Can someone tell me what's wrong with my blue ram?

[ricco34]

I have a male ( I think) blue ram and he is staying at the top of the tank and he's not swimming anywhere else but his fins and mouth are moving. I just did a 30 percent water change thinking it could be too little oxygen or too much nitrates but he's doing the same thing. He's not gulping for air but just sitting up there. I got him yesturday, could he be getting used to the tank? I also read that they do not like crowded tanks and he is in a 10 gal with 4 platys, a danio, and a female betta. Next week it will just be him, a female betta, and a female blue ram and I'm changing it to a planted aquarium. Any suggestions are appreciated

 

[kerahbaby]

This happened to me even my bottom feeder came up to the top! Petsmart told me to add bacteria to the tank..

 

[ddiienno]

This happened to me, check your parameters ammonia may be high

 

[ricco34]

All of the other fish are still acting fine but I noticed that he has something growing on his cheek, could it be fungus or ick?

 

[ricco34]

He has something on his cheek I'm not sure if you can see it

 

[ddiienno]

Looks like a white spot I would get him out could be ich and treat him I would also treat your tank for ich also the sooner the better

 

[ricco34]

Looks like a white spot I would get him out could be ich and treat him I would also treat your tank for ich also the sooner the better

What medicine works the best? Should I I just see what my lfs has?

 

[ddiienno]

I used copersafe when i got it in my tank but they told me that company that makes coppersafe went out of business so it's tough to find. Your LFS should be able to direct you to the best meds for it

 

[ricco34]

Thanks I appreciate it

 

[ddiienno]

No problem good luck!

 

[Hulka9]

I just used sicce hypercure and it worked awesome. Doesnt turn your water blue either!

 

[jhawk__]

First off that tank stock is not gonna work in the long run. I would get rid of the rest like you said, and just have the male and female GBR in there. Find the betta a nice 1-2 gallon bowl or tank. And I don't see any ick, looks more like a fungus or something hanging off. Maybe get a better picture and wait for someone else to chime in on it.

 

[hartgirl]

My male GBR is doing the exact same thing. I have an established tank with one other ram in there (female, and just a wonderful little social fish). Everything is fine but this new male ....he's just not thriving. My last male did the same thing and he ended up dying How did yours do? Did you find a solution?

 

[gemach7]

10 gallons is really kind of small for a ram. Full grown they are 3" and after adding hiding spaces and dither fish theres just not enough space for it. Second a ten gallon tank is going to have swings in ph, ammonia, nitrites etc... Tank raised rams are much more lenient than their wild caught cousins but stability is key. For a 10 gallon there are some beautiful shell dweller cichlids. Or upgrade to a 20 gallon at least.

http://www.aqadvisor.com is a great site to visit before visiting the store for fish.

 

[ricco34]

I checked on him last night and he had strings of fungus, his color was grey, and he died an hour later

 

[Strobe-Is-Boss]

No you need more homes usually cichlid have 3 homes so make more homes for him!

And ya that us too much fish for a ten only up three fish in there at the most! He or she probley can't fined a home that's what my fire mouth did and he died I didn't know at the time!

Don't do plants either do lot of rocks and make homes for him you probley have low pH so take out the plants and put A LOT of rock cichlids build the homes you just need to put rocks in there for a home! He/she will love it trust me!

 

[bribo12]

Don't do plants either do lot of rocks and make homes for him you probley have low pH so take out the plants and put A LOT of rock cichlids build the homes you just need to put rocks in there for a home! He/she will love it trust me!

No offense but you're so wrong. You're talking about African rift lake cichlids. Cichlids comprise a huge range of fish. Rams are a cichlid but they live in the acidic waters of South America where aquatic vegetation is lush.

 

[Strobe-Is-Boss]

Sorry he/she died though

You still need I put rock in there the ram didn't have a home dude that's why and I'm not wrong I didn't mean to say take out all the plants leave couple !

And plus she's problely stressed out dude that what happens when they don't have home that's with all cichlids

 

[hartgirl]

Mine had a home...he was only one of two rams in 87 gallons (there are other fish, of course). And it was doing the exact same thing. Up at the top, not eating.

 

[bribo12]

Yes I agree it's stressed. It needs cover to hide and such but rams have a very different social structure than African cichlids.