# Rams and Shrimp?



## bil2k (Oct 17, 2004)

Does anyone know if Rams and shrimp get along? Specifically Ghost Shrimp and Wood/Bamboo Shrimp.

I have 2 Pearl Gouramis, 7 neons, 1 Wood Shrimp, and like 5 Ghost Shrimp in a 12 gallon. Could I add either Bolivian or German Rams and if so how many?


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## Auballagh (Jan 29, 2003)

The combo would be fine together, as far as compatibility.
The problems here with this setup is the size of the 12 gallon tank.
That's a lot of fish, creating a lot of waste which will pollute the water of this tank. Rams will do best in very clean, carefully maintained water.
I personally would put all those fish and species in no less than a 30 gallon sized tank, to get the best results.


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## fmueller (Jan 11, 2004)

I keep 4 bolivian rams in a 29G. Before I introduced the rams, there were 6 very large (fully grown) amano shrimp in the tank, which were extremely active and wandered all over the tank at all times of day or night. I really enjoyed watching them. As soon as I introduced the rams, the shrimp disappered. On an off, I have seen two of them, mostly when doing water changes. I believe they hang out in my background where the rams can't go, but I very much doubt that all 6 of them are still around. I suspect the rams eat them when they shed their exosceleton (sp?). From that experience, I wouldn't say that the rams are compatible with shrimp. At the very least, the shrimp are scared of the cichlids and go into hiding, but the rams might also finish them off over time. Since bolivian rams in my experience are far more peaceful than any other dwarf cichlid, I would expect other cichlids to get on worse with the shrimp than them.


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## bil2k (Oct 17, 2004)

Well the ghost shrimp are expendable, but i I don't want my 3" Wood Shrimp getting killed.


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## pcrawford1044 (Apr 19, 2008)

yes rams love shrimp they love other live food also


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## DirtyBlackSocks (Jan 24, 2008)

Rams will eat shrimp, the wood shrimp might do fine if the tank were larger - but anything else will be food.

Shrimp don't have much in the lines of defense when they've molted, and that's when the ram would take advantage - flipping the shrimp around until all of it's legs are picked off and eating the rest as it's leisure.


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## Xenoterranos (Mar 14, 2007)

DirtyBlackSocks said:


> Shrimp don't have much in the lines of defense when they've molted, and that's when the ram would take advantage - flipping the shrimp around until all of it's legs are picked off and eating the rest as it's leisure.


This happened to one of my bamboo shrimp when it molted in a 57 gallon tank cohabited by _kuhli loaches_.
I'm pretty sure a ram wouldn't pass up the opportunity, especially in a smaller tank


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