Gbr acting strange

[Mlani]

Hey all
It seems this site is becoming my best friend for advice. Lol!
This time I'm not building anything, no fishies have ich, my params are all good..lol!
My latest concern is with my Gbr. I had her (I think she's a she?) in my 46gal and recently moved her and my other remaining ram into my seeded and fully cycled 80gal. (The params are ph-7.6 hi ph 7.4 amm 0 nitrites 0 nitrates 5-10) Since the move she hasn't been as active. She stays on the bottom occasionally swimming (usually with her bottom fins clamped) she is still eating well and her color is good. The other ram seems to poke at her to get her moving, not roughly, just nudging and rubbing her along. I thought maybe spawning? so I looked it up and it's similar except the part where they rub along the ground in turns. My husband said maybe the one I think is a girl isn't and it's just pretending to be so it doesn't get it's butt whooped. Lol! Any ideas anyone has would be greatly appreciated.

 

[blert]

How long has it been since the move?

 

[Mlani]

I moved them on the 16th of January. So about eight days? I was very gentle when I transferred her(?) over. Even did the trickle transfer to be sure. I did have a slight spike in the tank of nitrates due to my error of using water from my other tank to fill the 80. Do you think she might be stressed from that? I'm really worried, I already lost one ram to ich and now this one is acting strange. :-(

 

[blert]

Sorry, I really don't know (other than clean water, clean water and more clean water). I just wanted to ask the question so that a more knowledgable person will have as much info as possible.

Are there caves and plants and hiding places where it can go to get some relief?

 

[Mlani]

Thank you Yes there are many hiding places, logs, rocks, driftwood, caves and plants. However she seems to like staying right out front and centre. When she swims it seems like she is dragging her backend. Her bottom fins are really red (still keeping them tight to her body) and so is her belly. You can see the belly in the picture. If I knew how to post videos I would so I could show everyone instead of trying to explain. I wonder if I should be putting her in qt?

 

[Ice Man]

I don't know what might be wrong with your GBR. From your picture it looks like it is "she".
Hopefully she is just stressed out.

 

[Gboy66]

Could we get more info like tank mates?
How did you acclimate to the new tank?
Have you seen her poop? Is it normal or white and stringy? Doe it look like she is clearing off a spot for eggs or the other ram is, which could suggest mating?
That vould have stresed her. Rams mistly stay at the bottom anyways, so that isnt a problem really. If her colors good, and she is still eating, she seems to be okay. I'd go 50% WC twice a week to make sure your perimeters are EXCELLANT. She should then perk up.

Also, dont move her to the QT yet IMO. that would only stress her, and she is obviously stressed already.

 

[Mlani]

I don't know what might be wrong with your GBR. From your picture it looks like it is "she".
Hopefully she is just stressed out.

Thank you for confirming she is indeed a she! I hope you're right about it just being stressed.

 

[Mlani]

Could we get more info like tank mates?
How did you acclimate to the new tank?
Have you seen her poop? Is it normal or white and stringy? Doe it look like she is clearing off a spot for eggs or the other ram is, which could suggest mating?
That vould have stresed her. Rams mistly stay at the bottom anyways, so that isnt a problem really. If her colors good, and she is still eating, she seems to be okay. I'd go 50% WC twice a week to make sure your perimeters are EXCELLANT. She should then perk up.

Also, dont move her to the QT yet IMO. that would only stress her, and she is obviously stressed already.

I'll try my best to answer all of the questions, if I miss any please let me know.
Tank mates are: 10 cardinal tetras 3 harlequin raspboras one syno cat and one other Gbr.
I took a large ziplock baggy and filled it with the old tank water. I had my husband hold the bag immersed in the old tank water while I caught and netted them into it. I then put the baggy in the new tank to float.( I used the old tank water with some of my other tanks water and combined it in the new tank and had the temp to match the old tank before I began any of this. ) they floated for 15 mins then I added a little bit of water from the tank waited 10 more mins then added more and so on over a period of 45mins. (I hope I didn't wait too long or go too fast?)
Her poop looks good. Normal color, texture, everything.
I do daily 25% water changes on this tank as I've been trying to set it up for discus. do you think I should cut back or increase the amount? Also I was wondering if it's at all possible that the Gbr that I lost to ich could've been it's mate? Maybe the stress of only being two in there? I know I'm asking a lot of questions I really like this fish and want to do everything I can to make sure it's ok.

