Tropical Fish Keeping - Aquarium fish care and resources - Breeding German Blue Rams in a community tank

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Breeding German Blue Rams in a community tank

I have a 20gal community tank w/ endlers (subspecies of guppies), and zebra danios.

I was thinking of getting around 4-6 young rams w/ the intent to breed them. I know that the parents care for the fry, and here are my questions:

1. I have a rock substrate, the rocks are as big as peas, more or less and are blue. would they still dig a "nest" even if the rocks aren't a nat. color?

2. would the fry be eaten by the endlers or danios, or the other rams for that matter, even though the parents would protect them?

3. In the event that I do have fry, what would I feed them?

Quote:

Originally Posted by rincon (Post 938415)

Just because you get a pair of GBR, is doesn't mean they'll necessarily mate. Getting a bonded pair is important, but that being said, from what I know that does not automatically mean babies. I have 2 German Blue Rams. I've been lucky and they've had eggs twice, but neither time have been fertile. Mine lay eggs on a piece of driftwood, but I've seen them, (once) dig a divit in the sand, but so far not put eggs there. Not sure how that would work with pea gravel. I have Cardinals with mine, and my Rams keep them away from the eggs. Danios would likely eat them, if they could get at them. Good luck. I'd like to get fry some day too! :-D

Another thing to consider. Endlers should not be kept in soft, acidic water and GBR's must be kept in that type of water. You may have some combatibility issues. My GBR's are in a PH of 6.3 and low PH is necessary for breeding, from what I know.

Gwen

I agree with Gwen. Also, if your intention is to raise fry, you have to be careful with the fish species you put in with the rams; "dither" fish as they are termed are important to make the rams feel less threatened, but some fish are more determined than others when fry are present.

Danio are too active for rams anyway; some of the quieter characins (some tetra, pencilfish, hatchetfish) or rasbora are better. And lots of plants which further settles rams.

To answer your question on food for fry, newly hatched brine shrimp is ideal; you buy the eggs and hatch them in a small bowl that is heated and has an airstone. You can also buy infusoria and fry foods, though I don't know from personal experience how successful these may be. Having lots of live plants has another benefit, as a source of plankton and infusoria. I have various fish spawning in my tanks constantly, and a few fry always manage to survive on their own by finding this free food.

Byron.