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architect1
01-22-2006, 07:32 PM
Any body know how many types of rams there are? Will they work with 2" discus? Easy to take care of? and How much are they?

If you know anything please help me. I am thinking about geting some for my new tank. If everything goes well id like to buy them from a local breeder in the hamilton toronto area. please help me.

crash
01-22-2006, 11:17 PM
Bolivian rams are great with discus. they make excellent tankmates.
I have 4 rams with my 6 discus.
Rams r very entertaining. They r so fast like Ninja's :)
Amol

architect1
01-23-2006, 12:09 AM
Know where I can find some or know how I can read about them?

cobaltblue
01-23-2006, 12:59 AM
http://www.simplycichlids.com/forum/

go to this site to learn about rams...lots of info.

JeffreyRichard
01-23-2006, 11:33 AM
There are two species of dwarf cichlids commonly refered to as "Rams" ...

- Microgeophagus ramerizi ... Blue Ram, a.k.a. "German" Blue (the German came from the reference to the location of successful breeding of superior rams ... I think?) ... Hybrid form includes the Gold Ram and the Longfinned Blue Ram, many of which are produced in SE Asia, and some claim are predominately sterile. The wild Blue Ram is found in Venezualia and Columbia in floodplains of the big rivers, and often live in small streams and ponds where temperatures can reach into the 90's (hence compatability with Discus). Blue Rams only live to between 1 and 3 years.

- Microgeophagus altispinosa ... Bolivian Ram ... from Brazil and Boliva. This is a larger dwarf (jumbo shrimp ...) which can grow to 5 inches ... very peaceful, I kept a 1/2 dozen with my discus for years. Less tolerant of high temperatures, they will do fine at 82 degrees.

I have had experience with both ... they make really good companions with discus. They are both easy to spawn.

Jeff

architect1
01-23-2006, 06:07 PM
Jeff thank you for th detialed background answered what i was looking for. Thank you vary much.

architect1
01-29-2006, 02:27 PM
Are rams vary easy to get to spawn and take care of?

Vince+Carrie
01-30-2006, 01:11 AM
We have three pairs of blue rams with our discus. At least one pair of the rams spawn on a weekly basis.

We were told our ph was to high for the eggs to hatch, and that they need low ph to survive, but in the planted tank, the eggs have been hatching and make it to the free swimming stage, before being eaten by other tankmates. The rams are good parents, and are very cute, friendly fish. :)

architect1
01-30-2006, 01:23 AM
I just got 5 blue rams. they are vary active little fish. But my 1 fear is there all males is there a way they can be distingushed between oneanother?

Vince+Carrie
01-30-2006, 01:27 AM
Females are a bit smaller, and if you look close, they also have more of a red belly than the males (much more visible when they are about to spawn). It can be hard to tell at first, but look at them close.

architect1
01-30-2006, 01:31 AM
so smaller and red bellies. anything else I need to know about rasing or anything . My grandma has never had discus to what i recall but shes a big time fish person with crubenzas and the rest but not discus. she said that they might bit the fins of my discus. Is it true or do they stick to there own thing and leave the discus alone. I bought them to lighten my discus up and make it easy for them to feel more comfterble.

Condor
01-30-2006, 09:56 AM
I'll chime in with Chris and recomend simplycichlids.com. If you go to the link in my signature it will take you to a thread that helps illustrate the difference between males and females. Rams will do great with discus. They're not fin nippers. They will interact with discus, especially at first as they are curious, but I've found that after a while they keep to themselves. hth

Adrian

RyanH
01-30-2006, 12:44 PM
I got in a group of about 25 German Blue Rams this fall and they have been a joy. I also have a group of 10 wild-caught blue rams that I got from Al last spring. All are quite compatable with Discus and have done well in my 150 with my Wild Browns.

When I had them in QT, they were breeding out of control. I had no fewer than 6 pairs after the first 3 weeks in QT.

They like clean water just like Discus and tend to ignore other species in the tank.

However, if you are just getting into Discus, I would keep the Rams separate for the time-being and concentrate on learning to keep your Discus healthy. This can eliminate many problems that people face when getting started.

JMHO

-Ryan

Namreg
01-30-2006, 05:11 PM
Rams are very friendly Cichlids. I've never had any problems with them attacking other fish, including discus. They are fun to watch, especially when they have claimed their territory.

Once paired up they usually stay together for the rest of their lives. With the German Blue Rams the females have a red belly, whereas the males mostly have a second smaller black section in their dorsal fin.

architect1
01-30-2006, 05:36 PM
I see How about food wize same thing as discus?

Luca
02-01-2006, 03:27 AM
Yeah rams eat all the same foods as discus they're neat lil eaters they dart around and you see their jaws chewing away on food. Like discus they love live food like mosquito larvae and daphnia. Does anyone know while on this topic how far away rams are from discus in the wild?

