Help with re-organising tanks please..

[RedFish]

I have been waffling about getting my 12 gallon going again as a planted tank with a couple of Rams.

However I don't want to end up with MTS because I already have several other animals (rats, mice, guinea pigs) and small tanks, not to mention kids and a husband that need my time.

So I was wondering if I could re-organize my existing tanks so that none are overloaded but I would be able to add a couple of Rams in there somehow - and this is where I would appreciate any suggestions.
I have read that Rams are susceptible to poor water conditions, so I don't want to overload any tank so that if the water gets changed after 10 days instead of 7, I won't make any fish ill.

I have a 29 gal that has been running for year but is newly planted, with 6 Harlequin Rasboras, 6 Hengeli Rasboras (I like Rasboras) 6 pygmy corydoras and 1 dwarf Gouramis.
I love these little guys but wish I had some larger fish in there.....
I figure that fills my 29 gallon.    If I wanted to add two Rams to this, who and how many other fish would I need to move out.

I have an empty but ready to go 5 gallon,
and the 12 gallon which I don't want to set up unless I get rid of my other 5 gallons - but I love my betta fish!

Not sure if I will be able to have Rams, but I want your input to see what is possible!
Thanks so much!

[beowulf]

I think you could add a couple of rams to the 29g but if they do spawn you might end up with some messed up corries.

[RedFish]

Messed up as in beat up?   That wouldn't be good!


The 29gal has regular natural gravel in it, would the rams be ok with that or do they need sand?


Is there another larger fish that I could add to the 29 gallon that wouldn't beat up any of the current occupants but would be bigger...what about more dwarf gourami....I dunno, those rams sound so interesting....

[babblefish1960]

Not to sound disagreeable, but in the many decades I have bred German rams, I never had one mess up a corydoras, they scoot them along out of the region of spawning, but I have always had a vast number of corydoras without ill effects.

Rams do however, possess a very large sense of themselves, and will defend their "patch" from anyone, no matter the size.

They are "open" spawners, and prefer a smooth rock on the bottom for spawning, but if you plan plants in strategic locations and maybe driftwood, as long as they can't see absolutely everyone all the time, then the tank mates can be ignored. Dither fish are good, as it keeps the rams sharp and they pay better attention to what they're doing.

I never use sand, I always have medium darkness of gravel, and the important thing is to provide a few stones to let them define as their territory.

[Adam]

I'd put the rams in the 29 gallon.  That's not really that much of a bioload, and I think you'd be fine adding a pair.  After that, however, I don't think I would add much more...maybe another dwarf gourami or two.

Adam

[RedFish]

Thank you all...this sounds very promising then.     I will let the plants grow, and put in goodies for the rams, flat rocks / driftwood (I have fake driftwood in there)/ clay pot  and continue my research.

I will wait until BigDaddy or some other board member's baby rams are old enough and then get my pair.

Hmmm that means maybe I should sell the 12 gallon before I put something else in it....hmmmm...that also means I can get another betta for the 5 gallon...yippee!