Adding to my 55g - help deciding between Angelfish and German Blue Ram

Hello,
I have a 55g tank - well filtered with sponge, plexplat 750 and aquaclear 50. Currently I have 2 EB Acara and 5 Swordtails, 2 plecos. I want to add either koi angelfish or German Blue Rams. Thoughts? Any alternative options?
Thank you!

 

Why not add more acaras

 

I would, but my fish guy doesn't have any. I guess I could wait. I just like the colour variety in the tank too!

 

I was just discussing this in another thread.

While GBR are beautiful, they are very delicate. They spend most of their time in the bottom third like the EBA, and won't take to the larger EBA.

I'd bet the GBR would be dead within six months.

Angelfish on the other hand will spend most of their time in the top half of the tank and should avoid too much unwanted attention from the EBA.

 

I was just discussing this in another thread.

While GBR are beautiful, they are very delicate. They spend most of their time in the bottom third like the EBA, and won't take to the larger EBA.

I'd bet the GBR would be dead within six months.

Angelfish on the other hand will spend most of their time in the top half of the tank and should avoid too much unwanted attention from the EBA.

Because GBRs require water temperature in the low to mid 80s, the OP will need to make sure his stock is temperature compatible. That said, I’m curious what your basis is for betting they’d be dead in 6 months?

 

Because GBRs require water temperature in the low to mid 80s, the OP will need to make sure his stock is temperature compatible. That said, I’m curious what your basis is for betting they’d be dead in 6 months?

Just my experience of keeping GBR and reading many others with the same experience.

GBR are best kept in single species tanks, and really would not be able to cope with much larger fish that also stay in the bottom third of the tank. In this example the OPs Electric Blue Acara.

You also make a good point on water temperature. You need to keep GBR at 28c (minimum) and that's too hot for Electric Blue Acara.

 

A lot of people keep GBR in community tank - they are adaptable but they want consistent chemistry AND temp. A big change in chemistry or temp. will have bad results. When i change the water with my ram i preheat it to tank temp. I've only had him 6 months and he's been fine - for 5 months he was with a couple of angels sterbai and some kuhli. Right now he is with 4 pleco 7 kuhli 7 sterbai and 4 apistogramma.
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They are delicate but i believe as long as you are careful they will do ok. His mate died during a 24 hour power outage (temp dropped from 80 to 74 during that period). She didn't die right away - just got bloated and never ate again.
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Anyway since it has been 6 months i'm sure i'll wake up tomorrow and he'll be dead.