# 55g tank mates for 5 Bolivian rams?



## Primate (Nov 25, 2009)

I have a 55g 4 ft tank that I currently have what I believe to be a mated pair of Bolivian Rams and I plan on adding three more in the next couple of months. 
I also have 2 otocinclus on there with plans to add a few more of those, and about half a dozen White Cloud Mountain Minnows whose parents were shipped as some sort of bonus with my rams. 
Are there any other cichlids I could safely add to this group? Maybe to sort of share the spotlight with the rams?
I love the rams and had them with three others in a 29g but was hoping they would spawn again without my BN eating their eggs. I think I'd also like to experience another cichlid in here with them.


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## knfanning (Mar 5, 2009)

How about a pair of angelfish or discus? Maybe even a blue acara?


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## Primate (Nov 25, 2009)

Thanks for the suggestions. For whatever reason I've never really liked the way Angelfish looked so I think those are out. I'm off to research the Acara and Discus. 
Thanks


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## adam79 (Jun 27, 2007)

Bolivians and discus have too drastic of temperature demands to work well together. I'm assuming your tank has a 48"x12" footprint. Some smaller acara could work. Angels would be ideal, but you expressed your feelings there. Have you looked at mesonauta? More info on your setup would help. Substrate, plants, wood, water chemistry, temperature, ect. Paint an over all picture.


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## Primate (Nov 25, 2009)

It's pretty sparse in there right now, I have two decent sized pieces of driftwood, I'd guess they're close to a foot long each. I have a good sized cave in there and a hollow artificial log. For plants there's not much yet, two anubias nana, and one wisteria I think it's called. 
I plan on getting some more plants soon but I haven't seen anything at all I like or healthy at he local lfs. 
My ph is 6.6 steady. I have the temperature set at about 76F rift now. Ammonia and nitrite are 0 and I change the water weekly to keep the nitrates down. 
Thanks for the help so far.
I forgot to add I have a pool filter sand substrate.


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## hollyfish2000 (Aug 23, 2007)

You could easily add some big swords along the back and fill in your tank easily and quickly. Petsmart sometimes gets nice swords in for $5 or so apiece.

I personally wouldn't add a second cichlid pair to five Bolivians in a 55 -- at least not until it's quite heavily planted. I have 5 in my 58 (36") and they have all staked out areas and squabble among each other enough as it is. (And my tank is a jungle!)

I have a school of 18 rummynose tetras with the Bolivians. I don't think anything beats rummynoses IMHO . . .


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## Primate (Nov 25, 2009)

Thanks, I've been looking at petsmart here and they just don't have anything that looks healthy to me. They had some wisteria awhile back that looked good but it was before I had this tank and now those look like everything else they're keeping. 
I go in about once a week in hopes of finding something worthwhile but I've resigned myself to needing to mail order something.
Maybe I'll put the bolivians back in the 29g and go with something else. 
I like the bolivians but didn't want them to be the only cichlids I have. 
This tank is in our main room and I wanted something nice in it.


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## DeadFishFloating (Oct 9, 2007)

Three dwarf cichlids come to mind. A pair of Laetacara dorsigera, a trio of Apistogramma borellii or a trio of Apistogramma trifasciata. If I were to add anymore cichlids, it would be one of these species.


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## Primate (Nov 25, 2009)

I ordered some java fern, amazon sword and a temple plant this morning to help get some more plants in this tank. 
I had disaster last night and the heater stopped working on my 29g which had three of my BR, Serpae Tetra, and my Bristlenose Pleco. 
Everyone seems ok now but I was quite worried as the temperature was 68F before I noticed. 
I've moved the other three BR into the 55g. 
I'm going to continue researching the options you've given me and see where I can get them from. I only have one non chain for a LFS nearby and I don't really trust them so I pretty much have to mail order everything.
Thanks


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## knfanning (Mar 5, 2009)

What part of Maryland you from? There's a few places I could recommend in PA if you're up for a road trip(depending on where you're at). One of them is in Pittsburgh, the other is out in Lancaster. The one in Pittsburgh(my LFS) routinely has people that travel upwards of 2-3 hours. The one in Lancaster I only know by reputation http://www.thatpetplace.com/pet/VisitUs.web


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## Primate (Nov 25, 2009)

I'm pretty much halfway between Baltimore and DC.
Very near Ft. Meade if you're familiar with it.
I think I'd be willing to travel a few hours for fish. It might be a nice road trip with the family.


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## knfanning (Mar 5, 2009)

Check out the place in Lancaster. That's probably 2 hours or less of a drive. They have alot of their stock on that website I sent you so you can get an idea of what they'll have. I've never been there myself but I've heard good things about them.


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## adam79 (Jun 27, 2007)

I would go with one of the options DFF suggested. I've kept Laetacara dorsigera with bolivians. For the most part they ignored each other. This would still leave some room for species that swim in the upper portions of the tank. We have eliminated angels and discus. That leaves mesonauta and heroines. I don't usually recommend severums for 12" deep tanks, but many do it. It is my understanding that most sevs max out between 8-10 inches, but can reach 12, so it would be pushing it. Definitly no more than a single in the long run. I know nothing about Hypselecara coryphaenoides, but fishbase has them maxed out at 6 inches.


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## Primate (Nov 25, 2009)

I'm thinking seriously about the Laetacara dorsigera. 
Would I get 1m 1f or 2m 1f or what?
I'm off to research that and more. 
Thanks all


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## DeadFishFloating (Oct 9, 2007)

Laetacara are definately a pairing cichlid, that form a very strong pait bond. If there is a third Laetacara in the tank, the pair can be pretty unrelenting in chasing it.


