Tropical Fish Forum

Tropical Fish Keeping Help and Advice => General Fishkeeping advice => Topic started by: hilly on June 12, 2019, 01:16:03 PM

Title: Multi's and Bolivian Rams
Post by: hilly on June 12, 2019, 01:16:03 PM

Hi all.

Currently have 125l community tank with Bolivian rams in amongst a few other things. I have a 60l that will become the new community tank.

I would love a multifasciatus setup. My question  is would they mix with my Bolivian Rams in the 120?  Similarish size, similarish water parameters.... Could even setup one side sand and shells and the sand and rocks?

Any one done this already.?

Thanks.

Title: Re: Multi's and Bolivian Rams
Post by: Sue on June 12, 2019, 01:27:54 PM

Fish from any of the Rift Lakes should be kept only with fish from the same lake. And African cichlids should not be kept with American cichlids because they have evolved on different continents and can't understand each other's signals, both physical and chemical.

So no, Bolivian rams can't be kept with shell dwellers.


Bolivian rams and multies do not have similar water parameter needs.
Bolivian rams need pH 6 to 7.5 and GH 18 to 179 ppm (1 to 10 dH). Multis need pH 7.5 to 9.0 and GH 143 to 446 ppm (8 to 25 dH). While there is a small overlap in GH, fish are ideally kept in the middle of their range rather than at one end. So Bolivian rams should ideally kept in water with a hardness around 90 ppm, and multies in hardness around 260 ppm



Of course you could keep the Bolivian rams in the bigger tank and have the 60 litre just for the multies, on their own. And either add Rift Lake salts to the multies' tank to make it harder if you have softish tap water; or use RO to mix with your tap water for the Bolivian rams if you have hard tap water.



Since multies are not in the fish profiles on here, I will give you a link to one of the most reputable sites http://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/neolamprologus-multifasciatus/
The profile for Bolivian rams on here needs to be updated as the pH and hardness ranges both go too high for this species.

Title: Re: Multi's and Bolivian Rams
Post by: hilly on June 13, 2019, 09:58:13 AM

That sorts that then. Lol

That's brilliant info thanks Sue.

Title: Re: Multi's and Bolivian Rams
Post by: hilly on June 13, 2019, 01:35:50 PM

Yep you've convinced me. Keep the 125 as the community and the multis in the 60.

Are there any middle to top dwellers you'd recommend of the top of your head. With the 60 being just sand rocks and shells I can't help but think the top will look a little empty as it's a tall-ish tank.

Thanks for all your help.

Title: Re: Multi's and Bolivian Rams
Post by: hilly on June 13, 2019, 01:37:46 PM

Sorry, just read the link and it recommends a few types.

Thanks

Title: Re: Multi's and Bolivian Rams
Post by: Sue on June 13, 2019, 05:03:41 PM

The fish recommended in the link will all be from the same lake (L. Tanganyika). Check out their tank size requirements on the same site - some will need bigger tanks than yours. It's length that's the important dimension rather than volume.