My blue rams are growing up   8/2/06
Good evening, everyone! I will try to keep my question short while still providing relevant information and background. No hurry on this
reply, as I am not having an emergency.
I have a 12 gallon Eclipse tank, which has been up and running for about three years. I have had Gouramis, neon tetras in it... redoing
the tank about once a year, making sure not to over clean and starve the plentiful green algae.
Since February, I have had a pair of Blue rams (not the German kind) which spawned immediately after first being introduced, but ate all of their eggs by early morning!
<Very common... Microgeophagus rarely rear young successfully w/o aquarist intervention>
(That's ok.) They share their tank with 3 Rummynose tetras as dithers and a Bristlenose catfish and Otocinclus as a clean-up crew.
I have removed the hood of the Eclipse (the Eclipse is my smallest and my only "closed" system) and replaced the compact lighting fixture with two 18" hoods, off of my two old 10 gallon tanks. They are powering a fluorescent color enhancement bulb and a high spectrum plant light. The fish seem to like the lights better, their colors look brighter - but since the hoods are not a perfect fit, I seem to be getting a blob of brown and green algae growth in the overhanging corner, attaching itself to a fake plant. Is this harming the fish in
any way? Degrading the water quality?
<Maybe... I would "give it a swipe" with an "algae" sponge when doing water changes (each week)>
My second question is, is this too small of a tank for two Rams to thrive in?
<Mmm, no, should be fine>
At my LFS they were in a 125 with a bunch of different fish, Angels, African butterflyfish, serpae and phantom tetras, etc.
<Yikes... hard to catch out of>
... so I felt kind of bad reducing their living space to just 12 gallons, but their color is much better now than it was at the store,
and they are hearty eaters, active with friendly dispositions.
One more question: I have a 29 gallon community tank with tetras, rasboras, various bottom dwellers. Would they be happier in this
larger tank?
<Might be... if it's not "too busy">
I thought they were better suited to a species tank but as I cannot really afford/don't have the space to make the Rams a
bigger tank all to themselves, I am basically between these two options, either keeping them where they are or moving them to the
community tank.
<Worth trying the move...>
They are regularly fed frozen food (Mysis shrimp, Tubifex, blood/white worms etc.) and Spectrum pellets, a variety of Tetra foods and
Spirulina flakes. Water parameters are much the same each week, with nitrates and ammonia always about 0 ppm. I add blackwater extract every other week and perform 20% water changes weekly, along with daily top-offs.
Is there something I could be doing to give my Rams a better life?
Should they move into the bigger, bustling tank or would they be happier in their own quiet corner?
<Likely the former, where they are presently>
Am I stunting their growth and diminishing their life span by keeping them in the 12 gallon?
<Mmm, nope. Unlikely>
A conscientious aquarist wants to know! She appreciates all of your help greatly and would appreciate a reply at your earliest convenience.
Thanks a million!
Nicole
<Welcome in concomitant number! Bob Fenner>

Rams and Plants. Dwarf cichlid... sys.   3/18/06
Hi,
Nice site!
I have a 2 and a half gallon tank (bow front). It is well planted with a heater and small whisper filter (a  newer air driven model) and 1.5"  of  gravel. So my question is: Can I keep 2 German Blue Rams in the 2.5? It  is has been cycling for 2 months now. What maintenance would I have to  carry out?
Thanks,
Anthony
<This is really too small, unstable a "world" for Apistogrammas, Microgeophagus... but could be tried... with care in pre-making, storing all new water, extreme regularity in maintenance. Please read here: http://wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/rams.htm
and the FAQs file linked above. Bob Fenner>

