# 2 Bolivian Rams in 15 Galon Aquarium?



## ARLETA (Oct 16, 2019)

I am planning on purchasing Fluval Flex 15 Galons Aquarium Kit. I was surching true freshwater fishes and I red about Bolivian Rams. I am wondering if I could keep 2 of them (or maybe electric blue Rams) in 15 galon planted tank with addition of 2 maybe 3 Panda Corry. Fluval Flex is designed for planted aquariums so I have hope it might work?

It has been my dream for longer time to have small community aquarium. And my bettas have to live separately. Since it is expensive hobby I am sicking for advice. I don't want to start something what doesn't have a sense. I saw Rams in Petco the other day, they are really pretty and not to big Cichlids.

Does anybody have suggestions? Is it enought space por 2 of them in 15 galons aquarium? I am planing on having possibly 2 females or 2 males. If someone keeps them maybe I can get advice which ones are less aggressive females or males?


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

16 L x 15 W x 15 H"

The best way to determine if fish will "fit" an aquarium is to throw out gallons and learn their tank dimension requirements. This is the way species profiles define appropriate tank size.

Bolivian Rams need a tank 35" x 17". The Fluval Flex is 16" L x 15" W x 15" H. Not enough length for these fish.

An Electric Blue pair need a tank 24" x 12". So not enough length for them, either.

Unless you are determined to get the Fluval Flex, you can start from scratch for far less. And if you aren't in a hurry, PetCo has its $1 per gallon sale in January.


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## Old Dog 59 (Nov 11, 2018)

I'm with Russell on this and I would suggest either a 20 L or a 29 gallon tank for them. When I had Rams I had them in a 55 gal. and all was peaceful.


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## ARLETA (Oct 16, 2019)

Thank you both for important informations.
I think 20 galon long looks promising. It just takes lots of space and here I have a problem. Not sure if my husband will agree 🤔. It took me a while to convince him to Fluval Flex 15 galon. And I don't want other fishes then Rams. I really love how they look.


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## DaceyJ (Apr 9, 2018)

If you end up only being able to do the 15g I can suggest sparkling gourami (aka pygmy gourami). I know you don't want to consider other fish, but sparkling gouramis can be just as colorful as rams in the right environment and are pretty easy to care for with attitudes similar to bettas and equally like heavily planted tanks. Just a thought if you can only go with that size, but I understand having your heart set on rams. They are beautiful and interesting fish, and hopefully you'll be able to get the set-up you want.


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## ARLETA (Oct 16, 2019)

DaceyJ said:


> If you end up only being able to do the 15g I can suggest sparkling gourami (aka pygmy gourami). I know you don't want to consider other fish, but sparkling gouramis can be just as colorful as rams in the right environment and are pretty easy to care for with attitudes similar to bettas and equally like heavily planted tanks. Just a thought if you can only go with that size, but I understand having your heart set on rams. They are beautiful and
> interesting fish, and hopefully you'll be able to get the set-up you want.


Thank you. They are pretty, but like u said my heart is set on Rams. So I will try to work something for bigger tank.


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## ARLETA (Oct 16, 2019)

Old Dog 59 said:


> I'm with Russell on this and I would suggest either a 20 L or a 29 gallon tank for them. When I had Rams I had them in a 55 gal. and all was peaceful.


Old Dog if I manage to convince my husband for 29 gallon tank, how many bolivian Rams could I keep in it? I am planing to have 3 panda cory and few Rams. Aquarium with 29 galons capacity makes more sense, it's the same lenght like 20 galon long but more space for fish.


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

It is not the gallons you want, but the length. These fish get very territorial; especially during breeding. This is why smaller tank footprints won't work. A pair of either type of Ram is probably all you can handle with your restrictions. As OD59 suggested, a good compromise would be a 20 gallon long or a 29. 

These, IME, are not easy fish to keep. They definitely are not as easy to keep as Betta...which are a hardy fish. I would not consider Rams to be beginner fish. But that's just my opinion.


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## Rainbo (Nov 23, 2015)

ARLETA said:


> Old Dog if I manage to convince my husband for 29 gallon tank, how many bolivian Rams could I keep in it? I am planing to have 3 panda cory and few Rams. Aquarium with 29 galons capacity makes more sense, it's the same lenght like 20 galon long but more space for fish.