Another point on sexing, the males have a higher point on their dorsal fin, second scale back.

TamSam
02-02-2006, 04:28 PM
i'm going to get some rams to live with any of my discus that survive!

architect1
02-02-2006, 05:37 PM
I found my rams vary friendly with my discus. they hang out at the bottom of the tank and do there own thing. I find thm vary friendly with the discus.

architect1
02-07-2006, 02:24 PM
Ok this is the second day in a row a ram has died. I have lost a ram everyday after I bought them from the LPS. Its past there 5 day worrenty. I am really not likeing the lfs. theres no marks or bruses there just dead. Any ideas?

Vince+Carrie
02-08-2006, 12:04 AM
We've been lucky with ours, the place we got them from has really good ones (we have six and haven't lost one yet).

I've read on other forums that a lot of people have problems with the rams dropping dead on them. If they were wild caught, they could have been treated badly in transit. Hard to say, but if the water in your tank is good enough for discus, I'm sure that's not the problem.

KIWI13
02-08-2006, 06:11 AM
Here are a couple of questions you can answer for me...

1) How old are these fish ??

2) Were they treated with meds ?

3) Did you check the water parameters ?

The reason i ask these questions is cause I have bred rams alot in the past and I have learnt that they can be more sensitive to water parameters than discus.. Yes this is true.

Rams also have a relatively short lifespan of 3 years max and if they are adult fish then you have most likely gotten yourself some retired breeders. In which case its natures course that is makin em drop dead..

Rams are also really sensitive to antibiotics.. more so than most other fish and will not tolerate too many med treatments. This another sure fire way of killing them..

Keep me posted on the questions asked..

Jason

architect1
02-08-2006, 11:56 AM
I bought them from the local fish store. There about 2" in size. Never treated them with meds or anything. There 8 days old in my tank. So I'm thinking they could just be old. Since i started the discus tank I have only lost 6 fish from death.

2 discus I think it was viral or something they never at for the 3 weeks I had them. 2 guramies died from some white stuff on them and 2 rams.

KIWI13
02-08-2006, 12:08 PM
White Stuff??? you mean fungus or white spot??

Are all the fish from the same shop ?? this must be an issue over there.. Bad care for the fish.... Did you quarantine them before mixing them ??

Jason

architect1
02-09-2006, 11:37 AM
the 2 guramies where fine when I bought them 2 weeks later they had fungus. then the next day he droped dead. and then the other male died. I dont have a quaritin tank and I never quarentie. I buy the best if not I wont buy at all. I look at there behaviro and everything else befor I pick them. I have never need to quarintie fish. they are ither heathy or not.

KIWI13
02-09-2006, 11:43 AM
Its not a question of healthy or not, but there are things the human eye cannot see, that can develop later.. The quarantine process just gives the fish time to get used to your water and if it has any problems, it can show up..

Isolation is used for that.. We ALL pick the biggest, healthiest, most active fish but that doesnt mean squat.. They can be carrying disease.. take whitespot for example.. there is a phase where it is under the skin and you can't see it.. next thing you know, the whole tank has it..

What about flukes ?? I sure cant see em in the intestines or in the gills.. fish might not show symptoms at the time but in a wek, you'll see them all sick

Fungus is a sign of an infection over a bite or due to por water quality.. Gouramies tend to fight and can get hurt, then there is a secondary bacterial infection that leas to fungus.. this can normally be cured.. once again a quarantine tank can be used as a hospital tank..

Rams are sensitive fish and can fall ill easily..

At the end of the day, its you that decides the course of action..

Jason

architect1
02-09-2006, 02:56 PM
time to get a new tank I guess.. Knock on wood. Why is it everyone has problems with there fish. My grandma and I never had a epidemic in are tanks. Is it the water or what. What makes it come out, start or make it?

KIWI13
02-10-2006, 04:09 AM
Well its simple really, it all comes down to water quality, the type of food they are being fed and bacteria...

well theres more to it but these are good starters..

Feeding your fish on live foods from un reliable sourses is asking for trouble..

Not mainting good quality water opens the door to diseases cause it weakens the fish..

Any bruises and wonds unattended are open to secondary infections..

Huge fluctuations in water parameters stress fish and weaken them...

Mixing fish from different sourses can be a problem especially with imported fish cause they are immune to different sorts of bacterias...

There is alot one needs to read up on and these simple pointers can help you save alot of money and heartache...

Jason


P.S. I have never trusted an LFS fish in my life.................

trusty
02-10-2006, 06:09 AM
i got maybe 1inch rams that are doing fine ig ot them froma lfs and my bigger rams dont mess wioth them.