I recently ordered 2 (hopefully male and female...they said they'd try) a week ago. Well, they came in yesterday and I picked them up today. I took my zebra danios out of the tank because I know they are quite "playful". They have pestered my ghost shrimp to death (survivors I had in the tank for a month). After letting the bag float in the water for 30 mins, they started to "liven up". I put them in the tank water (0 ammonia, 0 nitrites, 6 nitrates, 7.1 or 7.2 pH), they started breathing hard and "flapping" their fins. So I turned down the lights and left so there would be little "movement" and less stress (or at least I hoped). I also tested the water in the bag from the lfs, it was 8.0 pH! When I returned home (5 hrs later) I turned the lights up so I could see them better and they started acting like they had when I had first put them. I know that they like lower pH, could the change in pH or my tanks pH be the problem? Do they always act like this? Please help, I'm worried about them.
German Blue Ram Advice Needed
- Thread starter DarkMuse
- Start date
I also have never had luck with the rams. I have really enjoyed the Bolivians greatly, though. I have read that real rams are becoming more and more sensitive do to bad breeding techniques. It is a shame. They are really beautiful fish.
Sorry, Darkmuse, for getting off topic. I bet they will pull through. Your current ph seems to be fine for the guys. Good luck with them and hopefully you can post some pics for all to see!!!
Sorry, Darkmuse, for getting off topic. I bet they will pull through. Your current ph seems to be fine for the guys. Good luck with them and hopefully you can post some pics for all to see!!!
Thank you all for your responces.
Hind sight is 20/20. If I had thought about mixing my water with the water in te bag I would have done it. Which I should have...dont know why I didn't.
I have kept the lights off and they seem to be swimming around more now. Though they still are breathing hard from what I can tell. Hopefully they pull through.
Hind sight is 20/20. If I had thought about mixing my water with the water in te bag I would have done it. Which I should have...dont know why I didn't.
I have kept the lights off and they seem to be swimming around more now. Though they still are breathing hard from what I can tell. Hopefully they pull through.
I wouldn't mix the water from the bag, LFS water 80% of the time is nasty, there are exceptions. But generally you don't want to mix that in you're hopefully clean good water in the tank.
Next time i would setup a drip system. Dump the bag in a bucket and run a small tube down from the tank to the bucket with a check valve or something on the end so the water drips into the bucket every couple of minutes or something. Helping them slowly aclimate to your water. Someone can really go into detail on a drip system as i have never set one up.
Next time i would setup a drip system. Dump the bag in a bucket and run a small tube down from the tank to the bucket with a check valve or something on the end so the water drips into the bucket every couple of minutes or something. Helping them slowly aclimate to your water. Someone can really go into detail on a drip system as i have never set one up.
They have made it to day 2. They are swimming around a bit more and sometimes come to the front to "check me out". I think its the male and he extends all his fins and shakes them. Its kinda cute. They are eating now. I'm thinking about redoing the tank, to give them more hiding places. Also, maybe replace the plastic plants with real ones. I've been trying to check out the plants on a few sites I've seen mentioned, but if you all know any that this type of fish seems to like more please tell me. Its only a 10 right now. I'm looking into getting a 29 gallon down the road (mainly when my husband finds out where he's going to be stationed). Any help is greatly appreciated.
Thank you everyone for helping me out so far!
Thank you everyone for helping me out so far!
Hey I didn't even notice that you were from Kentucky. Small world aint it. 
Any plant would do well for them. When I had some they prefered the broader leaved plants that gave them a bit more cover. Anubias would work well for this.Drftwood and rocks are also a good choice to help give more cover and setup teritories. Check around at some local stores to see what they offer before you have to pay shipping on plants. Local clubs are another great way to get good plants at a cheap price.
Any plant would do well for them. When I had some they prefered the broader leaved plants that gave them a bit more cover. Anubias would work well for this.Drftwood and rocks are also a good choice to help give more cover and setup teritories. Check around at some local stores to see what they offer before you have to pay shipping on plants. Local clubs are another great way to get good plants at a cheap price.
Yes it is a small world. I didnt' notice it either.
I forgot to mention another thing. The light in the tank seems to scare them. I was wondering if it was too bright. It's the one that came with the aquarium. It's a 15 watt. I'm sure if I find some good things for their hiding places and better plants that I wouldn't be as bright, but I was just wondering about that. Right now I just leave the binds open and a small lamp on near the tank. Its kinda like a sunrise/sunset ammount of light. Not too much. They are in the basement right now so it is somewhat dark anyways.
