Caprichoso Posted June 18, 2011 Report Share Posted June 18, 2011 Hey Guys/Gals, Spouse really wanted to have them so 2 weeks ago got a male and female Blue Ram for my 30 gallon low tech planted tank. Had 2 honey gourami in with them but have since taken them out. No tank mates now except shrimp. They are very shy and hang out at the bottom and back of the tank. I have to approach very slowly and even then they freak out. The temp is at 80F. Tank is loaded with bogwood, java moss, crypts, hygro and large sword. I do weekly water changes of 50%. I know in the wild they prefer a certain pH but was told that they do fine in harder water as they are all bred in captivity now. Had Rams when I was a teenager in my mom's tank and they received no special care or pH adjustment. I always remember them as very lively and colorful. The ones I have ARE NOT and look pale. Ammonia and nitrites are at 0. This is a mature, established tank with an aquaclear 150 and a sponge filter. Just wondering if they are normally timid and/or if I should be doing something different. I really don't like the thought of fiddling with the pH as I'm concerned with pH swings and my shrimp but will consider it if I need to. Any thoughts or advice for me? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wingin' It Posted June 18, 2011 Report Share Posted June 18, 2011 maybe you should put in some dither fish...pick a danio or something else really fast just so that the rams feel safe and not like the only two fish left. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
syno321 Posted June 18, 2011 Report Share Posted June 18, 2011 I think that wingin'it hit it on the nose. Try taking some of those tetras or White Clouds from you other community tank and adding them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caprichoso Posted June 19, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 19, 2011 (edited) I hear what you're saying but they acted like that when the two honey gourami were in there too. The honey's didn't bother them and didn't hang out with the rams either. So you guys think the temp and pH isn't an issue then and it's just about adding more fish? Don't really want to add mountain minnows as 80F is much to warm for them in the long term. What other types of fish are good to put with them? I don't know much about rams but wouldn't a frantic fish like a Danio be too stressful for them? I will add some more fish if this is the problem but want to be sure before I do. I'd like to add a type of fish I don't already have too, so any suggestions on what would be best? Thanks for the response Edited June 19, 2011 by Caprichoso Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jvision Posted June 19, 2011 Report Share Posted June 19, 2011 A school of rummynose tetras would be great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caprichoso Posted June 19, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 19, 2011 Cardinals, Rummynose, Emperor, Green Fire, Ember & Glow Light Tetras White Cloud Mountain Minnows Pearl & Honey Gourami Glass cats, Orange Lazer, Green & Bronze Albino Corydoras Betta: male & female Sunset High Fin Platies Otocinclus I have these types in my other tank and would like something different that would be compatible with rams and suitable for a 30 gallon. Thanks for the help Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan11 Posted June 19, 2011 Report Share Posted June 19, 2011 What about like 15 zebra danio's? i have about 10 of them, and I love them. They are so active, and cheap too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caprichoso Posted June 19, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 19, 2011 Ok, things are going downhill fast here. My male ram is sitting on the bottom of the tank and is breathing rapidly now. He is very pale and not moving much. The female and all shrimp are fine. I did another test out of paranoia. Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0. The pH is 7.6, Temp is 80F. I removed both Honey Gourami last night from that tank without any major tank disturbances. There is no other physical symptom that I can see. I feel bad! Did taking the Gourami out traumatize him? I've done 2 water changes since putting the Rams in,(one per week) and I made sure the water was the same temp and used Prime to de-chlorinate. When I got the Rams, I made sure to acclimate properly too. Does anyone have any idea what is happening? Geez, sound like a noob here but I haven't had this happen before. Is there anything I can do? I've turned the light off for a start. I feel like adding fish from my other tank right now is not a good idea? Am I wrong? Thanks in advance for any help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wingin' It Posted June 19, 2011 Report Share Posted June 19, 2011 A lot of people don't have luck with Rams...sometimes they're really finicky. My brother-in-law tried several times to keep them but they always died...some people have the touch...some don't. I don't think there is anything more you can do for the moment...just keep the lights off...quiet...let them be. They'll either be dead or alive by morning IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan11 Posted June 19, 2011 Report Share Posted June 19, 2011 I would quickly try putting them in your 140, if for just a day or two. I keep mine in a 135 gallon community with angels and tetra's, but when I moved them to a densely planted 15 gallon breeding tank by themselves, they died within a week. I think they like lots of fish around them. If it were me, I would try putting them in there. I don't think you have anything to lose. It sounds like they are going to die. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caprichoso Posted June 19, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 19, 2011 Okay thanks for the suggestions guys, I'm going to see how they are in the morning and go from there. I didn't realize they needed to be around other fish. I spent a lot of time on line reading up on the water parameters and what fish NOT to put them with but never even considered they needed to be with other fish. I read a lot of info regarding that they can be timid but I thought that meant that they get scared easily by other fish so assumed that they do better with their own kind and in pairs. *sighs* I feel bad for them. Hope things look better with my male in the morning. Thanks for the help everyone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan11 Posted June 19, 2011 Report Share Posted June 19, 2011 I am not an expert at all, so don't take my word on it, but when I have kept them, they have always done better around my other fish. I hope they are still alive in the morning. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vince0 Posted June 19, 2011 Report Share Posted June 19, 2011 Rams are real sensitive, and the older they get the worst they handle the move. I used to have a pair in a 35g tank that would raise the fry to free-swimming, but they would get eaten up quickly after that stage. When I tried to move them, the female passed on me and the male looked miserable from that point on... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghostface Posted June 19, 2011 Report Share Posted June 19, 2011 I currently have a GBR pair as well. The male i've had for about a year now, and he has gone into several different tanks never an issue. The female is way more sensitive, tried to move her once while I was cleaning out the tank and re-organizing the plants, found her gaspin at the top. She was able to recover and have not moved her since. I find with GBR you never really know how well they do until you get them home, I've had instances where they died within the first week, I'd return them and get a new one and it would do fine, same setup, water etc. Some say they are an easy fish to keep, some say there are extremely difficult, I guess it all depends. Just give them lots of caves and hiding places, and like everyone else said, I also find that they do much better with other fish around them, they can be pretty shy if left by themselves. Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan11 Posted June 20, 2011 Report Share Posted June 20, 2011 Did they make it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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