NEW TO APISTOS NEED ANSWERS! -=O)

[codeezy]

Hello everyone on the board!

First let me say that I love this board! I can't believe I found it. I have been really interested in S/A Cichlids for many many years, and I have kept and successfully bred many S/A, from Oscars to Terrors. I just just got rid of my 12 gallon nano reed (I don't have time to do the daily maintance) and I wanted to create a freshwater tank. I always loved dwarf cichlids and Apistos, but i am clueless, I have done very little research (thats how I came across this wonderful board!) I want to try to set up a pair of Rams (Gold or Blue). How should I go about this? Maybe like i do with my other cichlids? I buy a couple of males and 3 to 4 females and let them pair up? Or do i just get a male and two females? Or should I try for two pair..how well do these species pair up? Like I said i have a 12 gallon eclipse system....I have no plan on planting it, I have plants in my other larger tanks and I don't want the hassle. (THEY ARE GROWING OUT OF CONTROL!). Please reply back with some feedback.....arrangements, or combinations of fish/rams. 12 gallons is alot of space for such little fish no? Maybe I should try a school....do they school??? HAHA!

Once again LOVE THE BOARD...


-Cody

 

[farm41]

Hi Cody, glad to have you here.

What are your water parameters? Ph? Kh? Gh? or conductivity?

 

[codeezy]

all gravy

everything is at zero except for the nitrate (i thinks its like almost zero...color coded) but, thats only cause the tank is only a week old......it will all be settled i am sure within the next water change....also how acidic should the water be for rams?>??

 

[Bissot_J]

all gravy

everything is at zero except for the nitrate (i thinks its like almost zero...color coded) but, thats only cause the tank is only a week old......it will all be settled i am sure within the next water change....also how acidic should the water be for rams?>??

a Week old ?
hmmmmm , i will not put any fish on this tank until the Cycle is done aand the tank Stable.

J

 

[Neil]

codeezy,

WELCOME TO THE FORUM

I agree. Is this a cycling tank? Just because your values are at zero now, doesn't mean that they won't rocket soon. Have you seeded this tank from another. If not, don't put sensative fish in there until you are sure that things are stable. Some people cycle their tanks with cichlids, but it is not a good idea to stress the fish that you inevitably want to keep long term.

12 gallons is alot of space for such little fish no?

Not really. It is definitely adequate for a pair of maybe a trio or 5 or 6 juv. fish. Dwarf Cichlids are quite alot like their big relatives, but they are a little more receptive to partnering with the only other fish in the tank of the opposite sex and of the same species. If you put a male and a female apisto or ram, etc. in the tank, give them the water, food, cover that they like, chances are they will pair up.
Good luck,
Neil

 

[codeezy]

I don't plan on putting any fish in the tank yet!....I know better than to rush the job. I am just curious on how I should go about getting these little guys paired up....thanks for the info -=o).

 

[Randall]

12-gallon set up

Dear Cody,

Rams are extremely sensitive to nitrite poisoning, more so than many other South American fish. I think your not rushing it is a good move.

It might not be a good idea to house more than a pair of Rams in a 12-gallon tank. Should a pair emerge, there is a fair chance that the odd man (or woman) out may be unduly stressed and die. You mentioned that you don't want to bother with plants, but plants will improve your fishes' sense of well being, stimulate their color and, in time, help to induce them to spawn. At the very least, plastic plants with several hiding places would be beneficial.

Rams are bi-parental open substrate spawners, so a flat surface, just above substrate level, situated in a secluded part of the tank would, most likely, be a preferred spawning site. Rams are also hot water fish--78 F for maintenance, 80-82 or even higher for breeding--so please take this into consideration as well.

There are several good dwarf cichlid books that discuss Ram husbandry and breeding at length. A Forum search should help you out.

Good luck!

Randall Kohn