Blue Ram: Good idea/bad idea?

[fishtrap]

Ok cichlid people, I need your professional opinion(s)

I'm pondering putting a pair of blue rams in my planted tank. Here's the specs: 37g tall, 10 harlequin rasboras, 12-ish cherry shrimp, common pleco, ph 6.8, 76 deg, lots of amazon swords, rocks, and hiding places.

The shrimp are about 1/2" ~ 3/4". Would they be in imminent peril for their lives? What about the rasboras? Too active?

What say ye?

 

[Smalltank3]

That would be fine to add a pair of them in there. Just make sure your ph stays like that and keep up with your water changes and they should be fine.
I have a german blue ram and he loves the plants!

 

[FroggyFox]

I think they'd probably be ok...but you definitely want to make sure that the rasboras can get away from them if they go into breeding mode. I think its probably a big enough tank that you'll be ok. The shrimp...eh...not sure. Most cichlids see shrimp as dinner...so if they can fit in their mouths they're gone. BUT if you have hiding places for them they'd probably be ok too.

 

[Fish Friend]

if you are going to breed them, make sure there is lots of smooth surfaces with lots of caves (which there is) and lots of plants to the rear of the tank
They should be ok, they may have the odd go at youre shrimps and rasboras, but otherwise i think youll be fine
good luck!

 

[fishtrap]

Be still my beating heart

 

[Lotus]

They should work pretty well!

From my experience with rasboras they never go near the bottom of the tank, so they should be safe.

Rams are very picky about water quality, and don't do well with meds at all (much like shrimp). If at all possible you should quarantine them. They are a little prone to ich when they're new if they have been stressed during shipping/pet store care. Even if you don't quarantine, acclimate them carefully and try to check the pH and GH of the water they come in, and the more different they are from your water, the longer you need to take with the acclimating.

 

[Cichlid-Man]

I'd be more afriad of the shrimp getting killed/eaten then fearing for the lives of the rosaboras.

You should be fine with a pair in there.

 

[Fishckabibble]

rams are an excellent addition to a community tank, i have 2 females and they were pale when i first got them because they had just been shipped in that day, but as soon as i got them home they colored up very quickly and they are certanly not picky eaters lol good luck with them and just remember they are very sensitive to water quality so you have to really keep up on the water changes.

 

[ram man]

i would say go for it. the only thing i would wory about are the shrimp getting eaten.

 

[fishtrap]

Shrimp be damned! hahah
Brought the rams home Monday In QT for a few weeks. The shrimp are growing fast. Almost as big as the rams!

 

[straitjacket]

Baby shrimp will be eaten. In a tank with enough cover you'll still get a few making it to maturity. Adults would be fine.
The common plec on the other hand...

 

[fishtrap]

The common plec on the other hand...

hahahah*laughingc


I wondered about the adult shrimp. The rams could kill them but they're way too big for a little ram's mouth. Time will tell.

 

[fishtrap]

Quick update...

Rams have been in for about a week or so now. They checked out the shrimp a little on the first day. Now they don't pay any attention to them at all. No compatibilty issues thus far.