Tropical Fish Forum

Tropical Fish Keeping Help and Advice => Fish Health => Topic started by: sipix1 on June 03, 2017, 07:29:24 PM

Title: German blue rams
Post by: sipix1 on June 03, 2017, 07:29:24 PM
HI , i have a pair of rams and the male has become ill , i have put him in a hospital tank and i have added some melafix . what i would like to know is should i put the female in with him as they are a pair and have spawned onece together.
Title: Re: German blue rams
Post by: Sue on June 03, 2017, 07:35:43 PM
It depends how big the hospital tank is. In a tank that is too small, they might get in each other's way as it were. If the male will only be there for a few days it is not worth moving the female as they will remember each other.


What is wrong with the male?

Melafix is more of a preventative than a cure. I liken it to dettol - useful for stopping an infection getting into a cut, but if the cut does become infected we need something stronger.
Title: Re: German blue rams
Post by: sipix1 on June 03, 2017, 07:43:13 PM
Hi sue , i think its some thing called hex , its a bacterial infection of the tummy. He has become so thin and had been hiding in the corner of the tank . I have just put him in the small 15 litre tank and i have given 2 mls of melafix and i.5 of pemafix as it says to do that on the bottel . I have to get him to eat so i am trying some frie grans and some protine flake . I think i will keep him in hear for 7 days or more. Thats why i am thinking about the female.
Title: Re: German blue rams
Post by: Sue on June 03, 2017, 07:47:55 PM
7 days should be OK without the female.

How long have you had the rams? I gave up trying because they never lived more than a month or two for me - and I have softish water  :-\
Title: Re: German blue rams
Post by: sipix1 on June 03, 2017, 07:52:42 PM
I have had them for about five months and they have been fine they were very small when i got them , but the female is more of the size of a ballon ram . Our water is hard and we dont seem to have a lot of problems . I am going to use both of the api products just to give him a good chance .
Title: Re: German blue rams
Post by: Sue on June 03, 2017, 08:04:22 PM
That's about twice as long as I ever had rams. I'll keep my fingers crossed for yours.

These can be tricky fish. Those that have been commercially bred for generations fare a lot better than wild caught fish, or those fish that have recent wild ancestors (used by breeders to widen the gene pool). But it is impossible to know which you have as the retailer won't know that, only the breeder.

[Wild caught fish or those with recent wild ancestors need soft water and warmer water than most fish. If the water is too cool, their digestive systems don't work well, and they suffer from problems related to that]
Title: Re: German blue rams
Post by: sipix1 on June 03, 2017, 08:09:48 PM
Thanks , sue . I keep the temp at around 27/28 and all my fish like it like that , i did not know about the tummy problem , so i have lernt something more again. Thanks for all the help.
Title: Re: German blue rams
Post by: togtaff on December 07, 2017, 12:20:05 PM
Hi,
I'm new here but saw this article about rams and I have the exact same problem with my male Ram,had them about 3 months and the female is very active,inquisitive and feeds well but the male is shy and painfully thin,I've seen him feed a little but he spits out more than he eats,and they get a varied diet of flake,micro and grindal worms etc,I've tried some Esha 2000 and pimafix in the tank,on different occasions but the little chap is still the same,his colour is fine and he doesn't look ill,just thin and shy.I hope he comes ok eventually. :fishy1:   
Title: Re: German blue rams
Post by: fcmf on December 07, 2017, 06:51:55 PM
Hopefully your ram will be ok although perhaps those with direct experience of rams can provide more specific help. I was worried about 2 of my harlequin rasboras which, unlike the other 4 who grew significantly in the QT and since, remained tiny. They rarely eat and often spit out food if it's too big/small/any other reason. However, 2.5 years later and they're still absolutely fine despite their small stature and diminutive appetites.
Title: Re: German blue rams
Post by: Sue on December 07, 2017, 06:57:26 PM
It is possible that the male and female don't get along and she is the dominant one. Rams do need to choose their own mates - though as you've been keeping fish a long time you probably know this already  :)
Title: Re: German blue rams
Post by: togtaff on December 08, 2017, 10:06:24 AM
It is possible that the male and female don't get along and she is the dominant one. Rams do need to choose their own mates - though as you've been keeping fish a long time you probably know this already  :)
Yes thanks Sue,I was thinking something similar as he seems to stay from her,I think I'll pop down to Cwmbran     
Maidenhead Aquatics and maybe look for a few more rams.@fcmf thanks,I still cant find the thank button  :-[