# Cycling New Tank : Bolivian Rams?....



## mrbeadheadful (Oct 24, 2012)

- I currently have a 20g Standard tank cycling and am trying to decide the stock right now. 
-The tank has a course natural sand substrate, 3 large quartzite rocks and a red Crypt for shelter. 
- Filtration is a Penguin 150B, with the standard cartrage and an aquaclear 70 sponge cut to fit.
-100w heater, Temp is 78F
-Lighting consists of 42 white LED's and 3 blue for night.

Experience level ~High~ Had a 125g, 55g, 29g, 15g, 10g before college.

*My thoughts for the tank are~*

~Main fish, Bolivian Rams (love these, used to have one in my 55 community), question is, how many? I'm guessing they will be impossible to sex at the young age offered by my lfs.
~Upper level fish, I'm thinking either a few dwarf gouramies, or a male betta, as I know both can be successfully kept with Rams.
~ Clean up crew~ I'm thinking corrie cats, ~4 of them, but I have to check if anything else is available, possibly a couple oto's too, but I don't know how otos handle high PH>
~ Any other suggestions, I'm not a fan of tetras, rasaboras or danios really.


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## JoeE (Jun 11, 2012)

A Bolivian Ram pair will do fine in a 20 gallon. Start with 4-6 and see if you can get a pair out of that group.

I wouldn't keep a male betta with dwarf cichlids. Unless you get a wussy male a fight is very likely. A dwarf gourami might do OK, but you're very likely to end up with carnage if you stock two of them in the same tank.

Cories will do fine, you may even want to up that group to 5 or 6. Otos will eat algae but they won't do anything to clean your substrate. I wouldn't try putting them in high pH water, they are way too finicky.

Not sure I have any other suggestions - peaceful schooling fish like danios or tetras are usually the best option for a tank stocked similarly to yours.


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## mrbeadheadful (Oct 24, 2012)

Cool man. 
PH is 8.0 (makes the ammonia in the cycling water very toxic), so I'm not thinking oto's, but my previous tank was 7.8 and my Bolivian did great.

I know that zebra danios would be ideal, but I'm really not a huge fan. The tank currently has 1 tiger barb that will be re-homed when I introduce new stock.


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## mrbeadheadful (Oct 24, 2012)

I have only ever kept 3 spotted gourami's (2m 2f in my 55g) The dominant male could be a real bully. 
So, as I have previously mentioned is a male betta (fancy) a absolute no? And multiple dwarf gouramies are also out?


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## JoeE (Jun 11, 2012)

A male betta could work but you are taking a risk that may result in dead or injured fish. I've never kept dwarf gouramis but I've heard that they tend to fight if you stock them in groups smaller than 4-5, and that would be way too many fish for your tank.


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## mrbeadheadful (Oct 24, 2012)

Yeah, my thoughts, as I wouldn't really have room for more than 3 gouramies.

What about ~3 B rams
~5 corries
~ something(s) for the upper water column


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## JoeE (Jun 11, 2012)

Sounds good. Three Bolivian Rams might not work in the long run if you get a pair, in which case the odd fish out will get bullied, but you can always rehome one.


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## mrbeadheadful (Oct 24, 2012)

That was what i was thinking. What happens If I get 3m or 3F?

Any particular suggestions for upper water?


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## mrbeadheadful (Oct 24, 2012)

Platies?


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## BelieveInBlue (Jul 17, 2011)

Hatchetfish work well if you can keep a tight lid, though I find that they can jump out of the tiniest of gaps. I'd go with 4 rams, and keep 2 once they've paired off. Tetras might work, though they're more of a mid-water species.


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## mrbeadheadful (Oct 24, 2012)

Not thinking hatchet fish are available. My Selection is quite limited.
Krib's
Bolivian Rams
'Firemouths
then other africans and large cichlids

personally more of a live bearer fan than schooling fish fan.


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## mrbeadheadful (Oct 24, 2012)

Ph is 8.0, so I am shying away from the most sensitive fish. (many tetras,otos, no wildcaught cichlids here, so they should all do fine, as they do fine in the pet store on the same water source)


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## mrbeadheadful (Oct 24, 2012)

Well, got a male and 2 female plays.
going to get 3 more females next week, and a bristlenose pleco
the lfs has Blue rams now. How would they fair in ph 8?

Also got a Tetra 110gph HOB filter and purigen to supplement the tank, bringing advertised Tank GPH to 260GPH.


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## mrbeadheadful (Oct 24, 2012)




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## BelieveInBlue (Jul 17, 2011)

If they're farm raised/captive bred then pH won't matter very much, as long as it's stable. Of cource, they need a mature tank, so I wouldn't add them until the tank's been ready for at least a month.


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