My 120g South American community tank

[angelcraze2]

I've mentioned this before, but I finally have done it! I moved my female electric blue ram into my 120g two days ago. She spent most of the first day being timid and hiding in the shadows. Last night, she had started to investigate and seems to feel more comfortable with the large angelfish and tetras swimming around her. I think she finally is figuring out that there's nothing to fear.

[Slaphppy7]

She's a pretty girl.

[angelcraze2]

The tank is 120g (60"L x 18"W x 26"H)

Substrate: Small layer of inert black gravel. Plants are growing either in pots with caped soil, just planted in the inert gravel, or tied to DW.

Inhabitants: Currently, there are seven angelfish, three platinums (MMF), three Philippine blues (MFF) and one gold marble pearlscale (F). I may be moving some angelfish around.

Seventeen mixed tetras, red phantoms (4), black phantoms (2), candycanes (5) and lemon tetras (6) I'd like to get a bigger school of tetras one day.

Just added my female EB ram. I'll be moving in a male EB ram in a week or so, when she feels completely comfortable with tankmates.

Lighting: Beamswork RBG 50W LED fixture on for 6hrs. Beamswork accent 1w x 18 10000k LED fixture that turns on one hour for morning, and turns back on for a 'noon burst' in conjunction with the RBG LED for 3 hrs, and stays on until the evening, overlapping the RGB by 1hr.

Filtration: Eheim 2075 and a powerhead fire circulation.

[angelcraze2]

She's a pretty girl.

Thanks Slap! She's way prettier when the daylight fixture is on, but I love having rams in my 120g. It's the first time I've been brave enough to add rams. You can see her in the pic of the whole tank on the left side just above the far left amazon sword plant. She's so brilliant, I thought she'd take away from the Philippine Blue angelfish, she does kind of outshine them, but I'm ok with that. Her time to shine!

She was the girl whose whole tail was chewed of by her male partner in a 10g quarentine tank about 3-4 months ago. She developed some fin rot back then, but was able to recover almost fully in 2 weeks. Her recovery was amazing to me. I posted a thread about the whole ordeal.

http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/aqua...d.php?t=122601

[Boundava]

She is a definite cutie pie. I am glad it worked out for both of you.

[angelcraze2]

Haha tx Boundava. Yes, rams are cutie pies for sure! So far so good. What would be great is if both the male and female like eachother when I add him. I'm being prudent because he's being a bit of a jerk with the small young angelfish he is currently housed with. And.....he already ate her tail off during quarantine. But hopefully, 120 gallons will be big enough for the two of them to co-exist without any major issues!

[angelcraze2]

I know their lifespan isn't very long, and I want to see the two in the 120g, how they interact together, with other SA fish, and more space. I used to breed EB rams back when they were rarer and pricier, but was never very successful with it. About 5 years ago in Canada, these colour-morphed rams sold for $50 ea! The parents spawned every month, I think, maybe more often, but I didn't manage to raise the fry until after the mother passed away. I bought new rams about 3 months ago, I couldn't resist, they were on special for $6 ea! If this couple breeds, I will be so excited, but I'm getting ahead of myself here.

I'll have to add some flat rocks somewhere for a spawning site first.

[Boundava]

Wow, he sounds like a winner-eating her tail and all, poor girl. I hope that he mellows in a bigger tank and they spawn for you. Didn't know they had a short lifespan, is is a year or two?

[angelcraze2]

I read 2 years. Mine were full grown when I got them the first time, they both passed away within two years that I had them :( I still love the little guys though.

[angelcraze2]

Lol, one of my friends outside the AC just told me the java fern looks funny. Meh, I'll roll with it anyway, I need the divisions. Does anyone have any suggestions? I kind of liked the 'funny' java fern......I was getting used to it anyway.