# american cichlids



## zschaeff9 (Feb 15, 2009)

i have a 20g tank and i would like to eventually get rams. it will be a little bit down the road because my tank is just now cycling but my question is i know rams should be in pairs. i really like the german blue rams and the german gold rams. however i dont think i can have a pair of both in thier because i allso want to have neon tetras and brilliant rasboras. so since they are the same species just a color varient if i had one of each would they pair together?


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## aspects (Feb 1, 2009)

golds arent a different species, but rather a selective captive breeding color variant, so essentially they are the same fish, and could potentially breed. however that will be up to them, you cant just put 2 rams in a tank, and hope they mate. (well, i guess you could. lol)
best bet is to start with a few and let them pair off on their own. maybe you will get lucky and have a GBR nad a gold variant pair.


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## COM (Mar 15, 2008)

aspects said:


> golds arent a different species, but rather a selective captive breeding color variant, so essentially they are the same fish, and could potentially breed. however that will be up to them, you cant just put 2 rams in a tank, and hope they mate. (well, i guess you could. lol).


That would be something to hope for. I'm sure it has happened at least once in the history of modern fishkeeping.

You may also be able to buy them already paired at a good store.


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## zschaeff9 (Feb 15, 2009)

ok sounds good. do you think it would be possible to have 2 of each kind or would it just not work out with the other fish i want to have?


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

20l or 20H? if the former, maybe, if the later, prob. not. a 24" tank is most likely too small for 2 breeding territories at the same time. It would increase your odds to have lots of plants and hiding places. I would get a few of each, but be ready to move some if a pair get aggressive toward the others. I think the "gold" (the lack of black spot) is recessive, so if a blue and a gold pair up, you will get blue fry.


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## aspects (Feb 1, 2009)

zschaeff9 said:


> ok sounds good. do you think it would be possible to have 2 of each kind or would it just not work out with the other fish i want to have?


you will eventually need to get down to just a pair and sell off the rest.


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## zschaeff9 (Feb 15, 2009)

ok sounds good. thank you very much. im hoping my lfs will buy the two that dont pair back then.


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## aspects (Feb 1, 2009)

you may want to check on that before ou buy them. and if not, look into an alternate home for them. its better to be prepared for it beforehand


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