German Blue Ram troubled

[chykityta]

Hello,
It has been two weeks since my German Blue Ram male is not aggressive to its female. But, three days have passed that he is basically laying on his fins touching the floor. I have not noticed whether it has eaten because the times I look, he hasn't done it. He is in a 10 gallon, no new fish have been added. The stocking is a few Ghost Shrimp, 1 young Guppy, and the paired German Blue Rams. Female showed no color while he was beating her but she has all her color after he has been around the bottom of the tank. I am adding a few pictures --hope they help.


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[Tropical Aquarist]

What are your water parameters? Like ph, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate?

I would do a 4 gallon water change IMMEDIATELY, and another one tonight(or the next day if it's already in the evening for you). That should help. What water conditioner do you use?

 

[chykityta]

I use Prime as conditioner. I can get on bi-daily water changes. Please give me a few while I check the parameters.


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[chykityta]

Ammonia 0
Ph 7.6
Nitrites 0
Nitrates 40


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[chykityta]

Please note that my Nitrates normally say high. I did shake it well but don't know how much excess or decay of nitrate crystals I have on my bottle.


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[Tropical Aquarist]

Rams are sensitive to water parameters, so if you're nitrates are really that high, it could be your tap. Can you test the tap water?

Might have to double or triple dose the prime if they come in with the tap water.

 

[chykityta]

He is having trouble swimming and staying up-right. I see him using the glass to stay straight. I already performed a 5g water change earlier. No idea what to do.

Regarding Nitrates, I once did a 15-20g water change on my 20g height and Nitrates always said 20-40ppm. That is an awful lot of water changes for no change in Nitrates. Now, I change the bottle as hard as I can for at least two minutes and then another minute before measuring the PPMs.


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[Tropical Aquarist]

Unfortunately sometimes there's nothing you can do. I have that happen occasionally, if the fish start acting strange like you described, I have never been able to save them, it's too late. I am sorry

 

[KingKoopa512]

Same here with TA once they start acting like that there's not much ya can do

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[chykityta]

An update on this thread.

After posting the thread and getting input, I decided to put both German Blue Rams in the hospital tank and threat them with Parasite Guard.

1/2 tablet of Parasite Guard every two days, four times, with PWC before adding each tablet.

They were there for 2 weeks and I put them back on their main tank on Sunday. So far, the male is doing well. He still lays on the bottom at times but can now swim to the top when I get close to the tank as well as when I feed them.

Don't give up on your fish! Extreme measures sometimes help.


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[Tropical Aquarist]

Congrats! Sounds like you caught it early enough!

 

[chykityta]

Congrats! Sounds like you caught it early enough!

Thank you!


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