I purchased a pregnant blue ram, help!

[dax29]

I just purchased a pair of blue rams yesterday. They are only about .75-1.0 inches long but they are really nice looking and they seem to be thriving in their new home (which is a nice change for my previous experience with these fish). Anyway, I noticed one of them was rather plump once I really started looking at them at home. I became suspicious.

Today, the pair picked out a corner of the tank and there are several little sand-grain sized things on the pebbes that I think are eggs. The one that I believe is the female stays there most of the time and the one I believe to be the male is busy picking away at the gravel and chasing away the dwarf gourami which is more than twice his size. I just couldn't believe these little fish were old enough for

What should I do? The tank is listed as the last one in my signature.

[megos1]

I think that the easiest thing to do would be to let nature take it's course. Most of the babies would get eaten anyway. But if you would like your babies to thrive then you can add some live plants to your [acronym:abfeb0d07b="quarantine or quart depending on context"]QT[/acronym:abfeb0d07b] and put the babies in there as soon as they are hatched. Also if you put some larger rocks in the [acronym:abfeb0d07b="quarantine or quart depending on context"]QT[/acronym:abfeb0d07b] tank then they will have another place to hide and feel safe.
This is just a simple solution. I hope everything works out.

[dax29]

My wife seems to agree with the nature taking it's course thing. I'm not prepared for this at all. Will these fish keep producing? I hate having them do this and having the little ones scooped up each time but I didn't get them to breed. They were together in the sale tank.

[megos1]

hm, im not so sure that they will continually reproduce...i was thinking that the fish who is pregnant in your tank might have gotten pregnant in the store...who knows! but they prob. will keep reproducing but not quite as fast.

[mattrox]

Cichlds don't get pregnant. They are egglayers, so eggs develop inside the female regardless of the presence of a male. Females will become ready for breeding when well fed and then will breed if a compatible male is found.

[Husmut]

Sorta like chickens! Bok bok...... Dont worry about it! If you are lucky enough to have brought a breeding pair, unless you are prepared and know what you are doing, chances are the fry will not last a few days. Atleast it makes for good live food!

[cJw]

Maybe xfer the extra fish outta the 10g into the other tanks (where you can) and try to raise the fry? :shrug:

I don't see another option (not that I'm a breeder...) other than just letting things happen.

[kaaikop]

Keep us posted, I am going through exactly the same situation here!
Eggs were laid 24 hrs. ago, just waiting to see what happens next...

[dax29]

I know better than the pregnant thing . I should have said she was with eggs and in a family way. I think the eggs are disappearing or have disappeared. I've been gone a couple of days but my wife has been looking at them and it seems as though the protective instinct has left as well. I'll look more closely at them tomorrow.