 

[Gboy66]

I'll try my best to answer all of the questions, if I miss any please let me know.
Tank mates are: 10 cardinal tetras 3 harlequin raspboras one syno cat and one other Gbr.
I took a large ziplock baggy and filled it with the old tank water. I had my husband hold the bag immersed in the old tank water while I caught and netted them into it. I then put the baggy in the new tank to float.( I used the old tank water with some of my other tanks water and combined it in the new tank and had the temp to match the old tank before I began any of this. ) they floated for 15 mins then I added a little bit of water from the tank waited 10 more mins then added more and so on over a period of 45mins. (I hope I didn't wait too long or go too fast?)
Her poop looks good. Normal color, texture, everything.
I do daily 25% water changes on this tank as I've been trying to set it up for discus. do you think I should cut back or increase the amount? Also I was wondering if it's at all possible that the Gbr that I lost to ich could've been it's mate? Maybe the stress of only being two in there? I know I'm asking a lot of questions I really like this fish and want to do everything I can to make sure it's ok.

Thanks for answering. The tank mates seem good, and so does the acclimation. However, you might want to learn about drip acclimation. It is much easier onthe fish, and i am sure that this is the best acclimation for discus.

The 25% every day seems great. Keel it up! I dont know if rams feel an emotional attatchment to mates, and have never heard of them pouting about it.

Honestly, everything has checked out perfectly, and the GBR should be okay. If not, at least you know it wasnt your fault

 

[Mlani]

Thank you I'll have to look up the proper way to drip. I have heard about it and have an idea of how it is to be done, but I do need to look up for more details on the best way to do it. I really hope this is just stress from the move, of course my mind is going over everything that's different and what I should do to make her less stressed. Do you think it would bother my other fish if I gave them more "quiet" time? (Lights out ) To try and help her?

 

[Gboy66]

Thank you I'll have to look up the proper way to drip. I have heard about it and have an idea of how it is to be done, but I do need to look up for more details on the best way to do it. I really hope this is just stress from the move, of course my mind is going over everything that's different and what I should do to make her less stressed. Do you think it would bother my other fish if I gave them more "quiet" time? (Lights out ) To try and help her?

Yea, drip is easy. I simply found some airline tubing in the garage, cleaned it out, and tied a know in it It really helps the fish IMO.

The fish would do just fine with less lighting, as the lights are really for your enjoyment. If you have plants, however, i would re-consider this.

When you added the ram, were the lights off at that time? Thats the time you should usually give them the "quiet time"

I wish the best to you and your beutiful ram!!

 

[blert]

It won't bother your other fish to dim the lights for a while. It won't bother your plants either to give them a day off, they will be fine.

 

[Mlani]

Yea, drip is easy. I simply found some airline tubing in the garage, cleaned it out, and tied a know in it It really helps the fish IMO.

The fish would do just fine with less lighting, as the lights are really for your enjoyment. If you have plants, however, i would re-consider this.

When you added the ram, were the lights off at that time? Thats the time you should usually give them the "quiet time"

I wish the best to you and your beutiful ram!!

I have plenty of the fizzer air lines (tubes) that should work right? Or does it need to be thicker? I'm going to use a bucket and drip to it when I get the discus. Which is on hold until I figure out what's wrong with my Gbr. I left the lights off for the first day when they were added. (except for about 30 mins so I could admire the new set up)
Thank you for your help I really hope she comes around.

 

[Mlani]

It won't bother your other fish to dim the lights for a while. It won't bother your plants either to give them a day off, they will be fine.

Very good to know thank you! I'm new to plants as well and almost forgot about them. I've only ever had plastic until recently. I wonder, no I checked the plants out and they're good for gbrs. Sorry was thinking out loud there. Lol! I'll give her a few more days, keep watching her and hopefully she'll perk up. Thx again for keeping my thread alive

 

[Gboy66]

I have plenty of the fizzer air lines (tubes) that should work right? Or does it need to be thicker? I'm going to use a bucket and drip to it when I get the discus. Which is on hold until I figure out what's wrong with my Gbr. I left the lights off for the first day when they were added. (except for about 30 mins so I could admire the new set up)
Thank you for your help I really hope she comes around.

Should be good enough!! your foing everything right, so just keep upbwith those water changes and keep updating us on whats happening

 

[Mlani]

Will do thank you again

 

[Mlani]

I think I may of figured it out and I think I messed up big! Tonight my one ram was "attacking" my other ram, and I was freaking out getting ready to get the net to save her. (He's done this numerous times and I thought the redness on her belly was from being hit by him) So my husband came in and stopped me cause he you tubed videos of spawning... Well I think I'm the biggest dumba** around. The red belly was her with eggs and yes, guess who does regular pwc which include vacuuming the gravel.. :-( so this time I let them do their thing and I'm not going to do any vacuuming when I see a red belly. LOL!

 

[Gboy66]

How is the ram?

 

[Mlani]

She's still hanging out on the bottom :-( colors good though, poops normal, eating well and even defending her space when the cories come near her shrimp. Lol! I am clueless as to why she started just sitting at the bottom?