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Petstore Rams

Lisachromis

Moderator
Staff member
5 Year Member
Messages
361
Location
Canada
Well... today was a first. I actually saw a gorgeous pair of rams in the local store. I just had to get them. One is definitely a female with the tube down. The other I assume is male. They were hanging out together in the tank at the store. Even if they aren't a pair, they were absolutely fantastic looking. Glad I had a tank for them! I'm crossing my fingers on spawning. I don't hold out much hope for raising, but I'll be happy if she lays eggs for me. :cool:
 

scott

New Member
5 Year Member
Messages
247
Location
Rhode Island
Good Luck. i've never had a "petstore ram" live more than a week. they always look great when i get them too. that could just be a problem here in New England though. all the lfs' around here say the same thing "Dont buy the rams!" that is at least the ones that want to keep a good repore with me. Anyway, i hope you have better luck than i do.
 

Z Man

New Member
5 Year Member
Messages
247
Location
Western New York
I don't remember where you live in Canada Lisa but I know there is a guy near Toronto or Hamilton who breeds a lot of great Rams. I live in the Buffalo, NY area and he even supplies a few stores down here. I have had them in the past and they have great color. And I have bred them too.
 

Lisachromis

Moderator
Staff member
5 Year Member
Messages
361
Location
Canada
Oh I've had petstore rams before, and they usually live ok for me. But, the ones I'd seen lately hadn't looked so good anymore. They just looked awful to me. These were the first ones I'd seen in ages that weren't 'yucky' looking. So, I had to get them to try.

Zman, I'm about 3 hrs away from Toronto. Detroit is actually closer for me. But, if I head up that way, maybe I'll try to figure out who it is and maybe see if there are any Apistos too. Nothing good for Apistos around here. :eek:
 

JG

Member
5 Year Member
Messages
224
Location
Windsor, Ontario
The Ram situation was the same in Halifax for a long time as well Lisa. Recently, we've been finding some decent Rams in the LFS. I've purchased a few and have a pair spawning quite regularly, unfortunately eggs are usually eaten. :( Great colors, etc.

ZMan,
If you can remember who the Ram breeder is near Toronto/Hamilton, please let me know.

Thanks,

Jay
 

ancientaquarist

New Member
5 Year Member
Messages
73
Location
Tucson. Arizona
Finally succeeding with rams!

I bought and lost 30+ German Blue Rams which I tried in my 30 and 150 gallon communities. They simply could not deal with the other cichlids and starved quickly.
Recently I set up a 20 gallon quarantine tank:
3 Odessa barbs
3 male 'Schuberti' barbs
1 pair gold show guppies
6 Lemon tetras
1 Royal Crown male betta
1 Otocinclus

Last month I was in one of our growing number of LFS. There was a tank of 1/2 grown
Blue Rams and the lovliest pale yellow Gold Rams. I bought four blues and a pair of
golds. The blues appear to all be males and spar among themselves. The golds have
taken possession of a hole in a large piece of driftwood and are a "pair." With no other
cichlids to bother them they are eating well, growing and simply gorgeous.

I have not lost a single one. I have come to believe that Mikrogeophagus ramirezi are best
kept in a group with any kind of dithers. The tank has no substrate, a potted sword plant
and a mass of floating plants plus a large piece of African bogwood. I plan to add some
appropriate spawning stones and in two more weeks remove all the dithers except
the Odessa barbs. It will become a 20 gallon ram tank and my ram problems appear
to be over.
 

Lisachromis

Moderator
Staff member
5 Year Member
Messages
361
Location
Canada
Been there many times. (takes me about 1 1/2 hrs to get there) Didn't notice any rams the last time I was there. In fact, she seemed rather low on any south american cichlids at all on that visit.
 

aspen

Active Member
5 Year Member
Messages
1,033
Location
toronto, canada
really, i got the impression that she was into all types of fish, s/a cichlids as well. in fact we talked about crenicichla compressiceps at the time and she said she had a few but no females. thanks for the tip.


rick
 

Lisachromis

Moderator
Staff member
5 Year Member
Messages
361
Location
Canada
Oh she has a fair bit of stuff there. Mainly Rift Lake of course since that sells well. But I've seen lots of SA there before. Just not this last visit.

Just as an FYI - So far the rams are doing well. They didn't spawn (unless they ate the eggs immediately before I saw them). But the colours are still great and they love their microworms and bbs and some flake. They are getting the microworms since my culture is going well and they do eat it. :cool:
 

kribs

New Member
5 Year Member
Messages
126
Location
Chicago IL
Petstore rams live more than a week it all depends on where the LFS is getting them from.If they are local bred they do great the imports dont usually live long.
 

Crazygar

Member
5 Year Member
Messages
138
Location
Belle River Ontario
Hmm, down here in Windsor,ON the selection of Rams is quite nice.

We have the "proper ones" (IMO) German Blue Rams, along with other "colour" morphs. They are turning into a LFS staple at the smaller Mom&Pop stores. They are getting almost as popular as Kribs!

There are many excellent places in the Detroit Area to hit for neat fish; PetStation in Taylor (Van Borne and Ecorse RD) has over 350 different species of Freshwater Fish (2/3 Cichlid and Oddball fish, 1/3 your regular 'staple' ones) and a nice Saltwater section.

LFS Rams, are based on breeding and LFS Tank maintenance and upkeep. Bad upkeep and small cramped tanks usually results in death.

Gary
 

scott

New Member
5 Year Member
Messages
247
Location
Rhode Island
i wish i could find a local breeder of rams here in rhode island. as lisa said they are deffinetly beatuful little fish and it's hard to pass up buying them when i see them. i have bought at least 20-30 at all of the lfs in the RI area over the past couple years and the longest i got any to live was about 8 days i think. when i asked, owners all said they were imported. you guys are making me jealous. i've been considering trying to mail order a group if i can find a reliable breeder.
 

depthc

New Member
5 Year Member
Messages
121
Location
SC
Yeah that would be nice kribs but aquabid has been down and is still down. I sure wish it wasnt i want to order some more plants .... :frown:
 

Crazygar

Member
5 Year Member
Messages
138
Location
Belle River Ontario
The Blue Rams are beyond words to describe their beauty. When my "55GAL Community" starts to die out, I think more Dwarf Cichlids will be moving in. So many fish, so little space.

Gary
 

strohl71

New Member
5 Year Member
Messages
78
Location
Detroit Area, USA
The Pet Connection in Livonia, MI (a Detroit burb) also carries some good SA dwarf cichlids, including rams and apistos.

Moby **** Pets in Waterford, MI also carries them.
 

Crazygar

Member
5 Year Member
Messages
138
Location
Belle River Ontario
Thanx Strohl71! Will definately add them to the list. I will add these to my list of "LFS" in the area. When I finish it, I will publish it here and on other forums.

Gary
 

Lisachromis

Moderator
Staff member
5 Year Member
Messages
361
Location
Canada
Ok... small update. I have a fairly large whack of eggs from the rams tonight. I still don't know if I have two females or a pair. I'll find out soon enough (that is.. if they don't eat them). :redface:

At any rate.. I have eggs. Hopefully, I end up with some fry. :)
 

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