Female ram sick

[Caliban07]

Added a male and female German blue ram to my established 15 gallon. About 2 weeks later a deal came up on a 40 gallon so I bought it. I used have new and half my old gravel. Squeezed 3 filter sponges into the new water. However, I didn't boil the decorations and I didn't clean the canister filter (for bb reasons)

A couple of days ago I noticed white cotton like ball on my female GBR's head. I thought it looked like fungus so I got white spot and fungus treatment. After day 1 the fungus disappeared but I continued treatment as directed. This the the 4th day now. I am supposed to dose days 1 1 and 3 skip 4 and 5 then dose again on 6.

Problem is the fungus has left red mark salinity like cuts and it looks really sore. She is also breathing very heavily and her gills are going very fast. I'm not sure what to do. She looked find after day 1 but now she is staying on her own and looks poorly.

Ammo 0ppm
Nitrites 0ppm
Nitrates 10ppm

Ph 7.5

Temp 28 degrees c

Please help

I don't have a quarantine tank set up

 

[Caliban07]

Forgot to mention I bought some new plants but didn't wash them. Wanted ramshorns to feed my assassins

 

[SKB]

I am not familiar with fungus's but since you have the temp up, have u added aeration or lowered the water level so the filter adds more oxygen? The warmer the water, the less oxygen in the water. This might be why your fish is breathing hard. Keeping the tank clean and checking water a lot are very important. Id keep following the instructions on the medicine bottle.

 

[Caliban07]

Thanks for that. I turned the heat up because rams prefer warmer temps and to Sid the medicine. I wasn't aware that oxygen lowers in these conditions. My filter is providing some surface agitation but I might do a water change and lower the water further to allow surface breakage. This has been a great help. It was confusing as all other fish seem fine. I'll dose as instructed too.

Thanks

 

[Caliban07]

She is skis staying at the top now too. Definitely O2 problems

 

[SKB]

GBR's are picky from what I have heard. But keep us updated!

 

[Caliban07]

Changed a little bit of water. Left water 6 inches lower than filter outlet to all a nice break on surface. Refilled to a level that isn't as noisy but still gives decent surface agitation. Also reduce temp by a degree. She is no longer at the top is fingers crossed. The last dose of treatment is the day after tomorrow. Hopefully she will be ok.

 

[SKB]

Ok I wish you the best of luck!! Let me know how to goes!

 

[Caliban07]

Not a good outcome. I wonder where the fungus came from. I read stress can induce fungus, maybe she didn't handle the tank swap very well

 

[SKB]

I am sorry to hear that. Fish do go quickly when something Is wrong though. Don't blame yourself, you did what you could.

 

[Caliban07]

I know. She was fine in the 15 gallon though so I can't help but think I did something wrong. I'll have to go and get another tomorrow.

 

[Caliban07]

Thanks btw

 

[SKB]

No problem! I would invest in a water test kit if u haven't already, gbrs aren't hardy and need really good water conditions. The 40 gallon might not have enough bb to handle the load yet, being not fully established. I wish you good luck!

 

[Caliban07]

The canister filter I obtained when I purchased the 40 gallon was used immediately and contained plenty of BB. I also used all my plants from the 15 gal as well as squeezings from 3 media pads from the filter in my 15 gal and transferred all if the gravel from the 15 gallon. I have an API master test kit and all parameters are his the should be. I read that if a fishes slime coat becomes damaged it is easy for the fungus to grow on the fish. Rough handling and stress could have been the factors that caused this and as you say as rams are not particularly tolerable it would have been extra difficult for this fish to acclimatise to the new tank.

 

[Nicnet]

I think you did everything right with the setup. Using all the gravel, the filter bags, etc would all make that tank good enough for them in my opinion. The higher heat definitely could put an impact on the breathing, so an air stone could help with that. I question mostly the decorations though, I had a heater once that I didn't clean and I'm not sure what exactly happened but my whole tank was wiped. (We think something was on the heater, chemical, it wasn't related to the actual temperature). Either way, sorry your tank is having issues! Hopefully things get better soon! Don't beat yourself up either way. =)

 

[Caliban07]

Thank you. Yes I didn't clean the heater either. There are so many different things it could have been. New filter, rocks, heater, I bought new plants too and didn't wash them. I didn't wash them because I wanted pest snails for my assassin snail.

Interestingly I went to my LFS yesterday to get another female but they had been quarantined and were not for sale.

 

[Nicnet]

Thank you. Yes I didn't clean the heater either. There are so many different things it could have been. New filter, rocks, heater, I bought new plants too and didn't wash them. I didn't wash them because I wanted pest snails for my assassin snail. Interestingly I went to my LFS yesterday to get another female but they had been quarantined and were not for sale.

I bet you it was the store that had something then. One of our good LFS has been giving us a lot of issues lately, and it's always a bummer when that happens. So even though you got what appeared to be a healthy fish, maybe she just wasn't, & it wasn't even anything you did.

Oh, and the plants, I wouldn't worry about washing them too much. I really don't, just a quick rinse enough to make sure there isn't any duck weed or anything (I hate that plant now!!) right on top.

 

[SKB]

Plants can bring in parasites/bacteria. I do suggest cleaning plants as I am having an issue with them bringing in a parasite and I didn't clean them either.

Not saying this was the issue but im just saying, they can bring issues into your tank.

I hope you find a healthy fish to bring home and the best of luck to you!