Is this true about German Blue Rams?

[CleverBs]

So today I went to a new fish store in town. the store is ran by two brothers that use to run a different fish store that was successful but the owner closed it, so they have a good reputation. anyways so I was looking at his blue rams and they are about 2 inches long with great color. So I asked him why my rams I currently have dont have very good color. The rams I currently have, have hardly any black marking on them, almost none in the face, and just dont have much color. they are also about 3 1/2 inches long and he said they were probably old fish that are getting close to dying.

Could this be true? I just dont understand why they lack so much color. I have great water conditions and they get NLS Pellets and Brine shrimp.

 

[Mouth-Brooder-Fanatic]

can we have a pic? this is possible, especially when they are at that size and have that little colour, but im not sure.
how do they behave? x

 

[CleverBs]

This is the male, only one I have a decent picture of.

They both hide a lot, the male hides alot less then the female. The male has been swimming around with his fins spread and all aggressive since adding the new pair in today. He seems to really like the new female, he hasn't left her alone. He has colored up a bit more today then hes ever been, but still like no black.

 

[Mouth-Brooder-Fanatic]

i hope u find lots of squiddly babies soon
sometimes they dont seem to get black. my friend's was quite pale but was a proven male ha.

 

[Fishkeeper88]

i dont really have an answer for you my GBRs have great color and i have even gotten compliments on the last two i had. for being the bluest gbrs that person had ever seen. try feeding a wide variety of foods and make sure they have enough room and that you dont over clean the aquarium. these fish like so called "old water" or really developed and aged tanks. they color up sometimes if you feed them often. like twice a day.

 

[CleverBs]

I feed once a day and they hardly ever go to the food, they just seem to eat it after it hits the bottom.

 

[aqua_chem]

Well, do you have any idea how old they are? Are you keeping them in non-ideal-but-still-probably-doable™ conditions (high pH, high TDS, sub-80s temp)?

 

[absolutangel04]

Thay may just not have much black. It can happen. Gold rams are really just a color variation that has minimal blue and no black, so it is certainly possible they were mixed with golds somewhere back in their lineage, or that they just are not the traditional color of a gbr. As long as your water is good and their behavior is fine, I see no reason to worry about it at all.

 

[Fishkeeper88]

Thay may just not have much black. It can happen. Gold rams are really just a color variation that has minimal blue and no black, so it is certainly possible they were mixed with golds somewhere back in their lineage, or that they just are not the traditional color of a gbr. As long as your water is good and their behavior is fine, I see no reason to worry about it at all.

yes but if they arent gold rams try smaller portions of food with more variety twice a day. lets say flakes in the morning or pellets and then brine shrimp at night. then the next day flakes or pellets in the morning and bloodworms at night. i feed mine frozen blood worms, flakes, pellets, freeze dried blood worms and they also pick off my algea. try more variety and they might cheer up. that is if they arent older fish.

 

[CleverBs]

Well, do you have any idea how old they are? Are you keeping them in non-ideal-but-still-probably-doable™ conditions (high pH, high TDS, sub-80s temp)?

ph - 6.4
This week ill be starting to do water changes with Ro/Di water so that will lower my KH GH, Temp is 82 Degrees

 

[aqua_chem]

I'm thinking that's just what your fish look like. IME they lose their blue sheen first when they're feeling off, not their dark colors.

 

[CleverBs]

I'm thinking that's just what your fish look like. IME they lose their blue sheen first when they're feeling off, not their dark colors.

well the males has great great blue today its very bright. but hasnt the last few days. Hes really liking the new tank mates.

im trying to decide if I should just get another pair of German Rams or if I should get a Pair of electric Blues

The guy at the store said they are really weak due to breeding and you have to baby them their whole lives. Would you agree or not? I dont mind babying beings I plan on putting 5 discus in the tank in the future so ill have to baby them anyways. But he says they are very easily prone to disease

 

[absolutangel04]

well the males has great great blue today its very bright. but hasnt the last few days. Hes really liking the new tank mates.

im trying to decide if I should just get another pair of German Rams or if I should get a Pair of electric Blues

The guy at the store said they are really weak due to breeding and you have to baby them their whole lives. Would you agree or not? I dont mind babying beings I plan on putting 5 discus in the tank in the future so ill have to baby them anyways. But he says they are very easily prone to disease

Just to clarify, do you mean electric blue rams?
In general, I agree that gbr need to be babied. IMO, it takes them quite awhile to settle into a tank, but once they have been in there for a few months, they seem to get more hardy, but any upheaval in those first few months often end poorly for the rams. But, thats just a generalization. Some rams I have seen have been quite hardy.
So, you are thinking about 3 pairs of rams in that one tank? How big is it again? What other tankmates are in there?

 

[Hobgob]

i dont really have an answer for you my GBRs have great color and i have even gotten compliments on the last two i had. for being the bluest gbrs that person had ever seen. try feeding a wide variety of foods and make sure they have enough room and that you dont over clean the aquarium. these fish like so called "old water" or really developed and aged tanks. they color up sometimes if you feed them often. like twice a day.

Did you just say old water!?!? Rams are really sensitive to nitrates and are very picky fish. The temperature and food helps with the coloring. Mine was at 78 the. I raised it to 81-82 and bam! More colours. Then when they weren't that coloured all I did was feed them and they would colour up fast. But it was normally my male that was pale. Ive had many compliments to. And clean water is the start to great colours followed by temperature and water parameters. Ask the lfs to test the water in the tank and see what temp it is set at.

 

[Fishkeeper88]

what i meant by old water is good bacterial growth and algae cultures....

 

[Hobgob]

I believe it's a 75 gallon. But we need to know for sure and also what other tank mates you have or plan to have.

 

[CleverBs]

its a 75 gallon, with 5xpearl groumies and 10xcardinal tetras
I have plenty of space for 3 pairs and have planted my tank accordingly.

and yes I ment Electric Blue rams

 

[absolutangel04]

its a 75 gallon, with 5xpearl groumies and 10xcardinal tetras
I have plenty of space for 3 pairs and have planted my tank accordingly.

and yes I ment Electric Blue rams

OK, I don't know that you find the electric blues to be any hardier. If you like them, go ahead and get them, but I don't think they will be any easier than the German blues.

 

[aqua_chem]

@Hobgob


"Old Water" is a term for tanks with matured bacteria and established ecology that usually takes 6 months+ to develop, not literally the age of the water.


Also, if your rams are looking/feeling off, adding more fish probably isn't a great idea.

 

[posleen103]

What are you lights? How long have you had your fish? And whats the tempature?