Getting some German Blue Rams!!!

[Aqua315]

So I've worked hard and I feel my 28g tank is finally ready for some GBR's. It's been stable since July and I test and do a water change every week. Test results are always good with only the nitrate fluctuating a little (it's usually between 30-40). Anyway, I've already stocked all my other fish and have been waiting to get the GBR's until I was sure my tank was stable enough because I know they can be sensitive. My plans are to head to the gardening store this weekend and pick up a couple small pots to act as caves and then go get the GBR's and introduce them at the same time. With this my stocking will be complete and my final count will be:

8 neon tetras
4 albino cherry barbs
2 gold barbs
3 otos
2 german blue rams

I'm so excited! GBR's are my favorite and I've really been looking forward to getting them! I'll post pics when they're all settled in!

 

[ejaramillo01]

So I've worked hard and I feel my 28g tank is finally ready for some GBR's. It's been stable since July and I test and do a water change every week. Test results are always good with only the nitrate fluctuating a little (it's usually between 30-40). Anyway, I've already stocked all my other fish and have been waiting to get the GBR's until I was sure my tank was stable enough because I know they can be sensitive. My plans are to head to the gardening store this weekend and pick up a couple small pots to act as caves and then go get the GBR's and introduce them at the same time. With this my stocking will be complete and my final count will be:

8 neon tetras
4 albino cherry barbs
2 gold barbs
3 otos
2 german blue rams

I'm so excited! GBR's are my favorite and I've really been looking forward to getting them! I'll post pics when they're all settled in!

Great idea, just don't get frustrated if they don't last..... But I wish you the best

 

[kdpuffer]

Very happy for ya. I have gbr and they are awesome fish. My male is a bit timid but my female is very outgoing. Most reviews say they Are hard to keep but I have had great luck so far (knock on wood) I think the main thing is to keep them in water close to what they where bred ad raised in. All the best and we expect pics

 

[siva]

Try and get your nitrates lower. GBR's are very sensitive. I have always kept them with nitrates of 10ppm or lower, and I still haven't been able to keep them alive.

 

[Aqua315]

Try and get your nitrates lower. GBR's are very sensitive. I have always kept them with nitrates of 10ppm or lower, and I still haven't been able to keep them alive.

I've been trying to lower my nitrates for months now but I just can't get them any lower than 30ppm even with very careful vacuuming and massive pwc's. I expressed my concerns to the staff at my lfs and they've assured me that the GBR's they have are much hardier than usual. (I trust them because they've always been great and they take excellent care of their fish) I know what the risks are but I'm willing to give it a try. I just did a pwc last night so the nitrates are lower than normal now and I'm hoping that if I get the GBR's now than they will have time to adapt to the nitrates as they slowly rise until I do my next pwc.

 

[aqua_chem]

I've been trying to lower my nitrates for months now but I just can't get them any lower than 30ppm even with very careful vacuuming and massive pwc's. I expressed my concerns to the staff at my lfs and they've assured me that the GBR's they have are much hardier than usual. (I trust them because they've always been great and they take excellent care of their fish) I know what the risks are but I'm willing to give it a try. I just did a pwc last night so the nitrates are lower than normal now and I'm hoping that if I get the GBR's now than they will have time to adapt to the nitrates as they slowly rise until I do my next pwc.

Yea I'm sure they did.... The thing about most store bought rams isn't that they die in the store, it's that they die a month later. Most storebought rams are imported from asia where they were shot up with hormones to make them look all purty. Then a few months later they just die as an after effect of the hormone treatment/whatever else. Do yourself a favor and invest in good stock, from a local breeder or otherwise.

Also, water changes will always bring down nitrates. That's simply dilution. If you can't keep them down, then your tank might be overstocked for your current maintenance/water change regime.

 

[skiweeangel]

Good luck! Post pics

 

[Aqua315]

Yea I'm sure they did.... The thing about most store bought rams isn't that they die in the store, it's that they die a month later. Most storebought rams are imported from asia where they were shot up with hormones to make them look all purty. Then a few months later they just die as an after effect of the hormone treatment/whatever else. Do yourself a favor and invest in good stock, from a local breeder or otherwise.

Also, water changes will always bring down nitrates. That's simply dilution. If you can't keep them down, then your tank might be overstocked for your current maintenance/water change regime.

My lfs gets all their stock from local breeders. They are not "shot up with hormones". I get all my fish from this one store, it's not a chain store and is greatly endorsed by other members on this site. I've never had any problems with any of their fish. Also, the 30ppm nitrate test is from right before I do my pwc. It builds up to that level over a week and never goes any higher. I already went to the store and got some plants there too to help with the nitrate levels.

 

[Aqua315]

Here they are! I also got some new plants for my tank and added the pots as well!

 

[kdpuffer]

Nice fish and tank

 

[Aqua315]

Nice fish and tank

Thanks! They're settling in and seem to be doing well. I love watching them swim around. Unlike my other fish they seem to be able to freeze completely in place before darting to a new position and freezing again.

 

[ejaramillo01]

Thanks! They're settling in and seem to be doing well. I love watching them swim around. Unlike my other fish they seem to be able to freeze completely in place before darting to a new position and freezing again.

Congratulations! They are beautiful, keep us posted

 

[bruinsbro1997]

Nice fish!

Careful with them though. They are a handful. They randomly die for no apparent reason sometimes, so watch out!

 

[Bloopbloop]

Lovely rams/ tank! They're my favorite fish, good luck with yours!

 

[Jonny2007]

Did you get a boy and a girl? I have 3 rams, 2 in my 125 gal, and a long fin gold in my 29 gal, my nitrates get to 20-30 range before my weekly pwc's and they have been spawning every 2-3 weeks.

 

[maxwellag]

I think the thing that hurts the rams is fluctuation. Try making a line plot of nitrate and see how much it fluctuates. If you don't want to then you can just download the aquaplanner app and enter the test results every week, and if makes the charts for you.

 

[Aqua315]

I think the thing that hurts the rams is fluctuation. Try making a line plot of nitrate and see how much it fluctuates. If you don't want to then you can just download the aquaplanner app and enter the test results every week, and if makes the charts for you.

I've been charting my test results for months and nitrate is always at 30-40ppm before my weekly pwc

 

[Aqua315]

Did you get a boy and a girl? I have 3 rams, 2 in my 125 gal, and a long fin gold in my 29 gal, my nitrates get to 20-30 range before my weekly pwc's and they have been spawning every 2-3 weeks.

I asked for a male and a female and I think that's what I have but I'm a bit confused because I read online that black stripes on their pelvic fins means they're female and both mine have that

 

[Jonny2007]

Both of mine have black on their fins. Sorry any the pic quality

 

[stone1269]

I've always found that the females have a pinkish belly good luck they are awesome fish and beautiful tank btw