Ram Now Has Popeye  2/18/06
Thanks for your quick response last week. I QT'd the fish and followed your advice with the Furanace. Unfortunately on day 3 of the treatment I
noticed that the expiration date on the medication was 2 YEARS ago... the ram hadn't really eaten in 4 days and I didn't think he would
survive another 4 days with new meds so I put him back in the main tank where he was eating and happy to be with his mate. His nares got better,
I kept up with water changes and thought all was well. (My ammonia, nitrites are 0, less than 10 nitrates, water is RO with RO Right mixed
to keep a lower pH and softness...)
Yesterday he developed Popeye. I QT'd him again, added Stresscoat and Epsom salts to his tank.  (His QT tank water is all at 0 as above).  I
see no symptoms of anything wrong, just one eye bulging out.  The other eye may be swollen a bit, but not much I can tell. Is there anything I
can do to help this poor fish? I just can't figure out what is wrong with him... is there an all purpose antibiotic I should try on him?
Thanks again, Cathy G Oh, the expired meds all came out of a fresh shipment of meds to the
store - somebody needs to get a better supplier me thinks...
< The Popeye is an internal bacterial infection behind the eye socket. Treat with Metronidazole as per the directions on the package.-Chuck>

Ram Cichlid With Bloody Nose   2/10/06
I have a Halloween Ram - commonly known as a blue ram. He has been living just fine with his pretty wife, (I performed the ceremony
myself), they eat and spawn regularly.  Nothing has changed in this planted tank except that a week before this happened I rearranged a
couple of plants and driftwood.  I do frequent water changes, everything is 0 except nitrates - these are less than 10. The water is soft,  pH is 6.8, temp is 82.
My ram has developed  glow-in-the-dark red nostrils. 2 days ago he went into hiding and stopped eating. Now however, he is out and about, eating and exploring as usual.
You can see him coming from a mile away - maybe I should have called him a Reindeer Ram as in Rudolph.  He has always flashed a bit here and
there, I have never seen anything external on his body or in the water and I am always looking for potential trouble!
I was thinking of using Clout - in case there is something in the water.  But perhaps I should use an antibiotic instead?  Maybe both,
first the Clout?  What is your opinion? Do the nares actually have openings in the fishes body or are they just a membrane under the
surface of the skin?  Any opening would probably be susceptible to an infection, yes?
Thanks for all your time on this site. It is a wonderful resource that I scavenge daily! Cathy
< The nostrils are actually functional. When then eat a food item that fills their mouth they can continue to breath. The red indicates a probable infection. You have a pretty clean set up and it may go away on its own in a few days. To be sure you should isolate the fish in a hospital tank and treat with an antibiotic like Nitrofuranace. If you treated the main tank then the antibiotic may affect the bacteria needed for nitrification and you might need to cycle the tank all over again.-Chuck>

Balloon fishes   2/1/06
Dear WetWebMedia,
<Ivy>
What is the difference between a regular Molly or Ram and their "Balloon" version? How did this difference come about? Is one less healthy than the other?
Thank you.
<The "Balloon" types are "sports", human-made/allowed mutations... same species. "Made" by naturally occurring variation and selection by breeders. Sometimes such mutants are more "aquarium-hardy" than wild-types, sometimes not. Bob Fenner>

Rams Breeding :-)   1/31/06
I have a 120 gal that has an  Xp3 filter (rated well over 120 gal.) a 4 bulb compact fluorescent Coralife  light, 4" fluorite eco-complete mix, 2 300 watt heaters, 100-150 plants, 2 LARGE  pieces of driftwood, ph 6.9, ammonia 0, Hardness: medium. I have 6 rams, 6  cardinal tetras, 4 lemon tetras, 4 clown plecs, 6 Cory cats, and 3 killies. I  believe my rams have spawned, because
there are about 50-100 little white eggs  that look like pictures I have seen on google. One of them hovers over the broad  leaf they are on and when I went to move a plant, it went for my hand. I looked,  and to my surprise, I saw a bunch of eggs! What do I do? FOOD, REMOVE, KEEP  TOGETHER? I really don't have another tank, so I would like to keep them in the  120. Please tell me what I need to do to care for them. I have bred Cory's  before, but didn't notice till there were only five left, so please respond  promptly, so I can keep as many as possible. I'm not trying to count my eggs  before they hatch (lol lol lol),
but will LFS's want these at all, or are I  better off keeping them?
>>Anthony, baby rams are really tiny when they hatch, and very sensitive to a small parasite called Tetrahymena that may well be in your tank without affecting anything. From my experience you will need to raise the fry in a clean bare tank with live micro worms etc, but you could try to see if some will hatch and grow up in your tank. Add a night light with a very dim glow to make sure your Plecos do not eat the eggs/wigglers when it is dark. Good Luck, Oliver

