Re: some problems

[Ken Laidlaw <K.Laidlaw@roe.ac.uk>]

 In all books it is recommended that
> fishes from the North of South America should be kept in "old" water.

This is a very old fashioned method as it was the only way 
to lower the pH in those days by loading the water with 
nutritients which causes the pH to crash.  Nowadays using 
de-ionised water, filtering over peat or even adding store 
bought liquids that mimick blackwater conditions are better.

> Though I will try changing but at a lesser degree - can 10% a week do
> anything?  And I suppose also that  everyday or so gradual change is better
> than weekly. Am I right?
10% should be OK in a lightly stocked tank, having a lot of 
plants helps also.  A 10% or even 25% will not harm the 
balance especially if the new water is of similar chemistry 
to the old.

> 
> What is about their behavior - I do not going to breed them. I merely want
> them to make a permanent pair and occupy a place in the tank which they
> would defend. This is the most interesting trait of the cichlids IMHO. Now
> they swim throughout

Rams are unlikely to defend an area of the tank unless they 
are about to spawn.  

>  the tank and a Labeo of approximately the same size even attacks them... 

That is because Labeo (e.g. red tailed black shark) are 
aggressive and not good tank companions for dwarf cichlids, 
best to move it elsewhere if you want to see rams behaving 
naturally.

Good luck,
Ken.




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