# Sorority with a Ram?



## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

Alrighty so I've got my 33 gallon with my 9 girl sorority, 7 neon tetras, 6 Dwarf Cory cats and 1 Bristlenose Pleco. The sorority has been set up for two weeks now and so far so good, Maddie has been the most picked on so far since I introduced her formally last Friday but nothing serious just a few tears in her tail.

Anyway that aside, I kind of want to get rid of the Tetras because lately they've been getting pretty feisty and I think it's upsetting my girls. Even though it gives a nice continuity to my tank, I'm still considering getting rid of them because I really don't want to end up with more stressed girls than I already have. Phoenix already fades enough as it is with her stress stripes and then alternates to her submission stripes.

So if I did say goodbye to the neons (I would donate them to my newly set up again LFS) I was wondering if I would be able to get a German Blue Ram. I had done lost of studying on the GBR before getting this tank because initially I had wanted a pair. But since then, the sorority came into play haha

So my pH stays at a lovely 7.4-7.6 (it's just because I can't tell if it's a 7.4 or a 7.6, it's one or the other though and it doesn't swing at all) and I'll be starting my CO2 up soon so my plants can really fill in. I know GBR are also territorial and that would be a lot of territorial fish in one tank, but would it work?

I wouldn't mind just one female but I just love the way they look. Would it be possible to have just one male? They seemed to be a little more aggressive as I read? Not sure if that's true or not though, but anyone with this sort of experience would be wonderful. One would be fine, I'm not interested in a mating pair because that would just be wayyyyy too much stress on everyone. But I do know there have been cases where you can house two females together and they are fine?

Anywho, any info would be wonderful, thanks a bunch all!


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## shellieca (Jul 12, 2012)

I have no experience with GBR's but from what you said in your post, I don't think its something I would try or if I did I would make sure I had a back up plan in case it didn't work. I would be concerned the sorrority would gang up on the single GBR. GBR's are from the Cichlid family & I've heard from Cichlid owners that theirs have killed off everything in the tanks. IMO, there's too much risk for me to do it. Again just my opinion as I have no experience with GBR's, I'm going strictly off your post & my own research & what I've heard from others.


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## jaysee (Dec 9, 2009)

Yes GBRs are cichlids, but they aren't going to kill everything in the tank. There ARE cichlids that are like that, and there are many that are not.

I would not expect many problems keeping a GBR or two with the bettas. It's a combination that I've done before - the rams really don't care about other fish in the tank, in my experience. But like was said, it's not a guarantee, so if it doesn't work out you will have to take appropriate action.


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

Okay, thanks guys. Yeah my girls don't really care about anything else in the tank either so I felt like it would be alright since neither party would care about the other. But I do realize there are risks to this and depends mostly on the temperament of each fish.

I think I will definitely consider this but it will definitely be down the line when I can monitor their progress a little more. For now I think I just want to get those Neons out of there even though I've grown a bit attached to them, they really each have their own personality and it's kind of cute to see. They've settled down a bit from last week but I still don't want to take chances in them stressing my girls out anymore.

Once the Neons are out I'll see how everyone is fairing and decide what to do from there, thanks all


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## Fenghuang (Dec 28, 2012)

Never kept GBRs, but they have a reputation for being good community fish. They do not get very big and are fairly passive, unless they are stressed or breeding (and defending their eggs and young, of course). Most people I know who had or do have them keep them in pairs, but I don't know if that is required or they do fine on their own... Heavily planted tanks (ideally, at least 20 gallon) would be the best setup for them. This would give them plenty of hiding places from more aggressive tankmates--usually the only time you'll see aggression from the rams themselves is if they are feeling threatened.

EDIT: I did some Googling and they don't need to be kept in pairs. However, you should not keep one fish alone by itself, because they feel much safer having other peaceful fish around.


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

Yes, thank you Feng. I really don't want a male/female pair just in case things get rough because I knew about the breeding (I had done some extensive research on them but just wasn't sure about fitting into a sorority and all).

So possibly two females? Although I think I would have to seriously watch who I pick out, I believe they are similar to Betta's where some are more aggressive than others. But if I remember correctly I don't want to do a pair of males since they are most aggressive like Gouramis/Male Bettas unless they have enough space.

But yes, they would be going into my 33 gallon flat back hex with my sorority. My plants are all growing nicely and I'll be setting up my CO2 system soon to really start filling it in so there will be more hiding spots.

I won't get the rams until after I'm truly certain about all these things.


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## jaysee (Dec 9, 2009)

Quite honestly, it's not really going to matter what combo you get - m/m, f/f, m/f. If they breed, they breed. It seems like people have this idea that cichlids turn into monsters when they lay eggs. Again, some do, but most don't. Rams certainly don't. If bettas are as smart as people always say they are, then there shouldn't be any problems, because they will give the rams the space they need. Your tank is plenty big for it. 

Like I said before, rams don't pay other fish any attention. If you wind up with 2 males, then they will likely spar - that is, after all, where they got their name from - how rams (mammals) charge at each other. Sparing is just that - sparing. It's not fighting, and it's not reason to be concerned. If you get 2 males, they will each claim a side of the tank, and spar in the middle from time to time. It's really very interesting to watch. There is RARELY any damage that comes from that, and even if there is, it will be minor and heal on its own. Still, they won't care about any other fish in the tank. If you are new to cichlids, then it will sure be exciting for you, because they are unlike your normal community fish.


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

Ooh thanks for the info Jaysee! That does sound interesting, and yes like others I had read about cichlids getting more aggressive while breeding, good to know they won't tear my tank apart though on the off chance. I really want to get a pair m/f now lol

And yup, new to cichlids although one of my friends tried to get me to set my 33 up as a cichlid tank when I was in the initial planning of it. But since finding about GBR's I've just fell in love with them.

So I also have 1 Bristlnose Pleco and 6 Dwarf Cories, do you think the rams would be bothered by these since I haven't found too much on that. I know you said they wouldn't care about the other fish but I was just wondering since they will technically share the lower levels of the tank. I assume they'll be fine with an occasional nip to the cories but I just wasn't entirely sure since I've never had rams before.


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## VJM (Feb 7, 2013)

You guys aren't helping with my German Blue Ram fever.


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

VJM said:


> You guys aren't helping with my German Blue Ram fever.


Lol yeah, they're much like Betta's! You just have to have one...or two! lol


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