# Are Rams and Kribensis Compatible?



## Evan0509 (Jan 22, 2020)

Hello everyone.

I have a fairly new 60 gallon tank that I started sometime in late 2019. One new type of fish I have taken interest to are cichlids. Their different shapes and beautiful colors really hooked me in, but I also discovered that they could be very aggressive towards other fish including themselves. The two more peaceful cichlids I could find were the German Blue Ram and the Kribensis. 

Can these two cichlids live in the same tank or is that not a good idea? I already added one German Blue Ram and have no intentions on breeding.

Here's the list of current fish in the tank:

1 Albino Rainbowshark
2 Millennium Rainbow Fish
6 Tiger Barbs
9 Cherry Barbs
1 German Blue Ram 
1 Pleco


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## Akeath (May 12, 2009)

Kribs and Rams do not do well together. They both want the same bottom territory, but the Kribs are more aggressive and the Rams are not able to hold their own against them. Long term, the Rams would likely die. 



You might try to get more Rainbows if you want to add fish, as those do best with at least 6 of their own kind.


German Blue Rams have pretty exacting water needs that don't necessarily work with all your other fish. They need a temperature of between 82-86 degrees and very acidic water of between 5.0-6.5 pH, and also very soft water. Most German Blue Rams don't last long outside of those conditions.


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## Evan0509 (Jan 22, 2020)

Hey Akeath. Thank you for the reply. It was best to not get a kribensis because I do have other fish, such as the pleco, rainbowshark, and a few cherries who tend to hang out near the bottom too.

I have been monitoring my German Blue Ram for a while now and so far he seems to be doing okay. He hangs around the bottom but will also move around the middle section. His color looks fine and he also seems to be eating good. I gave my LFS the list of fish in my tank and they said it was okay.

I usually feed my fish two different types of flake food, a form of brine shrimp, and pellet food. So far I haven't noticed anything that looks unusual or unhealthy with him.

Are there any concerning signs I should know just to be sure? Once again thank you for the advice!


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## Evan0509 (Jan 22, 2020)

Quick update.

My German Blue Ram sadly died. It was pretty sudden and unexpected since he didn't show any signs of illness. I will make sure to do more research before making a new addition, even if my local pet store says it's okay. Once again thank you for the advice!


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## Akeath (May 12, 2009)

I'm sorry you lost your German Blue Ram. They are lovely fish. 



If you are still interested in getting a similar fish, you might look into the Bolivian Ram, Mikrogeophagus altispinosus. These are a close relative of the German Blue Ram (Mikrogeophagus ramirezi) you had before. However, Bolivian Rams are hardier and do better in more normal water conditions, with a temperature range of between 73-82 degrees and are adaptable to pH levels of between 6.5-7.5 pH. They can basically live in general community water much more successfully than their more fragile German Blue Ram relatives. Admittedly Bolivian Rams aren't as colorful, but they are just as smart, cute, and observant of the people outside of the tank as their German Blue Ram cousins.


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## Evan0509 (Jan 22, 2020)

Thanks for the suggestion. I really enjoy the coloring and look of the rams. It's good to know that there is a ram that is not as fragile. I'll look into adding a Bolivian Ram. Is it okay to get one or should they be in pairs/groups?


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## Akeath (May 12, 2009)

You can get just one Bolivian Ram, and that would probably work best since you have other bottom dwellers. Once mature, they won't tolerate any other Bolivian Ram unless it is their paired mate (they are very picky, lifetime monogamous fish and it can be very difficult to find a mate for them, usually to get a mate people start with 6-8 juveniles and may get one pair out of that). But mated pairs also both take care of the fry and become aggressive to tank mates when guarding their fry and territory, so for a community tank just a single Bolivian Ram would be best. As long as fry aren't in the mix, a single Bolivian Ram should be quite peaceful.


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## Evan0509 (Jan 22, 2020)

Okay. Yeah I am definitely not intending on breeding any fish right now. I guess I'll start looking into getting a Bolivian Ram. Thanks for the info! It was very helpful.


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