Ram !

Question
QUESTION: How do you sex a ram?

I have a single balloon ram on his own in a community tank with 15 various tetras (neon, black neon and glowlight) ,4 cories, a male swordtail, male betta, otto and female paradise fish in a 88 litre tank.

I want to get a mate for the ram but i don't know if  it is boy or girl.

Also i was wondering, is the tank overstocked?  Because i wnt to add 6 halequins, 2 female sowrdtails and another balloon ram.

I do water changes of 35% a week and have two filters, fluval 1 and fluval 2, and the tank is planted.

Sorry for the length of the questiob, just thought the info would help.

Thanks a lot for your help :)

ANSWER: Hello Henry:  You are approaching the maximum for fish in your tank... Do you have the water chemistry checked before water changes???? If the water chemistry is good then I would say you could probably add one or two more fish... I ask because you have off-set some of the dangers of overstocking with two filters and a planted tank as well as the weekly water changes.  If the water chemistry is ok... then add one or two fish... but I honestly would not add more then that.  

Sexing Rams is pretty easy if the fish will cooperate.  You have to observe him/her until he flares his dorsal fin... look closely at the first couple of rays (spines) on his/fin... if the first couple of rays are taller then the rest of the fin... he is a male... if not... she is female....

Your fish choice is interesting... You have quite a few opportunities to breed fish and I would suggest you think about getting another tank.  Or even just a larger tank... say a 40-55 gallon tank would be perfect.... dave

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: hey thanks for your help :0

He is a male :)

So i will get a girl for him!

When you say interesting fish choice what do you mean?  The fish that are already in my tank?  If so which fish could breed cos i have the opputunities?

I have an way understocked 20 gallon with 4 phantom tetras, 3 cherry barbs, 3 female guppies.  What fish from the 25 gallon would breed and could i put the fish that could breed in the 20 gallon?

Thanks again :)

Answer
Hi Henry:  The rams could breed when you get him a mate, the swords are easy to breed, the guppies breed like crazy and if you watch the females you may already have baby fish in the 20... and the Cory cats may breed too.  The tetra are more difficult to breed they require special lighting to have spawn.  These could all breed in the 20 gallon tank... though the swordtails I would almost get them a tank by themselves... else they may eat everyone babies.  dave