Feeding rams?

[Brucifer]

I bought my first rams yesterday. I picked up 4 of them for $10 at an LFS. They were in a tank at 85 F and a pH of 6.2. I spent 2 hours acclimating them to my tank, 82 F and a pH of 6.5. Tap water is very soft (3 dKH and 4 dGH) and my tank is heavily planted with CO2 injection. I immediately fed them brine shrimp last night after setting them free from the bag.

It's a 20 gal tank with 5 rummynose tetras, 1 bristlenose tetra, 1 oto, and a small snail species which I don't know the name of.

What's the best way to feed the rams? I feed the tetras in this tank and the gouramis in another tank New Life Spectrum for small fish. The tetras go crazy gobbling up the pellets. I tried to let some of them sink for the rams. Rams will feed off the bottom right? The rams always duck back into the plants when I'm in front of the tank so I don't know how much they eat. Will the rams eventually get comfortable and feed at the surface? Is it better to feed in the morning when the lights come on or evening just before the lights go out?

I'd appreciate any advice or strategies for feeding the rams dry food. I'm not interested in trying to breed them right now. I just want to keep them alive as long as possible.

Thanks.

 

[aspen]

rams have a bit of a bad rep for being too sensitive. however, once they've been in the tank awhile they seem to be pretty easy to keep. whether you want them to breed or not, if there's a receptive female, they'll breed for you but if the water isn't soft enough the spawns won't hatch.

they are pretty bold, when they get accustomed to the tank they should be right out there begging for food. two pairs might not do too well in that tank once a pair forms. the tank is perfect for 1 pair ime. the other fish that you have in there are pretty good tankmates, but the snails may eat their spawns.

i feed rams almost any fish food, tetracichlid mini granules or tetramin pro tropical crisps are good food for them. they will chow down on frozen blooodworms, and will eat themselves to death on them, so feed them lightly. i chop them fine and feed only once in a while.

it won't take you long to hand feed them, they are the easiest fish to hand feed ime. you'll like those fish, they are still my favourite dwarf species.

rick

 

[Brucifer]

Thanks for the reply.

Finally this morning, 2 of them come up to the surface to feed. I guess I'll just need more patience for the other 2 to get with the program.

They're easily the best-looking fish I ever kept. Unlike some of the other fish I've tried to keep, these rams got the wife approval for their looks.

 

[aspen]

wait till they become more personable, they be a hit with her.

rick

 

[T_om]

If I could only pick one food to feed my Rams (that I can produce myself), it would be grindal worms, without a doubt. Easier and MUCH more prolific than whiteworms.

They love'em and it brings them to breeding condition very quickly.

If you are going to buy food, California Blackworms are also great. I get mine from here, delivered live to my door:

http://aquaticfoods.com/worms.html

Dan is great to deal with and I buy a pound at a time. I keep them in my whiteworm (another great food) refrigerator and they are easily kept alive and active for a month or more. By the way, I have no affiliation with Dan except as a happy customer.

Tom