2nd male GBR dead

[Printerhands]

So I got another ram last Thursday and he died last night. This is the 2nd one I've tried to have for my female. She has been in the tank since may. I'm not sure why the males keep dying.

I did a water change 2 days before I got him and then tested the waters after I had put him in. My ph was 7.6 ammonia was 0 nitrite was 0 and nitrate was 40. I then did a water change two days ago and he passed after that change. Any ideas on what's causing this?

 

[Oohitsae]

I know this doesn't help, but I had major problems trying to keep males alive as well. The tank was established for a year before I added them, got a group of 6 juvies, only had 3 females survive out of the group, which was 3 males and 3 females... I decided to buy 3 more males a few months later and they all died within 2 weeks. After that I decided to rehome all the girls and gave up on rams. I've done all sorts of other apistos and even Bolivian rams since then which do perfectly fine just not male German rams...

 

[Printerhands]

Well glad to see I'm not the only one who has struggled with this.

 

[TheCommunityCichlid]

Your nitrates are way to high, rams tend to die when the nitrates get above 20 ime. They are very very touchy to stress, and compounds like nitrates, trites and ammonia

 

[Printerhands]

Your nitrates are way to high, rams tend to die when the nitrates get above 20 ime. They are very very touchy to stress, and compounds like nitrates, trites and ammonia

Ok. So how about my female, why has she survived. And this is the first time my nitrates have been this low. It has always been in the high 100s until now. And I know the city water isn't the greatest but I use prime.

 

[TheCommunityCichlid]

Yea. Nitrates in 100s usually kills anything your female is just tough. IMO your going to need to find a new water source. Those trates are way to high!!!

 

[Printerhands]

Yea. Nitrates in 100s usually kills anything your female is just tough. IMO your going to need to find a new water source. Those trates are way to high!!!

Yeah that's what I've been thinking. My LFS sells RO water by the 5gals. So I might start doing that.

 

[Sillyfishies]

Yeah that's what I've been thinking. My LFS sells RO water by the 5gals. So I might start doing that.

It'd be cheaper to get a cheap 25 GPD unit

 

[TheCommunityCichlid]

It'd be cheaper to get a cheap 25 GPD unit

agree checkout purewaterclub.com

 

[Oohitsae]

It'd be cheaper to get a cheap 25 GPD unit

Have to agree with this.

And I have a feeling your nitrAte test is inaccurate if you're testing in the hundreds regularly. That's practically impossible unless you were keeping like 5 large adult goldfish in a 10g tank and only doing Water changes every other week. Actually, that's probably pretty extreme, so not that bad, but still, you'd have to be severely over stocked or not doing water changes anywhere near as often as you should to have them test that high.
Have you taken samples to the LFS to be checked? What test kit do you use? Strip or liquid?

 

[Sillyfishies]

Have to agree with this.

And I have a feeling your nitrAte test is inaccurate if you're testing in the hundreds regularly. That's practically impossible unless you were keeping like 5 large adult goldfish in a 10g tank and only doing Water changes every other week. Actually, that's probably pretty extreme, so not that bad, but still, you'd have to be severely over stocked or not doing water changes anywhere near as often as you should to have them test that high.
Have you taken samples to the LFS to be checked? What test kit do you use? Strip or liquid?

His tap might just have high nitrates. I suggest doing a 50% waterchange, waiting an hour, and doing another one. If nitrates are still high, then it's either your tap or your kit

 

[Printerhands]

Well I just tested again and the nitrates are at 40. I use liquid test, API. It is a new tank, been setup for about 6 months. I have about 20 fish in the 29gal tank. I do a 1/3 water change weekly. For the past 2 months I haven't been able to keep any new fish but I really think my tap water is sh!t like all tap water. Right now I can't afford an RO system. But it is on the list of things to get. I just do t quite understand how a RO works. Is it hooked up to my tank and the tank water flows into it and back out. Cause if that's the cause how does that help when I still would be using tap water.

 

[bshenanagins]

Well I just tested again and the nitrates are at 40. I use liquid test, API. It is a new tank, been setup for about 6 months. I have about 20 fish in the 29gal tank. I do a 1/3 water change weekly. For the past 2 months I haven't been able to keep any new fish but I really think my tap water is sh!t like all tap water. Right now I can't afford an RO system. But it is on the list of things to get. I just do t quite understand how a RO works. Is it hooked up to my tank and the tank water flows into it and back out. Cause if that's the cause how does that help when I still would be using tap water.

No it connects to your sink, very simple. They just waste a lot of water. For every gallon of RO you lose 3-4 gallons of unfiltered water.

 

[Printerhands]

No it connects to your sink, very simple. They just waste a lot of water. For every gallon of RO you lose 3-4 gallons of unfiltered water.

Well good thing I don't pay the water at my apt

 

[TheCommunityCichlid]

What fish are in your 20? That's seems like a lot and could be the cause of your nitrates

 

[TheCommunityCichlid]

Well good thing I don't pay the water at my apt

Same lol

 

[Printerhands]

What fish are in your 20? That's seems like a lot and could be the cause of your nitrates

Lets see:
5 pristella tetras
4-3 kuhli loaches
3 serpae tetras
3 otos
3 bumblebee gobys
1 rosy barb
1 female GBR

 

[Printerhands]

And I know the bumblebees are brackish but I have also read that there are freshwater ones too. Either way they have been in there since may. Also my feeding is about every 3 days and I feed either frozen brine shrimp, frozen bloodworms or frozen emerald which is a veggie one.

 

[TheCommunityCichlid]

No you don't look over sticked it's gotta be your tap. My girlfriends tap was 40ppm nitrates, 8.2 ph and off the charts hardness so I believe you

 

[Printerhands]

No you don't look over sticked it's gotta be your tap. My girlfriends tap was 40ppm nitrates, 8.2 ph and off the charts hardness so I believe you

Well that's good to hear. Just something I will have to deal with until I get an RO system. Thanks for your help. I have thought about getting that nitro-zorb but didn't know if doing that would melt back my crypts. Which has happened when I did a softener pillow so I don't use that anymore.