Ram tank mate?

[Phile]

I recently sent up a pair of M. ramirezi in a new planted tank set up. They are doing fine but are still at the boyfriend/girlfriend stage. I'm dosing the tank with Seachem Flourish Exel and the plants are starting to grow. I'm feeding the fish with frozen brine shrimp, occasional flake, and occasionally live mosquito larvae treats. The Rams are messy eaters and leave scrap on the bottom. Do I dare add some pigmy Corey's or maybe some ghost shrimp to help with the housekeeping? Or an oto?

 

[Phile]

Fred and Wilma.

 

[Mike Wise]

Sorry, need more information about tank and your thoughts, if any, of breeding your Rams. I will say one thing. The substrate is much too coarse. Rams are a geophagine and sift the bottom for food. They can't do it with such coarse-grained gravel.

 

[Phile]

I recently sent up a pair of M. ramirezi in a new planted tank set up. They are doing fine but are still at the boyfriend/girlfriend stage. I'm dosing the tank with Seachem Flourish Exel and the plants are starting to grow. I'm feeding the fish with frozen brine shrimp, occasional flake, and occasionally live mosquito larvae treats. The Rams are messy eaters and leave scrap on the bottom. Do I dare add some pigmy Corey's or maybe some ghost shrimp to help with the housekeeping? Or an oto?

I don't think that's a problem. I have a section in the tank center that I was planning to place fine sand in, while keeping the coarser stuff along the sides.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

Do I dare add some pigmy Corey's or maybe some ghost shrimp to help with the housekeeping? Or an oto?

Pygmy Cories (Corydoras pygmaeus) are fine with Rams and so are Otocinclus. They are both quite sensitive fish.

Rams eat Red cherry Shrimps, and I don't think that suitable water conditions for Ghost Shrimps are suitable for Rams.

The substrate is much too coarse. Rams are a geophagine and sift the bottom for food. They can't do it with such coarse-grained gravel.

I agree with Mike, I also think you will have problems with organic debris falling between the gravel, even with a "cleaning crew". I'm not a fan of gravel vacuuming either in planted tanks.

Sand is just much better for planted Apisto tanks for both plants and fish.

cheers Darrel

 

[Phile]

Hi all, Pygmy Cories (Corydoras pygmaeus) are fine with Rams and so are Otocinclus. They are both quite sensitive fish.

Rams eat Red cherry Shrimps, and I don't think that suitable water conditions for Ghost Shrimps are suitable for Rams. I agree with Mike, I also think you will have problems with organic debris falling between the gravel, even with a "cleaning crew". I'm not a fan of gravel vacuuming either in planted tanks.

Sand is just much better for planted Apisto tanks for both plants and fish.

cheers Darrel

Thanks for the info. Right now they're eating live mossies. Nice to have food that swims into the water column.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

Thanks for the info. Right now they're eating live mossies. Nice to have food that swims into the water column.

I collected some this morning. I don't think anything gets the fish going quite like <"Mosquito larvae">.

cheers Darrel