Re: Rams Breeding   2/1/06
Hi, thanks for the info, but roughly how often do they breed? Monthly, bimonthly?
Thanks, Anthony
< When they are in good shape and conditions are right about once every two weeks.-Chuck>

Ram system   1/19/06
  Hi again, I am starting (planning) a Ram  tank and getting all of my stuff together.  The tank is a 90  gallon.  I plan on having 12-14 Rams in it, along with some live  plants.  I do not plan on using CO2 unless I run into problems, so  the plants will be easier ones like Crypts/Swords.  I have a CPR  wet/dry filter (CR1000).  I know the Rams are sensitive to  Nitrates and am concerned that the wet/dry may be a nitrate  factory?  Should I take some filter media out?
>> I would not worry about the nitrates as much. A regular and frequent water change of around 25% a week will ensure that you do not have problems. Good Luck, Oliver

Sorting Out Ram Cichlids    1/19/06
Hello there, I have been reading, and thinking, and reading some more. Thank you for such
a comprehensive site! I would like to set up a South American freshwater tank.  I would like to get a few rams (Microgeophagus ramirezi).  I have read that the German rams
are healthier (or hardier might be a better word,) than the Asian bred ones.
I live in Alaska and do not have a LFS.  I need to order online.  So, I am
looking at the few suppliers that will ship up here, namely Dr. Fosters and
Smith.  They have “German rams” but they are listed as bred and shipped from
Thailand.  Is this a sub-species?  When I read it earlier in an article I
took it to mean that the Germans were breeding a hardier line.  I probably
misunderstood, could you clear this up for me? Thank you so much for your valuable time,
Cindy Haralson
< First you have the wild rams from Venezuela/Colombia area. A very beautiful but somewhat delicate species. The Germans began to breed the rams and developed a domesticated strain that is hardier than its wild counterpart. In Asia the farms were breeding rams, golden rams and now German rams. German rams have a few more darker spots around the head and back. Check aquabid.com for German rams too. I know a local breeder at Mainlycichlids.com that can sell mated pairs. He is in Calif and could easily airfreight a box of fish up the coast.-Chuck>

Re: Setting Up Plants In a Ram Tank
Thank you very much for the reply and recommendations, it is greatly appreciated.  
I have three more questions.  I have probably been reading too  much or fallen prey to manufacturer's selling techniques, but, is it necessary  to treat RO with an additive like Kent's R/O Right?
< Plain R/O water has no buffering capacity and the pH can go all over the place. Fish don't like this unstable water so you need to use a buffer.>
Also, I have broadened my options for substrate to the Eco Complete, Seachem's Fluorite, and/or Laterite.  What would you recommend for plant AND ram health?
< I have had very good success with Fluorite. Laterite is too easily disturbed and makes a mess , but plants love it.>
Will any of these substrates affect the hardness in the tank water to  a level that the Rams will not appreciate?
< No.-Chuck>
Thanks again, Scott

Adding Chemicals to R/O Water For German Rams  1/16/06
I plan on using Buffer to do the 6.8 pH that you  recommended, but the R/O Right adds some salts and other "essential  stuff" that the water supposedly needs to be healthy--even for a soft  water tank.  I hadn't heard about the needing to do that, so that  is why I was confused.  So would you add it? Thanks again, Scott
< I would recommend that you follow the directions on the package and see how the rams are doing. German rams are a domestic strain of rams that are much hardier than their wild cousins.-Chuck>

