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Retirement and forum shutdown (17 Jan 2022)

Hi,

John Howell who has managed the forum for years is getting on and wishes to retire from the role of managing it.
Over the years, he has managed the forum through good days and bad days and he has always been fair.
He has managed to bring his passion for fish keeping to the forum and keep it going for so long.

I wish to thank John for his hard work in keeping the forum going.

With John wishing to "retire" from the role of managing the forum and the forum receiving very little traffic, I think we must agree that forum has come to a natural conclusion and it's time to put it to rest.

I am proposing that the forum be made read-only from March 2022 onwards and that no new users or content be created. The website is still registered for several more years, so the content will still be accessible but no new topics or replies will be allowed.

If there is interest from the ITFS or other fish keeping clubs, we may redirect traffic to them or to a Facebook group but will not actively manage it.

I'd like to thank everyone over the years who helped with forum, posted a reply, started a new topic, ask a question and helped a newbie in fish keeping. And thank you to the sponsors who helped us along the away. Hopefully it made the hobby stronger.

I'd especially like to thank John Howell and Valerie Rousseau for all of their contributions, without them the forum would have never been has successful.

Thank you
Darragh Sherwin

Ram Question

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07 Dec 2012 10:45 #1 by doreilly (Donal O Reilly)
Hi,

I'm looking to add some Rams to my 180litre. Currently have some Angelfish, Cardinals and Sterbai Cory's.

I was looking at German Blue and Golden Rams. Which would suit best and how many should I get? Do they do better in numbers? Also I'm not looking to get them to breed so if I got a few males would they just spend their time fighting against each other?

Thanks

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07 Dec 2012 11:59 #2 by JohnH (John)
Replied by JohnH (John) on topic Ram Question
The golden cultivars are generally more hardy than the rubbish "blue" Rams emanating from the Far East (even though they mostly come from the same source).

Take a look at the Bolivian Ram while you're looking around - almost as colourful but far more hardy.

If you do settle for the "blue" Rams you can get either males or females, they are equally as colourful, if anything the female will show better colouration than the male.

I personally wouldn't recommend more than a half-dozen in your tank, with the proviso that you provide plenty of rocks and planted areas to split up the territories. But realistically you oughtn't to be trying more than four - or even three. You'll get some aggression even if you only have two, but often that can be 'shared' around a bit better with a few, rather that just two.

Unfortunately Fish don't get to read Fish Fora and so don't always behave as perhaps they ought to.

'Give it a go' but be prepared to re-house the bullied ones (if there are any).

But...do try to source European-bred fish if at all possible - ask the LFS where they came from, if they can't (or won't) tell you then keep looking - avoid the Far Eastern ones like the plague, they rarely, if ever, survive.

That's my suggestion, wait and you'll probably get more later on.

John

Location:
N. Tipp

We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl - year after year.


ITFS member.



It's a long way to Tipperary.

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07 Dec 2012 13:52 #3 by bmcg38 (Brian McGrath)
Replied by bmcg38 (Brian McGrath) on topic Ram Question


But...do try to source European-bred fish if at all possible - ask the LFS where they came from, if they can't (or won't) tell you then keep looking - avoid the Far Eastern ones like the plague, they rarely, if ever, survive.

That's my suggestion, wait and you'll probably get more later on.

John


what if the LFS tells you they are european even if they are not .. i.e is it possible to tell the differance ?

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07 Dec 2012 17:17 - 07 Dec 2012 17:18 #4 by maggy88 (Wayne Mc Glynn)
i have 4 bolivian rams in my 4ft tank, very interesting fish and if you can source good quality ones you'll be amazed at how colourful they can be. here's a few pics of one of mine.
pics aren't great (phone camera) but you get the idea ;)




wayne
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Last edit: 07 Dec 2012 17:18 by maggy88 (Wayne Mc Glynn).

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07 Dec 2012 17:28 #5 by blade (Michael G)
Replied by blade (Michael G) on topic Ram Question
Hi , i agree with John Bolivians are far easier to keep ,as blues and gold need softer water to thrive and lower ph6-6.5 were as Bolivians are happy at 7 , and are quite colourful esspecially when in breeding condition , best to pair them up if possible , German bread are the best examples ive seen

Michael

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07 Dec 2012 18:52 #6 by doreilly (Donal O Reilly)
Thanks for all the replies and info :)

Think I'll go with some Bolivian Ram's and try find some which are European bred.

Thanks again :)

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07 Dec 2012 20:10 #7 by ger310 (Ger .)
Replied by ger310 (Ger .) on topic Ram Question
I don't know were you are situated in Ireland but i got a few German Blue Rams in Kinsealy pet shop that are 100% European bred...........i swapped a couple and from what i know,them and what i kept myself are thriving after a few months...........I know Artane aquatics had some last week and i am pretty certain they are European bred aswell.
I wouldn't give up on them.

Ger

What do you call a three legged Donkey?

A Wonkey....duh ha :)

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07 Dec 2012 23:17 #8 by JohnH (John)
Replied by JohnH (John) on topic Ram Question


But...do try to source European-bred fish if at all possible - ask the LFS where they came from, if they can't (or won't) tell you then keep looking - avoid the Far Eastern ones like the plague, they rarely, if ever, survive.

That's my suggestion, wait and you'll probably get more later on.

John


what if the LFS tells you they are european even if they are not .. i.e is it possible to tell the differance ?


You'll (sadly) probably find out soon enough...dead fish will tell you.

John

Location:
N. Tipp

We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl - year after year.


ITFS member.



It's a long way to Tipperary.

Please Log in to join the conversation.

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