The Panda Cories need a shoal to feel safe and secure. A proper shoal is at minimum 6 fish, so you'll be needing at least 3 more if you want to keep them properly.

What the 29 gal will give you is more room for a few more fish. You could have your Rams as your "centerpiece" and add 1 or 2 more types of fish to compliment them. 

I have a 20 gal long planted aquarium, and have my betta as the centerpiece in it, then I have 8 bronze cories that roam the bottom and 8 harlequin raspbora that tend to stick to the middle of the tank. My betta patrols wherever he likes and I spot him at all levels of the tank.

Maybe get some Honey Gourami, they are pretty but would not outshine the Rams, and they are peaceful, you'd need at least 4 to 6 of them. https://www.fishkeepingworld.com/honey-gourami/


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## ARLETA (Oct 16, 2019)

RussellTheShihTzu said:


> These, IME, are not easy fish to keep. They definitely are not as easy to keep as Betta...which are a hardy fish. I would not consider Rams to be beginner fish. But that's just my opinion.


I understand your concern. But I already chose them long time ago and my husband agreed for 29 galon tank. It will be my Christmas/Anniversary gift. Next month I will buy a stand and in December tank and all accessories. In January I will buy a pair of Rams. 2 are enough for me. I will be more then happy.


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## ARLETA (Oct 16, 2019)

Rainbo said:


> ARLETA said:
> 
> 
> > The Panda Cories need a shoal to feel safe and secure. A proper shoal is at minimum 6 fish, so you'll be needing at least 3 more if you want to keep them properly.
> ...


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

ARLETA said:


> I understand your concern. But I already chose them long time ago and my husband agreed for 29 galon tank. It will be my Christmas/Anniversary gift. Next month I will buy a stand and in December tank and all accessories. In January I will buy a pair of Rams. 2 are enough for me. I will be more then happy.


Thank you for understanding. It's not that I don't think you should get them. It's that I don't want you to give up if it doesn't work out. I've seen so many good future aquarists give up on aquatics because they chose a difficult fish to keep and weren't successful. I feel badly when that happens.

I love, love, love Rams. However, I am unable to keep them because my water is too hard and pH too high. :-( I may try again when I'm finally finished setting up both 20 long tanks.


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## Old Dog 59 (Nov 11, 2018)

Well I'm glad you are getting your 29 gal. I think you have a good start going. Rams like Russell has sid are not beginner fish for most, Do your homework and really understand the breed. Understand that they need space and hides. They are like any other Cichlid. with a pair they can be territorial especially when it comes to breeding. To keep breeding from happening keep the water temp around 78 degrees. They start their breeding and mating when the water temp reaches 80 degrees and all other conditions are right in the tank. 

I would add a shoal of Cory but no more than 6 I would add a small shoal of either White clouds or Ember Tetra, maybe even some zebra Danios, You could even think about adding a pair of Kribensis They are also very peaceful and beautiful fish. The are part of the African Cichlid group. So there are other type and species that you could add but to really keep the safety of your tank in m/ind go here to see about your stocking . 
AqAdvisor - Intelligent Freshwater Tropical Fish Aquarium Stocking Calculator and Aquarium Tank/Filter Advisor Also remember with a 29 gallon aquarium you will need really good filtration. I would suggest something along the line of a canister filter something along the line of a MarineLand 160 or better. The more filtration the the tank stays crystal clear and pristine.


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## ARLETA (Oct 16, 2019)

Old Dog 59 said:


> Well I'm glad you are getting your 29 gal. I think you have a good start going. Rams like Russell has sid are not beginner fish for most, Do your homework and really understand the breed. Understand that they need space and hides. They are like any other Cichlid. with a pair they can be territorial especially when it comes to breeding. To keep breeding from happening keep the water temp around 78 degrees. They start their breeding and mating when the water temp reaches 80 degrees and all other conditions are right in the tank.
> 
> I would add a shoal of Cory but no more than 6 I would add a small shoal of either White clouds or Ember Tetra, maybe even some zebra Danios, You could even think about adding a pair of Kribensis They are also very peaceful and beautiful fish. The are part of the African Cichlid group. So there are other type and species that you could add but to really keep the safety of your tank in m/ind go here to see about your stocking .
> AqAdvisor - Intelligent Freshwater Tropical Fish Aquarium Stocking Calculator and Aquarium Tank/Filter Advisor Also remember with a 29 gallon aquarium you will need really good filtration. I would suggest something along the line of a canister filter something along the line of a MarineLand 160 or better. The more filtration the the tank stays crystal clear and pristine.


