# Blue Ram Biotope



## gage (Feb 7, 2007)

hey guys, here is a pic of my blue ram biotope, please do comment. (btw, it isnt done yet, i need more plants!


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## leopio (Nov 18, 2007)

looks good add some plants and some small rocks and ur ready to go. i would add tons of plants!!!


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## gage (Feb 7, 2007)

thanx and thanx for the suggestion, i plan on adding some more vallisneria and some kabomba.


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## dwarfpike (Jan 22, 2008)

Remember there are little to no ground plants where colombian rams come from ... though tanks that look like that aren't always the best *chuckles*


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## gage (Feb 7, 2007)

dwarfpike said:


> Remember there are little to no ground plants where colombian rams come from ... though tanks that look like that aren't always the best *chuckles*


no ground plants as in what? you mean like any planted plant or complete ground cover plants like pygmy chain swords that take over the entire bottom?


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## dwarfpike (Jan 22, 2008)

gage - most reports there are no plants in the sand at all, only floaters and plants overhanging into the water. Most find that rather dull. I actually like the look as is, you have a few ground plants, but most of it is floating resembling their natural habitat. :thumb:


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## leopio (Nov 18, 2007)

these aren't wild caught and the excess of plants on the bottom serve as hiding and protection for the weaker fish


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## edburress (Jun 9, 2007)

Here is a great video of M. ramirezi in their natural habitat...






I think your tank looks great as is, like dwarfpike said. But in captivity the blue rams will benefit from more vegetation even if it is less biotope accurate.

Ed


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## Hubbynz (May 10, 2008)

I think you tank looks great but maybee more plants along the bottom.


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## Dutch Dude (Sep 14, 2006)

Here a vid of their natural biotope.











I see lots of cabomba in there :wink:

Your tank looks awesome gage and I would not add to much plants. Some Cabomba and some small twig or branch like small driftwood parts and or some oak leaves would give the tank just the extra natural touch. The advantage of such a biotope tank is that some algea on the wood and plants make it even more natural. Maybe not the idea most people have with their tanks but as you can see on the vids,....it is natural! This is the good time of the year to collect some nice large oak leaves. Only select the brown dried once and the best qualety are the once without fungus,.holes of insects and so on. The shining leaves are the once that last longer. You can boil them for 10 minutes, add some to the tank and let the remaining leaves dried. Once they are completely dried you can put them in a bag and store them for a long time and add new once when the leaves in the tank start to decay. In my experience the leaves start to decay after abouth 6 weeks. Best is to take old leaves out and put new leaves in every 4 to 6 weeks. Cleaning is no problem at all,...you can take the leaves out if you like and put them back in after a water change. Some people boil them during water change so they will last longer as 6 weeks.

What is the size of the tank and will there be other tank inhabitants? Cherryshrimp would be nice as well. They are live food and cleaning crew at the same time. If you put in 40+ they can be able to establish a colony and breed like mads. This way the number of youngsters will compensate the number of losses due to the rams feeding on them. I keep 250 shrimp in a 50 gallon tank with 9 Bolivians. About 8 weeks ago I caught 90 out and right now the number is back up to it's origin.

Oto's also occur in their natural habitat and would be interesting as well. They probably will have a shorter live span on the higher temps. :-?


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## Dutch Dude (Sep 14, 2006)

Gage,...is this the 29 tank were you were talking abouth in the Gymno treat? If so,.....you made an excellent choice to set it up as a Ram biotope!


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## sthomas048 (Dec 27, 2007)

I wouldnt change anything about your tank Gage, maybe add a couple of pebbles on the substrate. I think all the floating plants look great but if you did add more plants on the bottom you would have to consider the reduced light (due to floating plants) and how well the plants would grow.


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## DeadFishFloating (Oct 9, 2007)

G'day *gage*,

I think *Dutch Dude's* suggestions are spot on.