Setting Up a Ram Tank  - 01/12/2006
Hi Bob, before I get started, I would just like to  say that your site is the best source of aquatic advice and information  that I've found.  Unbelievable how much information you guys put  out, and also how consistent you are!  Thanks for the site.
< Bob and the rest of the WWM crew thank you for you kind words.>
Now to the fun stuff!  I am getting ready to move into my first  permanent residence since living with my parents, and I am going to  shut down my reef tank with the move and make a change most of my  friends with aquariums don't understand. I'm going to start a  German Ram tank.  They have been my favorite fish since the moment I saw them years ago.  I will be using a 90 gallon tank, 48"L x  18"D x 24"H.  I will be using RO water with Seachem neutral  regulator combined with their Discus buffer to get my pH set.  I  know people recommend anywhere from 5-7 pH, but what single number would you want?
< 6.8.>
Also, I want to get pairs of rams, so how many pairs should I get with the tank dimensions that I have?
< Six to eight pairs.>
I have heard some people claim you should use a 2 to 1 ratio of female  to male rams also, then others claim just one female per male.  What do you recommend?
< Six males to six to eight females.>
I plan on using live plants that aren't too delicate so they don't fall  apart.  I have ordered "Eco Complete Plant substrate" to use with  them.  I have a sump that will use CPR's bio bale for biological  filtration.   I have ordered a 216watt T5 light fixture, not  wanting to hang any Metal Halides in our new house.  Is that enough light for Swords or any other plants that you'd recommend with the tank being 24" deep?
< If the swords don't work then try some Cryptocorynes.>
I'm also figuring on throwing in some Cardinal and Glowlight Tetras.  And the biggest 2  questions. What have I not thought about that I need for the tank, and what have I forgotten to tell you? Thanks again for the website! Scott
< Rams are my favorite all time fish. They like warm water of at least 82F+. German rams are much hardier than the wild ones from Venezuela. Don't let the nitrates get up over 10 ppm. Quarantine all your fish before putting them in the big tank.-Chuck>

Egg Eating Rams Moving to New tank  12/1/05
Hi there and thanks in advance for any help you can provide.
I have a 25 gallon freshwater with 1 Pleco, 3 gold rams, 1 Curviceps cichlid 
<<Chuck, or anyone else, if you get a chance, would you provide me with the genus and species of this animal?  Marina>>
<<<Flag cichlid.  Used to be Aequidens Curviceps, is now Laetacara Curviceps .>>>
and 2 African butterfly cichlids, 2 plants, a large rock/cave, piece of wood on slate and a small bridge. 2 of the rams have had eggs 4 times thus far and each time the eggs are eaten/disappeared usually when I wake up in the morning and after usually 2 days. The butterfly cichlids I purchased about 4 weeks ago have just laid their second batch of eggs. The first batch had the same fate as the ram eggs. Any idea's of what I can do to try to help them keep the eggs? Should I try an egg light (read that on your site)?
< After spawning the fish are exhausted and have expended a lot of energy to spawn and have worked up an appetite. Try to keep them well fed with lots of baby brine shrimp or micro worms. Egg eating is a problem for these species and they can get into a habit of eating eggs that is hard to break. the eggs could be removed and hatched artificially.>
I am also purchasing a 55 gallon that I would like to move most of the occupants too, but still keep one of the mated pairs in the old 25 gallon. What is the best way to get the new tank safely cycled and not damage the old tank or kill any of my fish when they get moved?
< Take some of the old gravel and place it in the new tank. The bacteria in the old tank are needed to get the bacteria in the new tank going. Add new fish slowly over a week or so. Quarantine any new fish from the store for at least a couple of weeks before adding them to an established tank.>
Is it possible to run the new filter for the 55 gallon on the 25 gallon without doing any harm to the fish and using the old 25 gallon filter with the new tank to help the process? Should I move some of the substrate and/or plants, ornaments?
< Swapping filters for awhile will not harm anything.>
Thank you for any help you can provide, I really appreciate it. Your site is a great resource, thanks for all the time and work you all put into it. Troy
< Thanks for your kind words.-Chuck> 

