RAMS

[TonyUK]

I have a 80cm community tank which has been set up since the end of December.
2 Weeks ago I purchased 2 Rams, for a few days they were extremely timid, but they settled down. One seemed to show it's colours more than the other. They were very active feeders, but kept out the way of my male Pearl Gourami.
After 2 weeks I did my usual water change. It was was not my usual routine though, evening instead of morning, ran out of chlorine remover and changed a few plants around. The next morning the weaker Ram started to "pant" heavily and became very shy. Within a day he had passed away and 2 days later the same happened to the stronger one. I've since read that Rams are very sensitive to chemicals in the water and may become stressed easily.
I took a sample of water to the pet store and they tested it and said all levels were OK.

My main questions are
1. Are Rams suitable for beginners
2. How sensitve are they to water changes etc.
3. Are they suitable for a community tank (Tetras, Corydoras, Bards, Gourami)
4. Is general tank maintenance a major stress factor for Rams
5. Was I unlucky or insensitive.

All my other fish are OK.

They were my wifes favourite and don't know whether to have another try.

Tony.

 

[Figure-8]

What kind of rams where they?

 

[TonyUK]

I'm not sure, but in the UK would a Blue Ram be a common purchase.
Sorry I can't be specific, but they were just called Ramirezi in the shop.

 

[modernhamlet]

"It was was not my usual routine though, evening instead of morning, ran out of chlorine remover and changed a few plants around.

What did you mean by "ran out of chlorine remover"? Did you do a water change without conditioning the water?

 

[thecichlidaddict]

Changing the water without dechlorinator is never a good idea, and always asking for trouble. By all means if you run out of conditioner it's better to skip the water change and wait till you get some.

Rams are not difficult, but they can be a little tempermental. Water changes are not stressful for them at all once they get used to the routine, but up to that point they should just hide. You do have a few secure hiding places for them, right?

 

[digital_run]

I think he meant that he ran out of chlorine remover and so he had to do his water change at night instead of morning...i think ....ive never had rams before..but from what ive read they are very sensitive and probably not a beginers fish........

 

[AmberC]

I have german blue rams which is what you had. They are extemely sensitive fish which is why they are not always good for begginners. As far as the fish they were with.. the gouramis and barbs are probably not good but the cories and tetras are fine. I still dont understand why changing the water at night instead of morning because your out of chlorine remover will make a difference. Anything can set off a ram and stress them out. I just moved all of my rams (4) into a 55 gallon tank. They were all fine then one of my females dropped dead the next day. There seemed to be nothing wrong. I've since gotten another female... and all is fine. I would suggest getting a test kit and testing your water yourself. Your better off that way.

Tell me, when you changed your water.. was the water you returned to the tank room temp? or was it colder or warmer than the water in the tank? Adding different temp water could have put the fish into shock and being such sensitive fish.. that COULD kill them. Its just a possibility.

 

[TonyUK]

I always end use a thermometer and check that the water temperature is OK before adding, but I took the water out of my tank before realising that I had run out of Chlorine remover. The time of day is probably irrelavant.
There is bog wood and plenty of plants in my aquarium, but not caves.

From the response, there is a few factors that suggest that Rams are not the best addition to my tank.

 

[fish_r_great]

Sometimes it seems Rams can be very sensitive while other times it doesn't. I have a pair of Rams and haven't done anything different as far as more water changes or anything (every other week) and my Rams are doing great and are always showing off their beautiful colors.

 

[cichlidtank]

Instead of using dechlorination liquid, you can instead just let your water sit in clean buckets for a week or so. This will allow the chlorine in the tap water to disapate, as well as other harmful chemicals (fluoride, ect.) and pH levels will eventually stablize. Artificial stablizing liquids are after all, artificial and may damage fish if too much is added, I personally see the process allowing water to naturally stablize as a little easier. Some breeders use ionized or distilled water for their dwarf cichlids, due to unsuitable water conditions.

Also, AmberC's experience is rather common among ram owners. Some people report having their fish die, unexpectedly, after a year or two of enduring happenings which one would think could kill them. They are very strange fish when it comes to what stress factors they will ignore and what they will take to heart.

 

[thecichlidaddict]

Instead of using dechlorination liquid, you can instead just let your water sit in clean buckets for a week or so. This will allow the chlorine in the tap water to disapate, as well as other harmful chemicals (fluoride, ect.) and pH levels will eventually stablize.

Dechlorinators have proven to be quite safe, and aging water will do nothing about chloromines, which are becoming more and more popular in tap water.

 

[AmberC]

Just get a great big bottle of stress coat! Great stuff

 

[aloaring]

I've kept both the blue rams and Bolivian rams. The blue rams are harder to keep because they are more sensitive. The bolivian Rams are easy, they maybe less colourful and slightly larger than their blue cousins but they are so hardy and such great little characters who are always at the front of the tank. If you realy want rams i recommend you search out some Bolivians!

 

[Dragonscales]

German blues are alot more sensitive then normal blues, they are the same species but the Germans have been selectively bred purely for their colours, without regard to hardiness etc, etc. You may want to be careful about having cories around them when they are breeding coz they can get a bit narky. They are very good perents, although with the German blues, because of their selective breeding, with some individuals they may not have as strong a perental instinct. All in all, they are a very good fish to own. Don't let your previous experiences put you off having them again.