Apisto cacs and rams?

[sherry]

I have a healthy pair of apisto cacs (after a horrid die off where only one of three females and a male survived.. I waited a month and added a male to my bullet proof female and all is now well.)


I was thinking of adding either another female or a pair of blue rams. I have a heavilly planted 30 gallon cube 20 inches square.

could I pair the cacs with another cichlid? or should I just get a third ?

my kh is 1, gh 4 (with a little added calcium and magnesium) and my ph is usually between 5.7 and 6.0 (depending on c02 concentrations. ) Without co2, the ph is 6.0. Water is changed 50% every week.

 

[tx_mike]

Rams & Cacs

I've had very good luck mixing Rams w/ many Apisto species. Some minor territorial disputes but they don't get real serious. I'd stay away from mixing using large full grown males. If one of the two groups (Rams or asst Apistos) are juvies they seem to mix very well. One comment I would make is a 20" square "floor space" seems a little small for more than one group. Also try to pick an Apisto species that likes warmer water, Rams will do best at temps of 84 and up.

 

[Cathy G]

I agree here - 20 inches/floor space isn't enough for both. There will be mighty battles during spawning season. I have a feeling one couple will end up dominate with the other couple hiding forever.

It would be better to go with a trio of one or the other imo.
Cathy

 

[curviceps]

the last time i put my hand into the tank during blue rams spawning time (which was last night), i kept getting bitten over and over again by the little fellow (male rams)! so much for biting the hand that feeds it!

so, definitely ensure there is sufficient bottom space. I have a 50 gallon tank and i've been keeping l. curviceps, blue rams and a. cacatuoides along with other upper layer non-cichlid fish with not too many territorial disputes.

the male cac died due to internal worms, so was not due to territorial reasons.