Thank you for all suggestions. Marineland 160 canister filter looks good. And I found it online on sale. I have a question about the heater. I was thinking about Hydro Theo 200 W. Is it enough for 29 galons aquarium?

I am really excited about community aquarium and all fish I will be able to keep along with my 2 Boliwian Rams. I really like honey Guarami but Kribensis are nice as well. How many fish max I can keep in my 29 galon aquarium. So I am sure about 2 Bolivian Rams and 6 Panda Corry. How many more I can add?


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## Old Dog 59 (Nov 11, 2018)

The Hydro Theo is a choice and 200 watt is a good choice but you could get away with a 150 watt. Keeping he Temp between 75 and 80 degrees Recommended temp is 75.2 degrees with a ph of between 6 and 7.2. Your stocking would be 99% with the following fish 2 Bolivian Rams, 6 Cory, and 2 Krebensis. This would be the limit of your filtration with the marine land canister 160 You could up the filter to a 220 or add a HOB like a Tetra Whisper 40 which would (combined with ) a MarineLand 160 canister give you 231% filtration. You could add 2 more Bolivian Rams and your stocking would be at 92 % and with filtration at 178% and weekly water changes of 28% Your tank would be well planted and have some rock caves for them to hide in. 

If you want to see what else would be a good fit for your tank go to AqAdvisor - Intelligent Freshwater Tropical Fish Aquarium Stocking Calculator and Aquarium Tank/Filter Advisor and fill in all the info on your tank and add the fish you want to stock This is what I did when I looked for other tank mates for your 29 gallon with the marineland 160 canister filter combined with a second HOB filter of 40 gallons or better.

unless you have a few years of experience I would not suggest you over stock your aquarium. With what I have suggested this is not an over stock but very close to a 100% stocking of your aquarium.


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## ARLETA (Oct 16, 2019)

Old Dog 59 said:


> The Hydro Theo is a choice and 200 watt is a good choice but you could get away with a 150 watt. Keeping he Temp between 75 and 80 degrees Recommended temp is 75.2 degrees with a ph of between 6 and 7.2. Your stocking would be 99% with the following fish 2 Bolivian Rams, 6 Cory, and 2 Krebensis. This would be the limit of your filtration with the marine land canister 160 You could up the filter to a 220 or add a HOB like a Tetra Whisper 40 which would (combined with ) a MarineLand 160 canister give you 231% filtration. You could add 2 more Bolivian Rams and your stocking would be at 92 % and with filtration at 178% and weekly water changes of 28% Your tank would be well planted and have some rock caves for them to hide in.
> 
> If you want to see what else would be a good fit for your tank go to AqAdvisor - Intelligent Freshwater Tropical Fish Aquarium Stocking Calculator and Aquarium Tank/Filter Advisor and fill in all the info on your tank and add the fish you want to stock This is what I did when I looked for other tank mates for your 29 gallon with the marineland 160 canister filter combined with a second HOB filter of 40 gallons or better.


I am planing on adding driftwood to my aquarium, large size. And some lava rocks for caves.My water Ph is rather High (7.2 , 7.4) so I need to lover it in natural way. 
About additional filtration: will Fluval Aqua Clear 50 be good? I think I will stick to 2 Bolivian Rams but would add more of kribensis like 5 total.


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## Old Dog 59 (Nov 11, 2018)

ARLETA said:


> I am planing on adding driftwood to my aquarium, large size. And some lava rocks for caves.My water Ph is rather High (7.2 , 7.4) so I need to lover it in natural way.
> About additional filtration: will Fluval Aqua Clear 50 be good?


Yes the Aqua Clear 50 would be excellent. Plant the tank heavily, and the ph will reduce it's self. There are some rocks that will raise the ph so watch what you add that way. I would use shale of flat stone and build the hides. they would be smooth and not as porous as the Lava rock. The driftwood sounds good also make sure you boil it for about an hour and let it soak in a bucket of conditioned water for a few days in order to remove the Tannin.

