Lost a ram... not sure why?

[sinibotia]

I just got 4 rams (2 of each gender) thursday morning and, over the weekend, I lost one of them. It was sometime between 4 on friday and 4 today, during which I was gone. The fish I lost was a female ram. Only other fish in the tank are 5 corydoras paleatus. The fish looked healthy before I left and still look healthy now, although one of the other rams (a male) is up in the water column and a little greyed out.

Water parameters:
0 ammonia
0 nitrite
20 nitrate
7.6 pH
3 degrees KH
54 ppm GH
(however my hardness test kits may not be reliable)

What do you think killed my ram? Aggression? Disease? I can't honestly think of another issue as all of the other fish seem healthy and happy.

 

[dalto]

It could be stress from aggression, have you seen one of them being picked on?

My best guess would be poor quality stock. M. ramirezi is one of the toughest fish to find quality stock of. Use of hormones by breeders is super common and even when hormones aren't use sometimes the lines have just weakened.

Bummer about the fish.

 

[sinibotia]

They seem to have exiled one of the males to the upper recesses of the tank, but I haven't seen any relentless aggression. And although I would guess poor quality stock, I know the "fish girl" at petsmart who said theyve been in their tanks for months. If I had to guess I would say aggression, but that seems odd with ram cichlids especially in a new tank. Then again, it's pretty lightly decorated so maybe that amplified the aggression.

 

[dalto]

M. ramirezi can be fairly aggressive with conspecifics.

I would only buy rams straight from a breeder unless they were wild caught.

 

[sinibotia]

M. ramirezi can be fairly aggressive with conspecifics.

I would only buy rams straight from a breeder unless they were wild caught.

Normally I would, but.... in central Maine, what's a ram breeder? If I could find a good price for a pair from a local breeder I would do a little dance.

Actually.... if I found a local breeder of ANYTHING around here I'd do a little dance. There isn't even a local aquarium club.

 

[Brookster123]

Where in Maine are you? Road trip to mass??

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[sinibotia]

Where in Maine are you? Road trip to mass??

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Central Maine. Near Bangor. It's like 3 hours just to get to the NH border. BUT I might be able to meet you midway somewhere. Or if you're close to CT I could get fish before I go back up from visiting my parents.

Also, it seems one male and one female have taken control of the bottom while the remaining male hasn't left the upper reaches of the tank. Think I've got a pair, and should I separate/remove the other male?

 

[Brookster123]

Yep, if they've paired that other male has no business in there. If you ever want to broker a ram deal hit me up

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[sinibotia]

Yep, if they've paired that other male has no business in there. If you ever want to broker a ram deal hit me up

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I'm just not sure theyve paired. They don't stick particularly close but rather seem to tolerate each other. Of course, that's more than I can say for the other ram. For now, I've moved him into a fry net.

 

[sinibotia]

Well, I'm watching the male ram clear out a little bowl in the sand and viciously chase the corydoras catfish.... the female's pink belly is glowing, and she's being really nasty to the catfish as well. I think they've paired off and that's what happened to the poor female.