got bit by the Ram bug

[TheHighestCrew]

I picked up my first cichlid ever the other week: an electric blue ram at city pets. I love this little guy! I then saw German blue rams on sale at petsmart for like 2$ each and I bought 3 more. I think all the germans are females they appear to have blue reflective scales in the black spot under the dorsal fin. The electric blue is much harder to sex. So far the 4 in the tank have been amazing there is a ton of hiding spots and plants. They all section off little parts of the tank and stay in them. Then at other times they all swim and dance around each other. I want to add a few more electric blues. What an awesome fish!

[johnnymisty]

Lets see some pics of these guys rams are awsome lil guys

[mistahoo]

Lets see some pics of these guys rams are awsome lil guys

+1!

[troy tucker]

Mikrogeophagus ramirezi Very cool little fish. easy to sex the V in the tail of the female.

[TheHighestCrew]

pics are cell phone pics. first 2 are the electric blue, last 3 are the german blues.

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What am I looking for in the tail as far as sexing them? Do you have any example photos?

[troy tucker]

Sexing them is easy. Females tend to be more robust. A little thicker. there bottom will be flatter with a pinkish color.Showing that she is ready to breed. Its tail will have a V shape.
Males will have 3 spike rays on the front of its dorsal. with a squared off tail and a rounder bottom.

[TheHighestCrew]

So I got a new 29 gallon for my room during the 1$ per gallon sale. This is my new ram tank. So far I have it set up with floramax, AC50, and heater. I will be adding plants today and more slowly going forward. I am doing a badass DIY canister for it and I will post the write up on it to the DIY section. Right now it has my 1 electric blue male, 1 older female GB ram, and 2 younger GB rams which I think are male and female. I want to add another 2 Electric blues. Also has one kuhli loach. I will get some photos later. The rams are loving the bigger tank.

[allysangels]

so cool! be careful with the electric blues as they tend to be very delicate and much more sensitive to water quality or sudden changes.

[LordBarron7692]

nice looking rams I had like 20 of them in my 60 with some discus they all got along lovely

[TheHighestCrew]

thanks guys! You know what is interesting is my electric blue has been the survivor. I had them in a smaller tank before and I added 3 GB rams form petsmart. Within a two week period two of my GB rams died. This was the group i bought with the larger GB female. Only her and the electric lived. When I set this one up I bought the two smaller rams from a different store. So far so good. I want to hit up city pets after work and see if they have some more electric blues. Sucks they are like 3 times as much money as the GBs but the color is amazing.

[allysangels]

i agree... good luck! my experience working at a big chain store has taught me not to buy fish from them... most of the stock that came in was already sick and wouldn't last long, there was always pressure from above to "sell them before they die".

[troy tucker]

Very time I have got Rams from Pet/Smart they had parasites. after treatment they were fine.

[TheHighestCrew]

how did you treat your rams? Did you use a specific medication?