Gold Ram Spawning 11/1/05
Dear Bob,
<Actually, Sabrina here, in his stead.>
My pair of Gold Rams has spawned 4 times. 
<Excellent!>
The three previous times they have eaten the eggs after lights out. 
<Bummer....>
So this time I decided to place the eggs in a net breeder in the tank. I would have preferred to have left the eggs for the parents to care for but they seem more motivated to eat than parent. My question is how do I determine the fertile eggs from the infertile? They are all white in color, but the majority of them are translucent. The eggs that I think are infertile are the eggs that are more of a solid white or cloudy white. 
This is correct.... Usually the viable eggs will be more clear-ish, or maybe orange-ish.>
From everything that I have read I am supposed to remove the infertile eggs because they will cause the eggs around them to grow fungus. Is this also correct?
<That's the best idea, yes. You are correct.>
Thanks for the help, -Mike Mural
<Wishing you well, -Sabrina> 

Re: Gold Ram Spawning 11/2/05
Thanks for the quick reply,
<You bet.>
The eggs that have turned white are the empties. I have little fry wriggling all over the leaf I removed with the eggs. 
<Ahh! A delight!>
I thought it took 60 hours for them to hatch. I also have discus in the tank and the temperature is 85°F, could this cause them to hatch more rapidly? 
<Yes, certainly.>
It is a well established (4 years) heavily planted tank. I want the fry to make it but was not prepared for them to breed so quickly after eating the last batch of eggs. So my problem is what to feed them. The fry are much smaller than the Kribensis fry I have raised in the past. So I added some Java Moss from the tank to the breeder net. I tried to hatch some brine shrimp but they have not hatched yet. So my main question is what to feed them since I am in a bit of a squeeze?
<In this heavily planted tank, there are tons of opportunities for tiny and microscopic life.... Any piles of decaying plant matter, rotting leaves, or other detritus in the tank? I would add some of this to the breeder net.... with caution, as it could "foul" the water in their little world rapidly. Otherwise, you might try liquid fry food available at fish stores, or even dried, powdered egg yolk.>
Thanks again, -Mike
<Wishing you well, -Sabrina>

Judging LFS, Fancy Rams 9/16/05
I usually deal with saltwater aquariums and reef aquariums, but a particular fish caught my attention one day while walking through my LFS.  This is generally a store that I hate as most the workers can't answer questions and the animals always seems to be dying (fish) and the mammals always suffering from dirty cage neglect.
<It is usually best to avoid purchasing from such places, as they will only continue to replace the animals that you've bought....>
Okay.. venting over.. so I came across a fish which they referred to as a gold veil angel ram.  Basically a long-finned gold ram with an angel fish shaped body.  The colorations and disposition of the fish caused me to immediately fall in love with the fish and I proceeded to plan my future purchase.  Originally I bought a few for my grandmothers aquarium that I take care of.. the 3 I placed I've had for over 3-4 months and they're doing great.  I also moved my aquarium at my parents house inside for my sister (as I don't live at my parents house) and got it up and running with plants and driftwood and fish.. the plants are really taking off.. but I have to focus on the pH as it's a little too basic for Microgeophagus.
<Okay>
Here's the problem.. I bought 5 of them from my LFS today and they came with a problem.   They have this little tumor like cysts in their bodies some of them 1 or 2 .. but no more than 3.. they are about half the size of a grain of rice.. probably even smaller, they react like normal and don't show any signs of being sick.. now.. here's the reason I bought them.. This fish I haven't been able to find online and this is the only fish store on Oahu that gets them in stock.  
<Perhaps another/better store would order them for you?>
And worse.. they only get them 1-2 times a year and normally by the time they get them in stock they're sold out.  So yeah.. I took the chance.. So.. back to the tumor like things.. they appear to be brownish in color.. they aren't translucent.. but you can see them clearly through the fishes
body.. at the moment I have the 5 in a 5 gallon hospital tank being treated with paragon.  I wish I could get a picture for you guys but I don't have a digital camera.  I can try an borrow one and get one too you by next week.. but if anything I'm more curious as to if this is something fatal, curable, or whatever other possibilities there are.  
<Chuck's archived response to you can be found here:  http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/ramfaqs.htm .  Though I agree with Chuck's suggestion that they are digenetic trematodes (that's, external parasites, similar to worms, that require different animal hosts at different stages in development - the snail/bird/fish parasite he suggests is one), I would also propose that these things could in fact be tumors or granulomas, possibly even from mycobacteriosis....  In any of these cases, treatment is of no help, and in the case of mycobacteriosis, treatment is very, very unlikely to effect a cure and may even be harmful.>
Otherwise.. I'd also like it if someone could give some background information on them as I know they're probably a product of inbreeding.  Either way. Any info would be greatly appreciated.
<Indeed, they are not natural in color or shape.  I can't find much on this "new" body shape; though, I've seen "balloon" rams (similar to balloon mollies) as well.>
Thanks  -Jonathan
<Wishing you well,  -Sabrina>

