andy65

would a blue ram be ok in a 10gl tank or do they get to big for it?
One of the LFS has them and they are so colorful and interesting looking.


I think i am going to put in some cherry or gold barbs and them i am not sure what else.
Any suggestions would be VERY helpful as I am new and do not have a CLUE what I am going to put in my tank.

thanks

jack11

yep you definantly can but if you do, make sure you have your tank understocked and that u put the other fish in first because they are very sensitive to changes in water parameters.

andy65

ok so now that i know that i can do it, do i need to get more than one or is one male going to be ok in the tank alone?

jack11

he would be fine by himself but better with a female companion. what other fish do you plan on stocking your tank with?

andy65

tetras or barb but i am leaning more to tetras more than likely black phantom tetras and neon's and maybe some rummy-nose but i do not know what i am going to get.

my tank has been up for 24 hr but the only thing is I do not have a test kit! the one at one of of our LFS is $29 and they do not just sell the ones like need. I am 18 and on a VERY TIGHT budget. There is a different LFS down the road that I have not been to yet.

jack11

ok then, wait AT LEAST 4 weeks. you need to opt for one kind of tetra because they need to be in groups of at leats 4 but prefereably 6+, so if you have say 5 neons and a GBR you would have a great looking tank that is just about perfectly stocked.

Tom

Have you read the profile of the GBR on the main site/magazine? If not, I would advise doing so since they will not be fine in a 10 gallon. The tank itself is just to small since they like lots of swimming space. That is why a 20 gallon is the smallest they would need to be happy. If you wanted to put one in a 10 gallon, make sure that is the only one in the tank since they are very territorial and would attack anything else in the tank.
Tom

Jacko

I agree with Tom here. GBR's need at the minimum a 15 gallon, and that is just for 1. You might want to go with a 20 gallon and get 3 GBR's, 1m/2f because the male will harrass the females as every male does, and with 2 females the aggression is more distributed. In a 10 gallon tank if you had a male and a female the female would have no place to run away and would likely die of stress.

If you want a dwarf cichlid in your ten gallon then I would go with A. borrelli, they stay small enough and aren't as "wife-beaterish" as the GBR.

susitna-flower

Hi Andy, welcome to fishlore!

GBR's are lovely, they are also one of those fish that are very sensitive and will not live if stressed! This means you can not put them in a tank that is not fully cycled!
They are ph sensitive also, though if you acclimate them VERY slowly they do better.

PLEASE listen to Tom and Jacko, there are lots of lovely fish that will be completely suitable in your 10 gallon, and since you are on a tight budget it would be better to have happy healthy fish.

If you can go to a 20 gallon, it would be fine to get the GBR's, but read up on them, and make them the spotlight fish in the tank, with maybe only otoes and 3 corys as tank mates. If you then set the whole tank up with their needs in mind it would be a satisfying experience.

andy65

ok
I was thinking of getting one male or a male+female pair of dwarf Gourami or honey Gourami
and some neon tetras would those be a good fishes for my tank?

thanks. I this board have been VERY helpful for me.

andy65

can some one give me a profile of a A. borrelli and a pic.?

Tom

What all do you want to know?
Tom

Jacko

Apistogramma borelli:
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/my...a_borelli.html

Dusko Bojic's Miniature forest with Apistogramma Borelli pair:
http://10gco2planted.blogspot.com/20...-thriving.html
He takes wonderful photographs.

andy65

Tom,
just the normal stuff. water temp,food,ph range,tank mates. that kind of thing.

P.S thanks for the pics jacko.

Tom

The males are larger, typical stuff for cichlids. 20-30C, the male can be 6cm, female 4cm. Other than a lot of text, that is pretty much the basic stuff about them. Just remember, they need some space in the tank, so get make sure it is a minimum of a 20 gallon tank for 1-2 fish.
Tom