HELP! Rams spawned, remove other fish?

[Duque]

Hi everyone. I need some urgent advice.

I got six young Electric Blue Rams about 2 weeks ago. I put them in a 10 gal. tank, just to grow out a little bit, along with 4 Pseud. Gertrudae, a few chili rasboras, 3 Ammo shrimp, a pygmy cory and an otto. and 2 assassin snails. Yeah, I know it's crowded, but it was meant to be temporary.

Today, I watched two of them "nuzzling" so cutely and suddenly realized they had spawned on the end of some driftwood. It's a little bit exposed and the flow often brings food into the area of the eggs. Nobody has gone close to the eggs yet, as the parents are fiercely protective.

In 3 years, this is the fist time I've witnessed a successful spawn and don't know what to do.

- Should I remover the other Rams and the four spastic Rainbows?
- Are the Amanos and assassin snails a threat?
- The chili rasboras seem completely cool and appear uninterested, but will that change when the eggs hatch?

Please, I desperately need advice and quickly.

Thanks in advance!
Duque

 

[jonclark96]

If you really want to try and raise the fry, I'd remove the other fish. Optionally, you could remove the driftwood to another tank. Pretty good chance that if a pair spawns once, they will spawn again, so if it doesn't work out this time, don't be too worried.

 

[CichlidAddict]

I had rams spawned many times, but the fry survived a few days and then died off. I heard that ram need soft water like Discus to breed successfully. I do not have RO unit and my tap water has medium hardness.

 

[Duque]

OK. ...interesting. Thanks for the input.

I'm just excited about actually seeing them spawn and have the eggs visible. All of my other tanks are so heavily planted that I rarely know what's going on.

Would a mating pair usually do alright being moved to another tank? I'd almost prefer to keep them in the current environment, where they felt comfortable.

 

[Duque]

Some "Post Spawning" Behavioral Observations:

Well, this is interesting. The relatively sparse number of plants has allowed me to view the Electric Blue Rams' habits after laying eggs.

It would seem that this pair prefers a coffee-pot sized "no swim zone" near their eggs. For those that venture into "the zone", they'll be chased all over the tank.

I'm thinking of removing the remaining 4 rams and Pseudo. Gertrudae just for their own safety. As for the Amanos, they're getting the message to stay away. In my other tanks, they had a feast of the eggs. ...so did those damned neon Tetras. They really ARE like piranhas.

Otherwise, the Assassin snails haven't gone near the eggs (yet) and the cory only had to be chased off once. The chili Rasboaras may be the best tank mates, due to their slightly timid schooling nature. The parents allow them to approach within an inch or two, without getting aggressive. It's as if they all took the same "conflict resolution" courses in college.

A 10-gal. tank seems a good size for a breeding pair. Now to move the others without killing anyone.