SouthernCross
Fish Addict
Request Help
Tank size: 35 gallon
pH: Never test for this as I never attempt to adjust it on advice ph up/downs cause more harm than good
ammonia: 0
nitrite: 0
nitrate: 20
kH: dont test
gH:dont test
tank temp: 29
Fish Symptoms (include full description including lesion, color, location, fish behavior):
My female ram is going downhill rapidly. The last couple of days she has had very red gills (but behaved otherwise normally) but got home from work today and she is in the top corner of the tank and appears to be gasping for air and is very lethargic. Her whole throat looks like its 'bleeding' and earlier it appeared like there was a piece of fuzzy skin hanging out. There is also a bit of a white mark on her dorsal fin (doesn't look like white spot to me though, almost more like a healing wound inflicted by another fish).
Volume and Frequency of water changes: Around 30% twice per week.
Chemical Additives or Media in your tank: Dosed for white spot about a month ago but added new carbon last weekend. Other than that just API tap water conditioner at water changes, and Melafix every now and again.
Tank inhabitants: Another female ram (who is fine) Two juvenile angels, 11 neons, two ancient white skirt tetras, three ancient bronze cories, juvenile bristlenose, and a juvenile rainbow shark.
Recent additions to your tank (living or decoration): The rainbow shark and the other new female ram last weekend.
Exposure to chemicals: Nil
Digital photo (include if possible): Can't at the moment sorry. I think its pretty self explanatory.
Further info
This female ram I have had for about two months. Bought her with another female (we thought they were a pair - they behaved like it - but weren't) and they were great. I got a bout of white spot after introducing an angel from an LFS I dont normally use (that'll teach me) which killed the angel but I raised the temp and treated for about two weeks to make sure I got it and all the other fish recovered. About a week after that my old female ram went downhill in about 24 hours and died (still no idea why). The ram now in question got very depressed after her friend died and lost all colour and moped around the tank. The following weekend went and got a new ram and also the shark (new ram also a female, they had no males) and it was like she was a new fish! All her colour came back, and she was swimming around happily with the new ram again. However a week later she has gotten sick, showing all the symptoms described above. The angels have started picking on her (despite the other rams best efforts to defend her) and consequently I have put her in a breeding trap in the tank to protect her and give her a break from the other fish.
I have dug out an old 25 litre tank I used to keep a betta in with the thought of moving her into it as a 'hospital tank', but knowing how finicky rams are about changes in water chemistry I'm wondering if thats a bad idea and if she's better off staying in the trap in the established tank. Whilst I could move some mature filter media, the other tank isn't cycled properly and am wondering if that would do more harm then good. At the same time, if she has a disease that is contagious, I dont want the other fish to suffer.
Any advice on what could be wrong with her? Treatable? I don't like using meds unless I'm sure. I did have the thought that perhaps rams just don't suit my water and they all might just keep dying on me eventually? Also whether I should leave her where she is or set up hospital tank.
Thanks. I appreciate any help, my rams are my absolute favourites.
Tank size: 35 gallon
pH: Never test for this as I never attempt to adjust it on advice ph up/downs cause more harm than good
ammonia: 0
nitrite: 0
nitrate: 20
kH: dont test
gH:dont test
tank temp: 29
Fish Symptoms (include full description including lesion, color, location, fish behavior):
My female ram is going downhill rapidly. The last couple of days she has had very red gills (but behaved otherwise normally) but got home from work today and she is in the top corner of the tank and appears to be gasping for air and is very lethargic. Her whole throat looks like its 'bleeding' and earlier it appeared like there was a piece of fuzzy skin hanging out. There is also a bit of a white mark on her dorsal fin (doesn't look like white spot to me though, almost more like a healing wound inflicted by another fish).
Volume and Frequency of water changes: Around 30% twice per week.
Chemical Additives or Media in your tank: Dosed for white spot about a month ago but added new carbon last weekend. Other than that just API tap water conditioner at water changes, and Melafix every now and again.
Tank inhabitants: Another female ram (who is fine) Two juvenile angels, 11 neons, two ancient white skirt tetras, three ancient bronze cories, juvenile bristlenose, and a juvenile rainbow shark.
Recent additions to your tank (living or decoration): The rainbow shark and the other new female ram last weekend.
Exposure to chemicals: Nil
Digital photo (include if possible): Can't at the moment sorry. I think its pretty self explanatory.
Further info
This female ram I have had for about two months. Bought her with another female (we thought they were a pair - they behaved like it - but weren't) and they were great. I got a bout of white spot after introducing an angel from an LFS I dont normally use (that'll teach me) which killed the angel but I raised the temp and treated for about two weeks to make sure I got it and all the other fish recovered. About a week after that my old female ram went downhill in about 24 hours and died (still no idea why). The ram now in question got very depressed after her friend died and lost all colour and moped around the tank. The following weekend went and got a new ram and also the shark (new ram also a female, they had no males) and it was like she was a new fish! All her colour came back, and she was swimming around happily with the new ram again. However a week later she has gotten sick, showing all the symptoms described above. The angels have started picking on her (despite the other rams best efforts to defend her) and consequently I have put her in a breeding trap in the tank to protect her and give her a break from the other fish.
I have dug out an old 25 litre tank I used to keep a betta in with the thought of moving her into it as a 'hospital tank', but knowing how finicky rams are about changes in water chemistry I'm wondering if thats a bad idea and if she's better off staying in the trap in the established tank. Whilst I could move some mature filter media, the other tank isn't cycled properly and am wondering if that would do more harm then good. At the same time, if she has a disease that is contagious, I dont want the other fish to suffer.
Any advice on what could be wrong with her? Treatable? I don't like using meds unless I'm sure. I did have the thought that perhaps rams just don't suit my water and they all might just keep dying on me eventually? Also whether I should leave her where she is or set up hospital tank.
Thanks. I appreciate any help, my rams are my absolute favourites.