Ram Cichlids, Water - 08/18/2005
Hello! GREAT site.
<Glad you enjoy it!>
My question to you is if my local water ph is high (sometimes reads to the maximum of my regular ph test kit which is 7.6 - 7.8, I don't have a higher reading test kit, so I can only guess if it's more)
<Do please get a test kit for higher ranges, and find out what, exactly, your pH is.>
can I still keep dwarf rams?
<Likely, if you can find a local breeder who raises them in similar conditions.>
I have a 55 gal. with tetras, an angelfish, and two Corys who all seem to be doing well. I have yet to lose a fish in the two years since setting up the tank except for the second angel that the first one terrorized. I know these are all from similar waters as the dwarf rams, so what do you think?
<Likely no compatibility issues here.  Sounds good.>
Have you ever seen them do well in a high ph environment?
<Yes.... even breeding.  But again, you should strive to find rams that are already used to such a pH from a breeder in your area.  Try asking around at fish stores, and join any local fish clubs within reasonable distance.>
I do have lots of driftwood in there, but no real plants, only fake ones. Also, I never tested the hardness of the water. Will that be a factor?
<Possibly; it is certainly worth knowing when you seek out someone with similar conditions from whom to purchase your fish.>
THANKS!  -Marty
<Wishing you well,  -Sabrina>

Revisiting the Ram - 07/12/2005
Hello!
<Hi, again!  Sabrina here....>
I have a 10 gallon tank with 5 guppies, 1 Cory and one ram. I have had this ram for only one day, and it's not eating.
<One day....  If by this you mean you got it earlier today, I would not be concerned about it not eating.  If you got it yesterday, it might be a different story.  Be sure to offer a variety of tasty foods, and keep in mind if the ram is large enough, or the guppies small enough, if you don't get food in him soon, he may be looking at those guppies and licking his lips pretty soon.  Rams are timid, but cichlids nonetheless.>
I think it is still a little bit in shock, but I just want to be sure. Also, I want the Ram to have the best colors and I would like to know what would be the best food to give it... I have flakes  and dried bloodworms, but what else?
<I would try high-quality frozen foods, or failing all else, I would try live foods....  never tubificid worms (Tubifex, blackworms), but live bloodworms, mosquito larvae, or brine shrimp are an option, if he refuses to eat over the next few days.  Once you get *something* in him, it'll be easier to get him to eat other foods.  Also, as timid and shy as rams are, be certain that there is plenty of cover and lots of good hiding spots for him, so he'll feel safer in coming out to eat.  If he's scared, he may just refuse to eat and may even starve.>
Thanks a ton!  Christine
<You bet.  Good luck with your fishes,  -Sabrina>

