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SparKy697

Aquarium Advice Addict
Joined
Nov 23, 2006
Messages
1,495
Location
Northwest Indiana
I have a 55 gallon tank with 5 GBR and 7 GGR. A pair has formed between two of the GBR and eggs have been laid. Things are suddenly hectic.

I have had these fish for all of three days and honestly figured I would have time to research what to do if this happened.... But no!


Everybody is chasing everybody around the tank and I have a couple of fish cowering in the top corner of the tank, hiding in the weeds.

My instincts are to start removing fish but I am not really ready with a place to put them. There seems to be a lot of fighting and I am a little worried about the general health in the tank.

Any suggestions would be very welcome on this matter.
 
I had this happen, but on a smaller scale (3ggr, 1gbr). They will start to calm down once the eggs are gone, but honestly I think the only way to really deal with it is to remove the pair. I have heard that this problem shouldn't happen if the tank is big enough for them all to have their own territory, but my situation was also in 55 gallons with only 3 rams. I think that they are just such curious fish that they will always be checking out the territorial breeding fish's turf.
 
You have a bit of a problem there Sparky. The pair will do everything in their power to protect their territory and the others are going to go out of their way to try to take over the clutch.

I'm not sure how fierce yours will be but moving the others is the only option.
 
This morning I find that I have no more eggs! My guess is that the pig of an SAE got to them over the night. I found the parents still defending the same spot in the tank where their eggs used to be. I took this opportunity to remove the parents to a 10 gallon tank with a seeded foam filter, heater and a few handfuls of moss.

My hopes are that the pair will settle into their new home and in time produce some more eggs. The last time I checked, the rest of the rams were all swimming together and getting along better than they have since I got them on Tuesday.

Welcome to the crash course on rams.....
 
Sparky ends up with problems that everyone WANTS to have... :) mutant plants that grow huge and fish that immediately breed upon buying them... oh it must be so awful for you, sparky!!

honestly... i know the feeling... i buy a lottery scratch off every day... but do you think i could get a losing one?? OMG NO... that would be too easy... sheesh.... :lol:
 
They'll try again soon. JC is right, you will soon be asking for help on how to feed them.


Ok, why wait?

So much controversy out there about what to feed the little ones. Brine shrimp are perfect or too big. Micorworms are another suggestion I have read about too.

Thoughts?
 
Kennef said:
Sparky ends up with problems that everyone WANTS to have... :) mutant plants that grow huge and fish that immediately breed upon buying them...

Touche' Kennef - Some of us have all the luck. Case in point, I've tried to breed Angels, Rams, BN pleco's and cories...nada. I've also tried to grow plants. The jury is still out on that one. :wink:

Sparky, BBS are the perfect fry food but since I've raised some ram fry from pups, I've seen that they can take finely crushed flake foods as well after two weeks or so.
 
The secret to success is an easy one, at least in my case. I have no idea what I'm doing so I don't know it can't be done :)
 
Ok,

Everybody seems to be doing ok in their new digs. The pair I put in the 10 gallon seem to be lacking any color, but they are just hanging out and looking out of the tank. They eat when ever I feed them but pretty much just hang out and look dull.

Is this normal? Does the lack of color mean they are stressed?
 
Yes, they are most likely a little stressed. Same thing happened to me when I tried to relocate a pair to a 10 gallon. They seemed to be that way for quite some time so I moved them back to the 55 and they were fine.
 
Update:

I did a pwc today and so far the pair seem to be doing just fine. Colors are almost as brilliant as before the move. They are eating really well and checking out the tank.

Hopefully they well feel in the mood again.
 
Yes that is them.

So pardon my excitement, but I think things are happening!

The female has been pecking at this round flat rock I placed in the middle of a pile of java moss like she is eating something. She stops and lays down on the rock for a moment then goes back to work. Every once in a while she goes and finds the male and gets in front of him, turns broadside and just stays there as if to say look at me.

Am I reading too much into this behavior? Or is this normal?

UPDATE:

Well never mind that question, I have the answer.....


EGGS!!!

Not a very good picture, but it is the best I can get tonight. They seem to freak out when ever I get close to the tank. I will try to get better pics in the morning.

img_800222_0_74541935d39ca2741fbfd77d73f34966.jpg
 
Wow, that is very exciting. My rams have been in a 10 gallon for weeks and have spawned once but still look dull and hide all the time.

Congrats.
 
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