I was thinking about some driftwood and rocks. I've been looking at them.
Would a couple small, slow fish be good in there with them? Right now all they have are 2 Ottos and a snail.
Someone said in another post that the fish are like children. OMG they were so right. LOL I am worrying about these 2.
I forgot to mention another thing. The light in the tank seems to scare them. I was wondering if it was too bright. It's the one that came with the aquarium. It's a 15 watt. I'm sure if I find some good things for their hiding places and better plants that I wouldn't be as bright, but I was just wondering about that. Right now I just leave the binds open and a small lamp on near the tank. Its kinda like a sunrise/sunset ammount of light. Not too much. They are in the basement right now so it is somewhat dark anyways.
I was thinking about some driftwood and rocks. I've been looking at them.
Would a couple small, slow fish be good in there with them? Right now all they have are 2 Ottos and a snail.
Someone said in another post that the fish are like children. OMG they were so right. LOL I am worrying about these 2.
Dither fish are fish that constantly stay out in the open swimming around. If a more shy fish see's that this fish are out in the open, then this makes them feel more comfortable that there are not preditors around and they will come out and be seen more. Most of the tetra's make good dither fish. I would not choose danio's as a dither for rams because they are so active. That much activity may scare the rams more.
Adding that and some more cover should help them be seen more. Its not the light that is bothering them, its the fear of the unknown.
Adding that and some more cover should help them be seen more. Its not the light that is bothering them, its the fear of the unknown.
Yeah, I figured my Zebra Danios would scare them, which is why I took them out before adding the Rams. I read somewhere that Guppy's are good dither fish and that they fry are good for the Rams to eat. Is there any truth to this?
I hate Neons. So what other tetra would be good but also hardy?
Also, when should I redo the tank? Would it be ok to do it within the next few days or should I wait a little longer so that they won't have another stress added to them? I am just talking about the plants and whatnot, not adding another type of fish. I'm gonna see if I can take the Danios in and get some kind of store credit toward another type of fish and then put them in the 2 gal for quarintine (sp).
I hate Neons. So what other tetra would be good but also hardy?
Also, when should I redo the tank? Would it be ok to do it within the next few days or should I wait a little longer so that they won't have another stress added to them? I am just talking about the plants and whatnot, not adding another type of fish. I'm gonna see if I can take the Danios in and get some kind of store credit toward another type of fish and then put them in the 2 gal for quarintine (sp).
I'd probably wait a while to mess around with decor until they're less jumpy. Once they're used to a tank, they should be fine. I would probably wait to add plants if you're going to need to go in there and mess in the tank. If you just throw in some floating plants, I wouldn't worry. I found rams to be very sensitive for the first few weeks to any kind of change.
As for dither fish, any kind of smaller tetra would work. Maybe glo-lites or head and tail light, or whichever kind you prefer. Rasboras might work too, if you like those. I've had mine with platies, which seemed OK (they're smaller and less aggressive than mollies or swordtails).
As for dither fish, any kind of smaller tetra would work. Maybe glo-lites or head and tail light, or whichever kind you prefer. Rasboras might work too, if you like those. I've had mine with platies, which seemed OK (they're smaller and less aggressive than mollies or swordtails).
That was what I was thinking. It will give me more time to research what types of plants I want. I also read that you need to soak driftwood for awhile before adding it. Is that true? So, that works out good.
I like the idea of platies. I was wanting something with bright colors as well. They will contrast well with my gravel (deep river pebble).
I am happy. My rams dont run and hide at first when they see me now. I think they noticed that the ottos swim around.
I like the idea of platies. I was wanting something with bright colors as well. They will contrast well with my gravel (deep river pebble).
I am happy. My rams dont run and hide at first when they see me now. I think they noticed that the ottos swim around.
Some kinds of driftwood will leach tannins more than others. The tanins will lower the pH and cause the water to have a tint for a while. I've found that Malaysian sinking driftwood doesn't do this as much as other types, although I believe Mopani wood doesn't either.
Good news that the rams are settling in. They're definitely more delicate than your average tetras or livebearers. The dwarf platies are very pretty and stay small, if you're looking for something more unusual. I've had a bunch of sunset platies, and have been very happy with them.
Good news that the rams are settling in. They're definitely more delicate than your average tetras or livebearers. The dwarf platies are very pretty and stay small, if you're looking for something more unusual. I've had a bunch of sunset platies, and have been very happy with them.