Oh yeah You know of course your husband has just accepted to feed your addiction. LOL


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## ARLETA (Oct 16, 2019)

Old Dog 59 said:


> Oh yeah You know of course your husband has just accepted to feed your addiction. LOL


Lol, he know I am crazy about fish and my dog. And yes it is trully addictive! But I will stick to one aquarium in my living room. In my bedroom I have 3 small ones with bettas.😊


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## Old Dog 59 (Nov 11, 2018)

Hay I tell my wife the same thing, I will only put one tank in the office. I now have 5, 5.5 betta tanks and 1 10 gallon community betta tank . living room has 3 10 gallon and 1 29 gallon. I've been banned to the basement for any other tanks and when I get the basement ready for more tanks I have to move all but one betta tank to the basement. LOL. 

I hate to tell her I've already ordered a 125 gallon for delivery around Christmas Planing on putting it in the dining room until the basement is done. LOL

Yep addictions aint they great????


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

Don't worry if you boil the driftwood and still show tannins in the tank. They will eventually filter out; faster if you use charcoal in the filters.


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## ARLETA (Oct 16, 2019)

Old Dog 59 said:


> Hay I tell my wife the same thing, I will only put one tank in the office. I now have 5, 5.5 betta tanks and 1 10 gallon community betta tank . living room has 3 10 gallon and 1 29 gallon. I've been banned to the basement for any other tanks and when I get the basement ready for more tanks I have to move all but one betta tank to the basement. LOL.
> 
> I hate to tell her I've already ordered a 125 gallon for delivery around Christmas Planing on putting it in the dining room until the basement is done. LOL
> 
> Yep addictions aint they great????


Thats really impressive. I wish I had more room I would get Bowfront 72 gallon Aquarium. Maybe one day....

Regarding 29 gallon planted aquarium, what is the best substrate for the plants? I will purchase Marineland LED Advanced Strip light 24 inches it expands to 36 inches. I think this will be good to keep planted aquarium. But I don't know anything yet about the substrate.


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## Old Dog 59 (Nov 11, 2018)

There are many different substrates I have always used a mix of sand and very small pebbles. I add plant tabs and supplement with SeaChem Flourish. Some use Florite which I find quite messy and I don't like the way they changed their product in the past few years . I used it about 8 years ago and I thought it was great but there has been a change. I got a 15 lb bag a few months ago and put it into a new startup 5.5 tank. It was a total disaster. I washed it for over an hour and placed it in the tank. it looked like I put potting soil in and mixed it up. I drained the tank and washed it some more with the same results. I left it sit for 48 hours to clear and changed the filter. when I went to plant just the slightest movement caused a cloud. I emptied the tank in the drive way and that's where that product is today. Really the best and cheapest I have found is either White playground sand or black blasting sand. Add plant tabs and use Flourish and the plants will thrive. 

The LED strip is a good idea and will give you low to medium lighting. So pick your plants accordingly. Beware most plants that like medium to high lighting will need CO2. API has a liquid CO2 that works well Or you could spend quite a bit on infusers. I choose the API and don't have any problems with my plants. 

The choice of plants is up to you but in a 29 gal. try a few banana plants I love the way they grow and when they reach the surface and the leaves spread out they are amazing plants. Do as much home work as you can on your plants find out what their needs are and things will be fine.


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## ARLETA (Oct 16, 2019)

So I did research little bit about the substrate. I am planning on mixing "ADA Aqua Soil Amazonia II" with "ADA power Sand Adwance-S". The soil Amazonia II lowers the pH of the water but it also relives Amonia so it is recommended to cycle the tank befor adding the fish. 
Does anyone used it befor in planted aquariums? What are ur opinions about it?


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## ARLETA (Oct 16, 2019)

After few months I wanted to update my topic. So how I mentioned before I was convinced to get 29 gallon aquarium and I did it. My project is up and running for 2 days now. Here how it looks so far.






Water is still cloudy but to start the cycle I did house in it 4 Bolivian Rams. I love those guys.







In near future I am planning on adding tall plants to the background. Also I want to house in it few Honey Gouramis and school of Panda Corys.


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## ARLETA (Oct 16, 2019)

My Tank is comming to life. I've just added honey Gouaramies to my Bolivian Rams and few smaller plants. Name of Rams are as follow: Molly, Dolly, Romeo and Shadow. Love them already. They give me a lot of joy.


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## ARLETA (Oct 16, 2019)

My tank is now fully furnished 😊. I added bunch of plants and air stone. Currently I am housing I it 4 Bolivian Rams and 6 Honey Gouramis. After the cycle will close I will add school of Panda Corys. Fish loves to hide between plants and in caves.


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