German Blue Rams
- Thread starter Foskett96
- Start date
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If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
mr.waffles1842
Aquarium Advice FINatic
most people think theyre hard to keep. that isnt necessarily true. I got mine yesterday, and i just acclimated him carefully, watched him for awhile at the lfs, and hes amazing. they do prefer soft acidic water, and the reason people think theyre hard to keep is because they dont really know much about them i think. give them plenty of plant cover, a slw current, and watch bio wastes (nitrites, nitrates, ammonia) in particular. thats all there is to it IMO.
bruinsbro1997
Aquarium Advice Addict
Depends on where you get yours from. Most LFS don't have the best conditions for them so they can get super sensitive very easily. If they're kept in a healthy, established, dead-free tank (which is where I got mine from) then they're a lot hardier than being kept in generic pet store conditions.
aqua_chem
Aquarium Advice Addict
They also get a bad rap because they are injected with hormones at the breeders to make them look pretty before they properly mature. This is detrimental to the fish, and the often will croak because of it 1-2 months after getting them.
They are a challenge to keep, but not necessarily for experts. They can be an educational experience in water conditions for less-experienced fish keepers. I like to remember that their life expectancy in your tank will always be higher than in a poorly kept LFS tank.
They are a challenge to keep, but not necessarily for experts. They can be an educational experience in water conditions for less-experienced fish keepers. I like to remember that their life expectancy in your tank will always be higher than in a poorly kept LFS tank.
jetajockey
come get me tang police!
I don't recommend them to anyone.
If you've only had one for a day, or a week or two, or a month, then honestly that isn't much time to make a well rounded assessment about the species as a whole.
They can be very touchy fish, for reasons mentioned above, lots of weakened lines through selective breeding, etc.
They are definitely the most difficult fish I have kept and bred. That said, I dealt with EBRs/Gold variants so the german blue variant is likely to be more hardy in comparison.
If you've only had one for a day, or a week or two, or a month, then honestly that isn't much time to make a well rounded assessment about the species as a whole.
They can be very touchy fish, for reasons mentioned above, lots of weakened lines through selective breeding, etc.
They are definitely the most difficult fish I have kept and bred. That said, I dealt with EBRs/Gold variants so the german blue variant is likely to be more hardy in comparison.
I thought they were pretty sweet lookin. What else could I get that is about the same size and peaceful? I might just get a really really awesome betta..
jetajockey
come get me tang police!
I dont mean to turn anyone away from them if they really like them, I just don't recommend them from personal experience.
This is my personal thought on rams as to sensitivity etc
Most sensitive to Least sensitive
-Electric blue
-Red (Gold)
-Gold
-Longfin variants
-German blue
I'd look into apistos, or bolivians. Some apistos can be just as touchy, though, but they don't have the reputation like rams do so that's promising, I don't have any personal experience with apistos yet, though.
This is my personal thought on rams as to sensitivity etc
Most sensitive to Least sensitive
-Electric blue
-Red (Gold)
-Gold
-Longfin variants
-German blue
I'd look into apistos, or bolivians. Some apistos can be just as touchy, though, but they don't have the reputation like rams do so that's promising, I don't have any personal experience with apistos yet, though.
aqua_chem
Aquarium Advice Addict
+1 on Apistos and Bolivians.
HOWEVER
If you can't get them to 'stick', try getting them from either local breeders or private breeders online. Their stock is generally much less abused.
HOWEVER
If you can't get them to 'stick', try getting them from either local breeders or private breeders online. Their stock is generally much less abused.
picture_117
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Yeah they aren't the hardiest fish, they can die really for no reason at all having to do with your tank.
jetajockey
come get me tang police!
I recall reading a consensus from the ram breeders over on the apisto forum that they average only about a 2 year life span, so that may have a factor as well.
mr.waffles1842
Aquarium Advice FINatic
my female ram, jessica, just died 
. she was in QT with jon, and just died 20 minutes ago. hmm
. she was in QT with jon, and just died 20 minutes ago. hmm
redsea
Aquarium Advice Addict
mr.waffles1842 said:my female ram, jessica, just died
Sorry to hear about your loss.
mr.waffles1842
Aquarium Advice FINatic
yesterday. lol, i thought she was doing great. she possitively radiated health.
I had two Blue rams that were perfectly fine for 2 weeks, then started acting lethargic and died one day after the other. Its true what people say about them, they die randomly after acting completely healthy for weeks.
