The sources I checked say they'd only go after what would fit in their mouth..he'd have to have a huge mouth at 6" O.o I don't doubt you though. Maybe I'll arrange sending him off with his brothers. They went to a much larger tank and different home a few weeks ago. He's about 2.5" atm and has grown and inch since purchase. -.- The longer I wait the harder its gonna be to get him out of there without shredding a net...took me 15 mins to un-net one of his brothers while kept submerged. -.- I could use some corydoras in there anyway. I kinda anticipated the raphaels to stir things up in the bottom similarly to corys, boy was I wrong. They stir the plants up more than the crap on the bottom. -.-

My biggest concern is overcrowding the water column cause even 6 fish can seem like a lot at times. Personally I don't care if the apistos get aggressive and make the others cower, its the reverse I'm worried about. Power in numbers and such..

Do you think the apistos will be ok with a tall tank? I've found through trial and error unfortunately -- it seemed a bit much for any labyrinthine fish (specifically gouramis).

Thanks for the reply, it was you I was counting on. :)

Nah I haven't seen the Raph do it, guess he must be too small. I watched my old set of peppered corys sift like 3 lbs of sand an hour in my 16 gal, they're still mad sifting in my gf's 10 gal. lol.

I settled on a Mikrogeophagus ramirezi. I wanted apistos really bad but I don't have the balls to order online, so I went to my local (not so petsmart) LFS and the guy had some nice looking males, one he said he'd hold for me tomorrow to pick up along with a female or two as he said he was receiving a shipment tonight. He hasn't been able to get apistos for over a month.

Just another reason to consider getting my own R/O system. lol Almost all articles I've said encourage almost 100% R/O replacement for Rams..-.-

Yeah probly so. for electrolytes and such I guess. The thing that scares me most about this tank now taht I'm thinking about it is that the Rams seem to prefer a low GH and KH (probably the two water properties which I understand the least) which is where the R/O comes in, especially since I have a freaking open-top.

Am I making sense if I think that alkaline water enables the possibility of higher GH and KH in FW, or are the properties not linked? Hope I'm making a lick of sense...I guess I figure acidic water would break down minerals more, or something, similar to snails (their shells at least) not able to tolerate low PH cause it eats away at the shell..?

I need to find someone's DIY for lighting a hex 30..lol I have a lamp hanging over the freaking aquarium, and whats worse is its next to a door AND under the AC vent.

Water evaporates incredibly fast, and if I wait just a week I end up refilling with almost a gallon more than I take out. I guess this is ideal for building up minerals, GH, and KH?

Well the new guys seem happy enough in their new home.. My Red Skirt Minor Tetras are bugging them a bit as I figured but I think the tides may turn soon. The male isn't putting up wtih it anymore. lol

I think I'm gonna construct a DIY top. MH would be ideal if included requiring a top, but aren't most MH setups supposed to hang about the surface pendant style?

Here's a pic of Tut, the male Ram. (9/9)

http://icedt83.spaces.live.com/photos/cns! (under 30 gallon (may)) stupid linker won't recongnize a freaking exclamation point.