Stocking a 10g Freshwater Tank - 07/12/2005
Hello,
<Hi!>
I have a ten gallon tank with one Ram, five  guppies and one Cory. Whenever I look at the tank it seems really empty, and I  was wondering if I could get one or two more Rams or maybe a Krib...
<I would not.  In such a tiny space, should you end up with two male rams (ore even a male ram and a male krib), they will likely harm each other for territory, and should you end up with a male and a female ram, and they choose to breed, they can and likely will make very short work of your other fish.  I would really advise against making this addition.>
On a forum  I heard about a person having four Rams in one tank, of course that would be too  many, but two or three....
<Do keep in mind that these ARE cichlids, however timid, and DO have cichlid tendencies when breeding or staking out territories....  A m/f pair in a 10g tank with no other fish would likely breed and could do quite well, but any other fish - other rams included - could be damaged or killed.  A ten gallon tank just doesn't offer the space they'd need to establish multiple territories.  It might work out for a few months, but ultimately, harm will probably come of it.>
Thanks for your time!
<You bet.  Sorry to put a damper on it - BUT - another consideration for yah....  Corys are very serious schoolers, and tend to be much more active and "cheerful" when in groups of at least three....  I would recommend adding a couple of the same species of Cory to perk up your pal and make your tank more active and "full" seeming.  I will caution you, however, that this may be somewhat taxing on the stocking of your tank; test very often for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate for the first few weeks after adding the Corys (if you choose to add them).  Keep ammonia and nitrite at zero, and nitrate less than 20ppm.>
Christine
<Wishing you and your fishes well,  -Sabrina>

More about Christine's Ten Gallon and Ram/s 7/12/05
Hey Crew!
<Christine>
My name is Christine, and I have recently bought one Ram and a couple of
fancy guppies.
<Mmm, the Ram may chew on the guppies tails...>
I've put them in a 10 gal. and then found  out more about Rams on
your site. From what I could gain, Rams would prefer more  company with their
own kind... Should I get another Ram? I also have a Cory in  the 10 gal. Also,
the average pH in the tank is 7.0, is this ok for the Ram?
<Should be fine>
And  would a
temperature of 78 degrees work, or is it too low?
<Would be better a bit higher, but the guppies prefer the water to be where it is... or cooler>
Your web site is great!
Christine
<I would go ahead with the addition of the new Ram, and make a plan for moving the guppies. Bob Fenner>

Working with Ram Cichlids 6/31/05
Hello, I'm going to get two ten gallon aquariums, and I want to put rams
(Papilochromis ramirezi)
<The correct name is Microgeophagus ramirezi.>
in one of them. Your website recommends 27-30 degrees C, 5-6 ph, and 5-12 dh. I have an "Aquarium Owner's Guide" that recommends 22-26 degrees, 6-7 ph, and 3-8 dh. Do you know if this is because of a different subspecies than the one mentioned on your website, or if the information is wrong?
< In the wild these fish can come from open savannah type pools that receive no shade from trees. The tropical heat can send these water temperatures all the way up to 35 C. The pH of this water can be extremely acidic and be down as low as 4.5 -5.5 with a hardness below 1 dGH. At these levels not too many other fish would survive and rams don't need these extremes to do well in an aquarium. I would use the recommendations from the WWM website if you are going to be keeping rams in a community tank situation and the recommendations from your aquarium guide if you want to set them up for breeding.>
Also, since rams require such a high temperature, what kind of small fish do you recommend to keep it company?
< At such high temperatures the water tends to not carry as much oxygen as it would at lower temperature so you need to increase the aeration. Little Amazon tetras that don't get too big should be fine.>
Finally, the tap water where I live is very basic (8.6 ph) and very
hard (26.9 dh).  What is the most effective way lo lower the ph and dh? thank you.
< There are many different ways to do this but I will give you the simplest answer. Go to a water store and buy 8 gallons of distilled water. Mix it with 2 gallons of your tap water. Every week you should to a 20% water change and replace the water with 80% distilled water and 20% tap water. At this ratio of distilled to tap the water can usually be acidified using peat moss if you really want to get the pH down.-Chuck>