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## Primate (Nov 25, 2009)

Thanks, during my research I did go back through and noticed youdid say a pair so I felt stupid for asking when you had already given the answer. 
Now I just need to find someplace to get them.
The place knfanning mentioned has them listed but is of course out of stock. 
I guess I'll wait a bit and hope they come back in stock.


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## ashilli48 (May 14, 2006)

you know I posed a similar question on a thread of mine earlier this week about how many apistos to a 55. Someone had mentioned angels and I expressed my distate to them. Then today I was a a chain that is more like a LFS due to the franchising and snagged a couple of quarter sized angels for $3 (BOGO)....I'm in love! These guys are so cool running around the tank. They have literally gotten in front of as many of their tank mates as they can to stare them each straight in the eyes....funny little guys......they even had what they called koi angels....had the cool koi orange, black and white, may be after them next week (BOGO is every Tuesday).


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## DeadFishFloating (Oct 9, 2007)

If you don't mind mail ordering cichlids, you could checkout what Laetacara Jeff Rapps has in stock.


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## Primate (Nov 25, 2009)

Thanks for the link. 
Are any of the laetacara interchangeable as far as compatibility with my tank?
He has some buckelkopf which I'm trying to research and not finding much about.


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## DeadFishFloating (Oct 9, 2007)

Buckelkopf, curviceps and dorsigera are all very similar. If I had a choice, I'd try the buckelkopf. You might try emailing Jeff to see if he has any pairs, otherwise you should look to order 6 to grow out and waite for a pair to form. You really shouldn't have any trouble selling off the ones you do not want. Laetacara sp. buckelkopf has now been scientifically described as Laetacara araguaiae.

One note of caution, wild caught cichlids display a level of aggression much higher than that of tank raised cichlids. They might be dwarf cichlids, but do not underestimate them.


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## Primate (Nov 25, 2009)

Thank you


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## Primate (Nov 25, 2009)

I received my Laetacara Buckelhopf today. Jeff believes he has sent me a male and a female.
They appear to be doing well enough in my small quarantine tank. I'll try and get some pics of them tomorrow when I turn on their lighting.

Thanks again for all your help.


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## DeadFishFloating (Oct 9, 2007)

Sweet. Can't waite to see the photos.


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## Primate (Nov 25, 2009)

Not the best shots, but the best they'd let me get today.


















Please excuse the decorations, it is their temporary housing.


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## hollyfish2000 (Aug 23, 2007)

These two are cuties! congrats!

Tropical Fish World in Gaithersburg isn't terribly far for you. They can have a very extensive plant collection at times. You need to time it right. Call them and ask if they've had a recent plant shipment. If yes, I highly recommend them. If you go on a Sunday, ask for Andrew. he is very knowledgeable about plants.


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## Primate (Nov 25, 2009)

Thank you, I'll keep that in mind.


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## DeadFishFloating (Oct 9, 2007)

Very nice looking Laetacara sp. Ã¢â‚¬ËœbuckelkopfÃ¢â‚¬â„¢ *Primate*. :thumb:

If you can get some good side on photos with dorsal fins raised, I may be able to guesstimate the sex of the individuals.


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## phorty (Oct 30, 2009)

Good looking fish!


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## Primate (Nov 25, 2009)

Thanks guys. 
A day or two after those pics were taken I had to seperate them because one was terrorizing the other. He lost half his tail fin before I noticed. 
Then I noticed ich on both of them. 
After much tank rearranging they both appear to be doing well. I estimate the fin will be fully repaired in a day or two and I have seen no sign of ich for about a week now. 
I'll try and get some more pics up soon.


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## Primate (Nov 25, 2009)

Fin damage on the 15th. I'd say he or she had been alone for close to a week when this picture was taken.








This was three days later.

These last two are pics from today.


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## Primate (Nov 25, 2009)

Here are some pics of the aggressor taken today.
























In the next couple of days I hope to move this one into the tank with the other one. Hopefully they're less stressed now and may get along better.
If not I guess I'll have to split them up.


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## dwarfpike (Jan 22, 2008)

Those are beautiful fish primate!!! :thumb:

They are supposed to be more aggressive with each other than curviceps or dorsigera, so the damage isn't unexpected really. Hopefully they will sort it out for you.


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## DeadFishFloating (Oct 9, 2007)

That's a real shame *Primate*. Though the caudal fin should heal 100% fine. I've had similar cases with Laetacara curviceps, and treated with melafix and daily water changes.

This is just an uneducated guess, but I think you may have two males there. It is always a risk you take when purchasing a possible "pair" of juveniles of a monomorphic cichlid. You may end up with two of the same sex. That's why I suggested you buy 6 initially to grow out and hope a pair develops.


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## Primate (Nov 25, 2009)

Yeah, I knew I was taking that risk. I just didn't have the room to house six right now. 
I didnt do any special treatment other than the 2 tbsp salt/ 5 gallons of water I was already doing for the ich. I have kept a close eye on it and took pictures to compare growth. 
Thanks


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## Primate (Nov 25, 2009)

I'm also not sure what I would have done with the four that didn't pair up.


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## hollyfish2000 (Aug 23, 2007)

> I'm also not sure what I would have done with the four that didn't pair up


You sell them here or on Craigslist!!


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