cullymoto Posted January 29, 2013 Report Share Posted January 29, 2013 Any tips on getting rams to lay? I've had a pair lay in a community tank several times now, the pleco's always get the eggs. So a few times I have moved them to a 10G breeder set-up and they wont lay in there. daily r/o water changes, amazon extract added, lots of fake plants for shelter, lots of high quality frozen food with FDBW as well.... they get a bit stressed with the move of coarse, but they never seem to settle down at all for me. Any advice you could give? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rainbowric Posted January 29, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 29, 2013 (edited) I heard this and experienced this as well in the past. In the community tank they spawn quite regularly with pleco's and catfish watching them. It can take some time for them to get use to a smaller 10 gallon. Not saying the size of the tank, we have done lots of breeding in a 10 gallon with rams, but just the change of there new enviroment. Were they getting RO water in the community tank? The litttle critters are very sensitive to changes in water conditions. Maybe do a water change on the community tank then next day use water from it to change the breeding tank. They do like slates to lay on! must be clean! We would put slates down in the community tank and then catch them in the community tank laying eggs and when they were done, we would slip in and pick up the slate and move it to the hatching jar pictured above, before the plecos and cats nailed it. Be aware that they will attack your hand, but don't worry the bleeding will stop in an hour or two. Hang a airline and stone just beside the eggs to try and simulate fanning from the female. If no water movement at the eggs, they can fungus up on you. Back to why they are not laying. Have you tried alder cones. Natural anti-fungus, anti-bacterial, but also they can help to create a favourable breeding enviroment. Frozen food .. does that include blood worms? Daily water changes I would back off of and go every 5 or 6 days with 20 to 25% change should be more than good with 2 small fish in a 10 gallon tank, or same as what you were doing in the community tank! If you are using tap water for your community tank and the PH is about 7 buffer it down below 7. Alder cones can help also in the buffering down. If using a sponge filter or any kind of filter, conditioning it with bacteria from the community tank can help. That's about it that I can think of at the moment. Wishing you the best of luck, Ric Edited January 29, 2013 by Rainbowric Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crystal Posted January 30, 2013 Report Share Posted January 30, 2013 Beautiful rams. I have a 1M/2F gold trio, but they have never laid eggs. They always seem to lose one another in my heavily planted 90g. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperGuppyGirl Posted January 31, 2013 Report Share Posted January 31, 2013 Hmmmm any suggestions where to find Alder Cones in Edmonton? I have tried Indian Almond leaves with no luck, the GBR's don't seem to like them. I did buy the peat for the filter but am leary of trying to mess with it especially as these guys are getting bumped to a 75G. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rainbowric Posted January 31, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2013 They can be hard to find ..... try Angel Fins, where I purchased some before. If the site indicates sold out, email Jarmila anyway and ask, she might have some coming in. If you are unsuccessful, I might be able to provide you with some. I have some that I am not using, but like to keep them on hand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crystal Posted January 31, 2013 Report Share Posted January 31, 2013 Alder cones, like the local ones? Wrong time of year to find lots, but there are usually tons around Aug-Nov. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rainbowric Posted January 31, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2013 Yep .... if you know where an alder tree is, you will find some there in the fall! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperGuppyGirl Posted January 31, 2013 Report Share Posted January 31, 2013 Could be possible if I knew what an Alder Tree looked like...I know leaf tree and needle tree and Birch cause they have paper bark but extent of my knowledge LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ckmullin Posted January 31, 2013 Report Share Posted January 31, 2013 Could be possible if I knew what an Alder Tree looked like http://www.google.com/search?q=Alder+Tree&hl=en&tbo=d&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=sPUKUeq2HMj9igKI7YDoAw&ved=0CAoQ_AUoAA&biw=1919&bih=968 Go for a nice walk and see if you can match up the tree shape and bark type. Other that wait till spring when they bud out and it's easier for you to tell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crystal Posted February 1, 2013 Report Share Posted February 1, 2013 (edited) Shrubs that are usually 5-15 feet in height. Slender whippy branches, spotting on the bark, zig-zagged leaves, and they are one of the few plants in AB that have that kind of acorn. They tend to prefer damper soils, aka don't bother with the sandy dry areas, try to search within 200M of a small creek with poplar or willow trees. I don't ever recall seeing them close to a big stand of spruce or pine. There are tons along the quad trails around Athabasca, they are the shrubs that try to attack you (if that helps ). I have only ever seen the many branched shrub like a willow, never a single trunked "tree" Around here, ensure the acorn is under 3cm, and that the plant is a shrub not a thick stemmed plant and you pretty much can't go wrong. Oh, and the squirrels won't fight you over them. Edited February 1, 2013 by Crystal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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