Ram systems
I'm going to get two ten gallon aquariums, and I want to put rams (Papilochromis ramirezi) in one of them. Your website recommends 27-30 degrees C, 5-6 ph, and 5-12 dh. I have an "Aquarium Owner's Guide" that recommends 22-26 degrees, 6-7 ph, and 3-8 dh. Do you know if this is because of a different subspecies than the one mentioned on your website, or if the information is wrong? Also, since rams require such a high temperature, what kind of small fish do you recommend to keep it company? Finally, the tap water where I live is very basic (8.6 ph) and very hard (26.9 dh).  What is the most effective way lo lower the ph and dh?
>> Go with ph 6-6.5, 3-10DH and temp from 26-29C. You can keep them with any small fish from the Amazon like cardinals, Rummynose, and Corydoras. Best way with water like that hard and alkaline is to get water from another source, since you need only 10 gallons you can get it from a friend with better water, no reason to play with chemicals to lower the values, good Luck, Oliver.  

Ram question, peat in a bag
I've been wanting to get into cichlids because I like their color but lack experience.  I was wanting to put my tank to the test as far as tankmates goes; I've got long-finned danios, angels, balloon-belly mollies, an Opaline Gourami and a peacock eel.  I saw that danios were in the "tankmates" section to get the rams out but I wasn't sure about the others.  Water maintenance is no problem; I work at a pet store where we do free water testing so that shouldn't be hard to do at all.
<Should get along if the system is large enough>
I also had a question about peat, though.  I've seen that angels like peat as well in their water but I didn't know how to make a bag.  I don't want to order online but I want to make my fish happier.  Is there a way to prepare a peat bag (or even a way to install it into the substrate/filter)?  Or do you have it posted somewhere and I just haven't found it?
<Mmm, you can/could buy, use a Dacron bag made/sold in the trade for containing such chemical filtrants... but pantyhose, stockings can work here as well... and yes to "just" placing the boiled peat and bag in the tank, under the substrate, though placing it in an area of water flow is better for more rapid effect. Bob Fenner>
Thank you for your time,
Sarah

Re: Edit: Ram question
Edit: I also forgot to ask if I would need to get more than one; I wanted a ram as an ornamental fish but had no intentions on breeding.  Do they prefer more of their kind?  Which sex would you recommend for a non-breeding tank?
<Is better to have more than one... is a social species... A male and female are best, but two or more males or females can/will do. Bob Fenner>

Non-utilization of Spellchecker/Grammar - Ram Setup
hey. am cycling a 30 gallon tank. right now all I have in it are some rock with some forming a cave. I want to keep about 3 ram cichlids and other fish such as Corys, tetras, and other small cichlids. now I just need to know. what can I do to make sure that my little rams lead very happy little lives. I have a 20 watt light, I've set the temperature to 28 degrees Celsius. what plants can u suggest I add? my pH is at 7 and always has been. I have successfully kept angelfish, Neons and mollies in the past. do rams have similar requirements?? also I only have ever fed my fish flake food. what live or frozen foods can u suggest I feed rams. would there be anything around the house to feed them? I cant wait until I've finished cycling! 
<<your setup seems fine. Check with your LFS what plants they have that will thrive at the higher temperatures that the rams like.
you should add some frozen foods to their diet. Blood worm is very good, but make sure you are not allergic (many people are), also frozen brine shrimp and white mosquito larvae (glassworm) will be a good addition to their diet.
Try to get two pairs, your tank is big enough.
Have fun, Oliver! >>