Help with Blue Rams

[Breakthecycle2]

I bought a pair of young blue rams yesterday. The female is doing good, but the male is breathing heavy and either hiding or hanging out at the surface or just below really. PH is 7.6- 7.8.

Ammonia is 0, Nitrie is 0. Tank is 20 gallon and is two months old.

 

[WILDER]

Do you no your nitrate reading, i would recommend a water change, are the gills red and inflamed, any grains of salt like spots on him, or yellow to gold dusting on him, plus how many other fish in the tank and which type.

 

[Breakthecycle2]

I did a water change before I added them yesterday. Theres 9 neons, 3 small cories and a bolivian ram

 

[WILDER]

Do you have your own test kits, as if it's not water quality it sounds like a parasite check the gill to see if they are red and inflamed.

 

[WILDER]

http/www.drsfostersmith.com/pic/article....tid=412&aid=443

 

[Breakthecycle2]

Yeah I tested the water myself. I do not see and problems with his gills or anything on the body. Just breathing really heavy. I just dont know what to do.

 

[WILDER]

Are the fish flicking and rubbing on objects, only thing you could try is a salt bath one tablespoon to the gal, i still think it's a parasite.

 

[Breakthecycle2]

Well, I added aquari sol to see if it helps. I do not see any of the fish rubbing on any objects. Is it possible to save this fish?

 

[WILDER]

Don't add salt to the tank you have corys in there which are scaless fish, not a very good sign at all if he's gasping at the top, if it is parasite once they get to that stage the parasites have destroyed the gills, keep an eye on the other fish for parasites.

 

[Breakthecycle2]

now hes at the bottom. I had a krib die of similar symptoms. Only difference was my tank wass till cycling and the nitrites were high. I just checked the water and the ammonia and nitrite are def. 0

 

[WILDER]

Do you mean layed on his side on the bottom, not good i'm afraid, how long did you climatise them for, and what was the ph of the store to your tank.

 

[WILDER]

The only other option is that he could of already been ill at the lfs, and the stress of the move has just moved things on faster.

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

How long did you acclimatise the fish for(i.e the period of time you leave them in their transport bags when you buy them in your tank, slowing letting in tank water into the bag)?
Did you buy them from a far away lfs(local fish store) and how long did it take to get them home?
Have you used any PH adjusting chemicals or any other chemicals in the tank recently?

I would advise you increase the flow in your filter and do a 30% water change with dechlorinator, keeping the tank lights off for longer periods of time will also help lower the stress levels in the fish.

 

[Breakthecycle2]

How long did you acclimatise the fish for(i.e the period of time you leave them in their transport bags when you buy them in your tank, slowing letting in tank water into the bag)?
Did you buy them from a far away lfs(local fish store) and how long did it take to get them home?
Have you used any PH adjusting chemicals or any other chemicals in the tank recently?

I would advise you increase the flow in your filter and do a 30% water change with dechlorinator, keeping the tank lights off for longer periods of time will also help lower the stress levels in the fish.

[snapback]915268[/snapback]​

Well, I let the bag float for about 35 mins. The lfs was 5 mins away and I even lost a neon on the way home. I left the light on the whole time, which could have been a problem. I don't add any PH chemicals, but I did add finrot medicine because my cories fins were pretty beat up. Im almost positive it was the kribs that might have been doing it. ( ive since returned them to the LFS). I dont get it because the female seems to be fine and the neons too. Im using a Marineland 150 (up to 30 gallon tank) so the water flow is very good.

 

[Breakthecycle2]

Well, that guy died along with more then half of my neons and the cory I bought. With the excception of 3 black neons that also died and the female blue ram, all the fish I bought from that store are now dead. The neons all died overnight. Two days ago however, I went out and bouyght a new male Blue Ram. I let him float for 40 mins, then opned the big and slowly added water for another 45 mins. (knock wood), he seems to be doing pretty good. I really hope I dont lose this one because he cost me 20 bucks.