Want to get another ram

**phatchuck** · 02-07-2013, 07:20 PM

I just bought a blue balloon ram the other day (or a deformed GBR as I later found out).

I would like to add one or two more rams to my tank to make it complete. I know that they are territorial and am thinking maybe just one more would be enough. I have a lot of plants for them to hide in, a piece of driftwood that forms a cave and a cave I made from rocks. (My pictus cats are currently camped in the rock cave). No one is currently calling the driftwood home.

Would a Bolivian be more apt to have issues with my current ram or should I just get another GBR or two? What about sexing?

Any recommendations / advice?

Thanks

**Sandz** · 02-07-2013, 07:31 PM

I really think that adding the one maybe an issue depending on how the paradise fish acts toward him/her. See how that pans out first. The rams are territorial and a 55gal could be ok because most of their aggresion is conspecific. I really would just look for another ram of the opposite sex to maybe get a pair or at the very least get less aggression than 2 males would provide. Be careful on the barbs as they can be nippy too.. The pictus may eat it one day when it grows up but thats a gamble too... Also remember that with that many bottom dwellers, you are hindering on overstocking the bottom of your tank..

**phatchuck** · 02-07-2013, 07:50 PM

I do agree that the bottom of my tank has reached it's limit. Although the most I have of any one type is the 3 Cory's, I'm definitely not looking for any more. They are kept fat and happy with a zucchini slice once in a while.

That's probably a good idea with the Paradise. Although I did have a pair and I recently gave the male (and more aggressive one of the two) to a friend, she seems even more docile towards everyone. She can get a little pushy with food, but so can the barbs. So far I haven't seen the ram get into tifts with anyone. It is pretty shy and when it does go in the open water, everyone ignores him so far. A little curiosity at first but that has worn off. They are too busy chasing each other around to bother with the fat guy that just sort of floats. lol Never had any nipping from the barbs, maybe because there are 11 in total.

I guess I'll just try and determine the sex of the ram I have and get one of the opposite sex.

**Sandz** · 02-07-2013, 08:01 PM

Also get a few more corries... 6-10 is best. They school and all that fun stuff but are a little more comfortable in larger numbers. The #s in this tank are stocked/overstocked but I would seriously recommend getting propper schooling #s and eliminating a barb group, paradise, the pictus and the SAE (they get very teritorial as they grow). If you dont and the set up works (which it may) then great but its rough around the edges to say the least.

**phatchuck** · 02-07-2013, 08:31 PM

Originally Posted by Sandz

Also get a few more corries... 6-10 is best. They school and all that fun stuff but are a little more comfortable in larger numbers. The #s in this tank are stocked/overstocked but I would seriously recommend getting propper schooling #s and eliminating a barb group, paradise, the pictus and the SAE (they get very teritorial as they grow). If you dont and the set up works (which it may) then great but its rough around the edges to say the least.

The Cory's are probably my favorite fish in the whole tank. I would have to re-home the pictus and SAE's like you said before getting any more. I hear what you're saying about the barbs, but I haven't seen any issues at all with them. The Golds usually stay together and the cherries are all doing their own thing. Sometimes all of them will even group together for a minute or two. The potential wild card is the Paradise, definitely. But so far with the male gone she is fine. The male never hurt anyone, but he was getting territorial. If anything, he picked on the female Paradise the most.

I realize I'm at the high end of stocking, (that's why I'm getting only one or two more fish) so I recently got another filter to ensure clean water. I have a Aqueon 70 and a Aqua Clear 70 for a 55g.