Hello everyone! After having to cycle my 29 gallon tank for two months I was finally able to add my fish. I started with a school of Harlequin Rasboras with success 
. Then added Neon Tetras with success . Then added my an algae eater with success . Then added my 2 female blue rams with... Hm I have a problem. 3 Harlequins and 4 neons were killed in a matter of two days with massive bites taken out of them. My fish were quarantined AND added slowly with several water changes and constantly being tested with my master testing kit. Nothing was wrong with the fish themselves and nothing was wrong with my water. So I watched my tank closely and notice my algae eater being ridiculously aggressive towards ALL my fish. One of my Rams (the smaller of the two) was fully colored and holding her own. Whereas the bigger girl was in constant hiding and was not fully colored. I knew I had a Siamese Algae Eater and the LFS argued with me saying it was an Oto. Well here was my proof. Oto's do not normally act this aggressive. I bring it back to the fish store along with a picture of an Oto and a Siamese Algae Eater and prove my point. I get 2 Oto's (couldn't resist) and put them in quarantine. Expecting less dead fish and happy Rams, I watch my tank over the next few days. Where was my little happy Ram? All I could find was my big and not so colorful Ram swimming around. My Harlequin's and Neon's were loving life and swimming all around but no sign of my little Ram (her name is Callie and the bigger is Kyla). Confused, I decide to do a water change and see where she was hiding. I found her in the middle cave at the very bottom fully colored but not willing to move. Once I coax her out to make sure she wasn't injured, Kyla (big female with no color) instantly gets her black strips and attacks Callie in the face. Still fully colored, Callie makes a run for it to the other cave and Kyla (no longer colored) chases her down to attack some more. I scoop Kyla up and help Callie hide in nearby plants and place the smaller of the three caves on top of her. After a few minutes I release Kyla and she swims all around the tank happy as can be. The next morning -yesterday- when I feed them I notice Callie wasn't coming out for food. So I put her favorite brine shrimp -frozen- in the tank and she still wouldn't come out. I tried the sinking pellets and flakes and nothing would coax her out. So I lift up the cave and put food in front of her. She doesn't move at all. Then Kyla see's her and starts attacking again. Callie makes a run for it to the nearby planted area and takes cover. Once she was in there I noticed another dead Neon Tetra. How in the world did this happen?! Kyla doesn't show aggression (in front of me at least) to my other fish. Only Callie. Today, my Oto's go in and they seem just fine with the Rams and other fish. No aggression at all. Callie still won't come out of hiding but she is still fully colored unlike Kyla..? No dead fish this morning (I counted all Neons and Harlequins) but Callie won't come out. I'm not removing her from hiding this time because I don't think she could handle another attack.
So my questions are these 1) Do I need to separate the two females or will they work it out? I do not have another fully cycled large aquarium available. I can get another tank but, as you know, cycling takes awhile and by then I am worried Callie will be killed. I have plants of hiding spots and tons of live/fake plants both short and tall. I heard of rearranging tanks to help separate the two into two territories so I will be giving that a whirl tonight.
2) Could Kyla be hurting my Harlequins and Neons? I'm confused why they are being targeted.
3) Why is the aggressive Ram colored but not my passive one? From what I know of Rams that makes zero sense.
Just to let everyone know, this is not my first rodeo with fish. I have been keeping fish since I was 8 years old. I started with a 5 gallon and now at the age of 22 I have a 29 gallon and a 10 gallon. I would have bigger tanks but I am wanting to make sure I am an ABSOLUTE EXPERT before I get anything bigger. I was taught by my father that you must cycle tanks and all fish deserve a happy life. They may not cuddle like dogs and cats but they still deserve as much care, love, and attention.
Thank you!
. Then added Neon Tetras with success . Then added my an algae eater with success . Then added my 2 female blue rams with... Hm I have a problem. 3 Harlequins and 4 neons were killed in a matter of two days with massive bites taken out of them. My fish were quarantined AND added slowly with several water changes and constantly being tested with my master testing kit. Nothing was wrong with the fish themselves and nothing was wrong with my water. So I watched my tank closely and notice my algae eater being ridiculously aggressive towards ALL my fish. One of my Rams (the smaller of the two) was fully colored and holding her own. Whereas the bigger girl was in constant hiding and was not fully colored. I knew I had a Siamese Algae Eater and the LFS argued with me saying it was an Oto. Well here was my proof. Oto's do not normally act this aggressive. I bring it back to the fish store along with a picture of an Oto and a Siamese Algae Eater and prove my point. I get 2 Oto's (couldn't resist) and put them in quarantine. Expecting less dead fish and happy Rams, I watch my tank over the next few days. Where was my little happy Ram? All I could find was my big and not so colorful Ram swimming around. My Harlequin's and Neon's were loving life and swimming all around but no sign of my little Ram (her name is Callie and the bigger is Kyla). Confused, I decide to do a water change and see where she was hiding. I found her in the middle cave at the very bottom fully colored but not willing to move. Once I coax her out to make sure she wasn't injured, Kyla (big female with no color) instantly gets her black strips and attacks Callie in the face. Still fully colored, Callie makes a run for it to the other cave and Kyla (no longer colored) chases her down to attack some more. I scoop Kyla up and help Callie hide in nearby plants and place the smaller of the three caves on top of her. After a few minutes I release Kyla and she swims all around the tank happy as can be. The next morning -yesterday- when I feed them I notice Callie wasn't coming out for food. So I put her favorite brine shrimp -frozen- in the tank and she still wouldn't come out. I tried the sinking pellets and flakes and nothing would coax her out. So I lift up the cave and put food in front of her. She doesn't move at all. Then Kyla see's her and starts attacking again. Callie makes a run for it to the nearby planted area and takes cover. Once she was in there I noticed another dead Neon Tetra. How in the world did this happen?! Kyla doesn't show aggression (in front of me at least) to my other fish. Only Callie. Today, my Oto's go in and they seem just fine with the Rams and other fish. No aggression at all. Callie still won't come out of hiding but she is still fully colored unlike Kyla..? No dead fish this morning (I counted all Neons and Harlequins) but Callie won't come out. I'm not removing her from hiding this time because I don't think she could handle another attack. So my questions are these 1) Do I need to separate the two females or will they work it out? I do not have another fully cycled large aquarium available. I can get another tank but, as you know, cycling takes awhile and by then I am worried Callie will be killed. I have plants of hiding spots and tons of live/fake plants both short and tall. I heard of rearranging tanks to help separate the two into two territories so I will be giving that a whirl tonight.
2) Could Kyla be hurting my Harlequins and Neons? I'm confused why they are being targeted.
3) Why is the aggressive Ram colored but not my passive one? From what I know of Rams that makes zero sense.
Just to let everyone know, this is not my first rodeo with fish. I have been keeping fish since I was 8 years old. I started with a 5 gallon and now at the age of 22 I have a 29 gallon and a 10 gallon. I would have bigger tanks but I am wanting to make sure I am an ABSOLUTE EXPERT before I get anything bigger. I was taught by my father that you must cycle tanks and all fish deserve a happy life. They may not cuddle like dogs and cats but they still deserve as much care, love, and attention.
Thank you!
