GBR not doing so well

[eco23]

Hi everyone!

I've had a German Blue Ram in my community tank for 8 days and his progress seems to be going in the wrong direction. The first couple days he was very active, ate well, was very interactive and would follow us around the tank, etc...

In the last few days he's secluded himself behind a plant in the back of the tank and has refused to eat. His (or hers) colors have darkened and he's not displaying the blue colorations he was showing before.

No fish have picked on him in the time he's been in there and he seemed to be fitting in wonderfully. He appears healthy, fins look good, no signs of any type of infection, etc.

Here's my tanks info-

48 gallon bow front freshwater tank
Stocked with neons, danios, Otos, red eye tetras and a few RCS
Fully cycled (fishless of coarse)
Ammo-0
No2-0
No3-around 5
pH- 7.4-7.5 (I know a little higher than ideal, but after research I seemed to think it'd be fine)
Water hardness is relatively soft (I don't remember the exact number)

I know danios can be a bit hyper, but he interacted with them well before and they stay at the top of the tank. He was bag acclimated over about a 2 1/2 hour period.

Any ideas? Maybe just poor stock?

 

[Jason7894561230]

Weak genetics. Store bought GBR are getting poorer and poorer. Kepp watching him and try and feed him by pushing the food right at him. But i believe this is just poor stock. Try and find a breeder in your area and that will help with stock Good Luck

 

[eco23]

If he doesn't pull through, Severum mama may be getting a PM soon asking if she has Bolivians in stock. I wish I had known about her before I started stocking. it's just odd for him to have done so well initially, only to go into hiding after a week.

 

[eco23]

Hopefully he'll pull through and this will be a pointless question...but has anyone ever researched an actual cause of death in these cases? I assume an animal wouldn't be happy for a week and then just decide to die? Something would actually have to kill it.

 

[jetajockey]

What temp are you keeping him at? I keep alot of rams, and weak stock is possible, but it just depends on where the fish are brought in from.

 

[eco23]

What temp are you keeping him at? I keep alot of rams, and weak stock is possible, but it just depends on where the fish are brought in from.

Temp is around 77-78. I know it's slightly cooler than ideal for them, but again, after research I believed this was acceptable. I just can't cook my tetras and danios.

 

[jetajockey]

I've kept my glowlight danios in 82+ ever since they came out of eggs, I don't know about tetras though. Just shootin ideas out there. Cichlids can be moody, I have an EBJD that holds a grudge anytime I try to move him, and he'll hide out for weeks on end.

I recently moved 2 male electric blue rams and 1 female gold ram to a breeding tank and they disliked it so much that for the 3 weeks I kept them in there they all stayed hidden behind the plates I had set up for them to spawn on.

Moved them back to the 40b with the others and they all spawned within days.

Really hope he comes around for you.

 

[eco23]

I've kept my glowlight danios in 82+ ever since they came out of eggs, I don't know about tetras though. Just shootin ideas out there. Cichlids can be moody, I have an EBJD that holds a grudge anytime I try to move him, and he'll hide out for weeks on end.

I recently moved 2 male electric blue rams and 1 female gold ram to a breeding tank and they disliked it so much that for the 3 weeks I kept them in there they all stayed hidden behind the plates I had set up for them to spawn on.

Moved them back to the 40b with the others and they all spawned within days.

Really hope he comes around for you.

Thanks, I hope he pulls through too. He was my wife's one pick she really wanted. I had to shoot down a bunch of her other ideas but I gave in on the GBR. He is absolutely beautiful and was really personable. Hopefully he's just a bit grumpy like you said. I did just move a couple pieces of deco around...maybe that's what ticked him off. None of the things I moved were in the areas he usually hung out in though.