I think a couple river rocks, more twig or branch like driftwood, and some cabomba would be great. I'd still add some vallisneria, probably behind your large driftwood down the left end of the tank and fill out the right end with the cabomba and twigs.

Tank does look good already. Got any fishy pics yet?


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## gage (Feb 7, 2007)

Dutch Dude said:


> Gage,...is this the 29 tank were you were talking abouth in the Gymno treat? If so,.....you made an excellent choice to set it up as a Ram biotope!


hey, no, this is the 10g i was talking about (32"x7"x10"), i still havent decided what to do with the 29 yet.


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## gage (Feb 7, 2007)

Dutch Dude said:


> Here a vid of their natural biotope.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


hey, thanx for the ton of info, your like an encyclopedia! LOL.

it isnt Kabomba actually, it is Myriophyllum, AkA parrots feather.

i would like to do the leave thing, but id rather not have to keep replacing them and also the fact i dont trust using them lol, great idea though and i will consider it for sure.

are shrimp from SA? if not i dont want them! LOL

im way ahead of you , i have a school of 3 oto's and im hoping to add more, the tank temp is only at 79-80, that shouldnt shorten there life much at all should it?

so, is there _any _ ground plants where they come from? if not i will not add anymore.


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## gage (Feb 7, 2007)

DeadFishFloating said:


> G'day *gage*,
> 
> I think *Dutch Dude's* suggestions are spot on.
> 
> ...


fish pics are coming soon!


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## DeadFishFloating (Oct 9, 2007)

There are plenty of fresh water shrimp throughout South America, though most look like glass shrimp.


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## Hubbynz (May 10, 2008)

glass shrimp look great....unfortunately I only have one left in my tank


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## gage (Feb 7, 2007)

DeadFishFloating said:


> There are plenty of fresh water shrimp throughout South America, though most look like glass shrimp.


are glass/ghost shrimp SA?????? ill look into it.


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## DeadFishFloating (Oct 9, 2007)

Hahaha Gage. I didn't say glass/ghost shrimp are SA. I said there are small, clear bodied shrimp found in many SA waters that look similar to glass/ghost shrimp. I did see some in one of the vids from fishfromvenezuela, but haven't found that vid yet. Here's the link to fishfromvenezuela's Videos.

If you watch a few of thier vids you should have some good ideas for your tank.


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## gage (Feb 7, 2007)

LOL... thanx a ton, ill look into it for sure!


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## Dutch Dude (Sep 14, 2006)

A 10 gallon!!!! Wow,.....it looks much larger Gage,...so you done a great job on the aqua scape!!! :thumb:

If the leaves are from a save environment (the forest) they are perfectly save to use.

No cherry shrimp aren't from SA but shrimp do occur in SA. The only thing is that I don't know what species and if they are availeble on the market.

So you are way ahead, hahaha! I like that attitude, haha! :lol: Some extra Oto's would be great and 5, 10, 15 are the best numbers. Often they split in groups of 5. The temp will be OK for them.

Maybe the vids of Peter (DFF) give you a new idea for the 29 gallon. The Orinoco basin is very interesting don't you think?


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## gage (Feb 7, 2007)

Orinoco is all to interesting, but i think the 29 will be an Amazon river basin set-up.

this 10g looks massive because, like i said, it is 32" long lol.

i have to find some shrimp now! that would be a perfect addition!

i will definitely add more otos, great little catfish, i just didnt want to add to much to a 10 gallon, dont want no spike to happen with rams and otos, not very water quality happy fish, the tank is cycled, dont get the idea it is not, but adding to much may cause a mini cycle to occur, and i dont want any ammonia.

i think the dead leaves from my plants will work for the natural effect pretty well, though again, ill see if i can arrange a drive out somewhere to collect some leaves, id like to go find some driftwood and rocks anyway.

thanx again for all your info! any other thoughts on tank mates? would a clown pleco be to much for the bioload of a 10g? hes only 2.5" LOL


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