What to do about stressed Rams?

Hello all,

Yesterday I purchased 5 young Bolivian Rams. Unfortunately I only have a 10 gallon to quarantine them.
They are quite small and have shown zero aggression to one another. However, they seem quite stressed and won’t come out of hiding.
They were all lively and active at the store. I have never kept Rams do they just need more time to settle in?
I could move them to the 75 gallon, but really want to avoid this as I like to quarantine new arrivals properly and I’m in Canada with little meds to treat illness in case of an outbreak! I’ll attach a photo of the tank setup below and thee parameters.

What are your thoughts/opinions? (Btw the breeder box in the photo has a shrimp to protect him for now).

10 gallon with 5 2” Bolivian rams ( aquaclear 30 )

ammonia 0ppm
nitrites 0ppm
nitrates ~ 5ppm
pH ~7
temp 77-78F

 

Keep the light off for a while to give them time to get used to this new scary place. Try not to make any sudden moves around the tank.

 

Keep the light off for a while to give them time to get used to this new scary place. Try not to make any sudden moves around the tank.

Thanks for the advice will do!

 

Patience. Rams are usually a bit slow to warm up to new environments and people. I found this was the case both with germans and bolivians. The first pair of germans I ever got absolutely wanted nothing to do with me for the first month or so that I had them. Always ran and hid as soon as I came in the room. They came out for food, but if I stayed near the tank they'd wash out and loose all their color, gobble some food and then go hide. At first I worried they were ill, or that maybe they wouldn't crack up to be all everyone said they would. But I'd watch them from the opposite side of the room with the lights down (they can't pick you out as easily in the dark, seems to keep them a bit calmer in the beginning) and they'd come out, all colored up and the male would display and the female would tell him off and all the neat behavoirs everyone said they'd do. So long as I was still and unnoticed, they acted just like rams should. They were just very shy at first. But eventually they warmed up to me and stopped running every time I got close to the tank, and wouldn't lose all their color.

The bolivians I had took only perhaps two weeks to relax and come out more, but I imagine it differs a bit between every fish. But it's not uncommon for rams to get temperamental about new housing. They'll get over it, just be patient with them.

 

Patience. Rams are usually a bit slow to warm up to new environments and people. I found this was the case both with germans and bolivians. The first pair of germans I ever got absolutely wanted nothing to do with me for the first month or so that I had them. Always ran and hid as soon as I came in the room. They came out for food, but if I stayed near the tank they'd wash out and loose all their color, gobble some food and then go hide. At first I worried they were ill, or that maybe they wouldn't crack up to be all everyone said they would. But I'd watch them from the opposite side of the room with the lights down (they can't pick you out as easily in the dark, seems to keep them a bit calmer in the beginning) and they'd come out, all colored up and the male would display and the female would tell him off and all the neat behavoirs everyone said they'd do. So long as I was still and unnoticed, they acted just like rams should. They were just very shy at first. But eventually they warmed up to me and stopped running every time I got close to the tank, and wouldn't lose all their color.

The bolivians I had took only perhaps two weeks to relax and come out more, but I imagine it differs a bit between every fish. But it's not uncommon for rams to get temperamental about new housing. They'll get over it, just be patient with them.

I’m glad to hear this thanks for the reply! I’ll keep the lights low and be patient