Keeping Apistos with Rams

[Desewer]

Hi all

Do you know if we can keep Apistos and Rams in a single aquarium? I thought of getting one pair each, not for spawning but just for the sake of having nice looking fish.

My tank is a 60x30x36cm planted (ph/kh unknown unchecked untested) and i have reserved a clearing in the background where i plan to place a small apisto cave. Would the rams and apistos fight over ownership of the cave?

My other fish in the tank are:

01 golden algae eater
02 siamese algae eater
02 corydoras catfish

Will any of these fish eat the apisto/ram fries IF they breed? I also plan to add in 6 rummy-nose tetras after I get the apisto and ram pairs.

My plants include:

E. tenellus (foreground)
UG (foreground, risk of being uprooted due to short roots in the substrate)
Anubias nana + nana petite (lots, midground)
Ludwigia Cuba (background)
Crypt Wendtii (fore-mid grd, a few stalks here and there)

Lastly, are the apistos and rams sensitive to fertilizers added to the water column? I dose EI method and sometimes excessive dosages kill my Yamatos. None are left.

p.s. I have no experience in either of these cichlids. Any info is appreciated, thanks!

[Jitticus]

Rams, in general, won't fight for a cave if there's another open area for spawning. I've kept them for some time now and each time the rams spawn, they do it openly. Apistos, on the other hand, almost certainly prefer hidden places.
However, the aggression against other fish upon completion of spawning may trigger one species to attack the other, depending on who spawns first.
In my opinion, your rams will spawn first.

[Desewer]

Hey thanks for the info.

I would interpret that as, I can still keep a pair of rams and a pair of Apistos in the same tank, with just one cave as a hidden deco, and there will be no problem if they don't spawn.

Well, I don't plan to specifically create the best conditions for spawning so I hope they won't start to pair and mate too fast. Feeding regime will be mainly frozen bloodworms, Tetra bits and ADA AP-3 Gold. Also, the eggs are in danger of being eaten by other fish like my SAEs, which are matured and at least 2 inches long.

Another question: What do you guys do with the fries if they hatch successfully and are maturing into juveniles? Won't the tank get overcrowded if you can't sell them off?

[Jitticus]

Under community conditions, I doubt you'll have 1 or two growing up at best. In the case of rams, if they feel threatened, they will consume the entire brood.

[sen_jie]

Under community conditions, I doubt you'll have 1 or two growing up at best. In the case of rams, if they feel threatened, they will consume the entire brood.

agree.. and i hate it.. haha

never get to raise a brood up to adult size. hei bro, the rams you having are they german rams? If they are, bring some to me!! =p

[Jitticus]

agree.. and i hate it.. haha

never get to raise a brood up to adult size. hei bro, the rams you having are they german rams? If they are, bring some to me!! =p

Super duper german Rams! Had them specially brought in through a LFS here in KL. They've spawned so many times that I've given up trying to separate the parents. Got about 60 pcs from 3 broods.

It's swap time!