wonder what we shall see in the future. perhaps a squashed up, stunted discus with a long neck they can call a giraffe discus!

Edit; i'm not having a go at anyone who has bought any of these fish in the past, and if you have got any of these fish please don't love them any less just because of anything i might say. this is just my opinion, it doesn't mean i am right or wrong.

I totally agree with you, but that comment on the giraffe discus really cracked me up picturing how the poor thing would look.