Skinny bolivian rams

[Ericalynn]

Hi guys. I am new to posting on this forum. I have had various fish for years, differnt sized tanks and set ups and am stumped as to what to do to help my bolivian rams. I currently have a 55 gallon tank, cycled, water parameters correct. Temp okay. My stock is 2 gold gourami, 2 bolivian rams, 1 turquoise severum, 5 corydoras, 2 rams horn snails and some nerites, I have a mix of live plant as well as artificial. I have 2 bolivian rams who I have had for months now both male as far as I can tell. They have both bickered back and forth on occasion for territory spots, but otherwise healthy in appearance, recently I have noticed that my one has definitely gotten skinny and will not readily eat, they both ha e never been heavy eaters and picky, but I'm worried how skinny he has gotten, he swims around is interested in food, but will turn away, both of them have been doing this, but the skinny one I am more concerned about right now, I have placed him in a hospital tank to see if I can get him to eat, i have tried diff things. He is most interested in the sinking algae wafers but even then he picks at it and swims away. Any help would be so so appreciated, I am stumped. Thanks guys!!

 

[Crunchycrouton]

Hi guys. I am new to posting on this forum. I have had various fish for years, differnt sized tanks and set ups and am stumped as to what to do to help my bolivian rams. I currently have a 55 gallon tank, cycled, water parameters correct. Temp okay. My stock is 2 gold gourami, 2 bolivian rams, 1 turquoise severum, 5 corydoras, 2 rams horn snails and some nerites, I have a mix of live plant as well as artificial. I have 2 bolivian rams who I have had for months now both male as far as I can tell. They have both bickered back and forth on occasion for territory spots, but otherwise healthy in appearance, recently I have noticed that my one has definitely gotten skinny and will not readily eat, they both ha e never been heavy eaters and picky, but I'm worried how skinny he has gotten, he swims around is interested in food, but will turn away, both of them have been doing this, but the skinny one I am more concerned about right now, I have placed him in a hospital tank to see if I can get him to eat, i have tried diff things. He is most interested in the sinking algae wafers but even then he picks at it and swims away. Any help would be so so appreciated, I am stumped. Thanks guys!!

This could be a parasitic or bacterial infection. It could also have to do with their diet. What do you feed them? Also, what’s your water parameters ?

 

[Ericalynn]

I have tried tropical flakes, hikari algae wafers and hikari chiclids pellets and sinking pellets for bottom feeders. Parameters are
Nitrate less than 20
Nitrite 0
Ph 7.0
Kh 40
Gh is 120, I have well water.
I wouldn't think the hardness would affect them that greatly, but maybe im wrong?

 

[Ericalynn]

The odd thing is since I have removed the skinnier ram to the quarantine tank, the other ram has been much more social, swimming with the other fish and coming to the glass when I approach. This is new behavior for him. Is it possible that they are stressing each other too much? Even in a 55 gallon? I thought they would have more than ample space to accommodate both of thier territory needs.

 

[Crunchycrouton]

The odd thing is since I have removed the skinnier ram to the quarantine tank, the other ram has been much more social, swimming with the other fish and coming to the glass when I approach. This is new behavior for him. Is it possible that they are stressing each other too much? Even in a 55 gallon? I thought they would have more than ample space to accommodate both of thier territory needs.

Maybe you should keep them separated and see how it goes, maybe medicate the skinnier one for parasites or a bacterial infection. And if nothing improves then it may be a nutrition issue, though I don’t see anything wrong with what you’re feeding them.

 

[Slaphppy7]

I have tried tropical flakes, hikari algae wafers and hikari chiclids pellets and sinking pellets for bottom feeders. Parameters are
Nitrate less than 20
Nitrite 0
Ph 7.0
Kh 40
Gh is 120, I have well water.
I wouldn't think the hardness would affect them that greatly, but maybe im wrong?

What kind of test kit are you using?

Ammonia testing is the most important, but I don't see that one listed

 

[Ericalynn]

I'm using a basic test kit. It doesn't have ammonia. Its a dip stick. Should I get an ammonia test kit?

 

[Ericalynn]

I'm very surprised at the ram that is still in the main tanks behavior. The skinnier one in the hospital tank I think i may treat like you said, he just doesn't look happy or well. He lost the weight so quickly. Thats why i am so unsure as to what has happened.

 

[Slaphppy7]

I'm using a basic test kit. It doesn't have ammonia. Its a dip stick. Should I get an ammonia test kit?

You should get one of these, yes: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000255NCI/?tag=ff0d01-20

Ammonia may not be the issue here, but a proper test kit is an extremely important tool in fishkeeping

 

[Ericalynn]

Ok ill run down to my lfs and pick one up. I have learned about ammonia issues a long time ago, but since I have switched to the fluval filter with ammonia remover, I guess I thought my worries would be gone with high ammonia levels. I will deff pick it up. Thank you!!

 

[Slaphppy7]

Ok ill run down to my lfs and pick one up. I have learned about ammonia issues a long time ago, but since I have switched to the fluval filter with ammonia remover, I guess I thought my worries would be gone with high ammonia levels. I will deff pick it up. Thank you!!

More than welcome....."ammonia remover"?

 

[Ericalynn]

Yea, the fluval or aqua clear ammonia remover bags. I put them with my filter. My stepdad always reccomended it after I had an issue years ago, so I have used them and thought it would remove the ammonia

 

[Slaphppy7]

Yea, the fluval or aqua clear ammonia remover bags. I put them with my filter. My stepdad always reccomended it after I had an issue years ago, so I have used them and thought it would remove the ammonia

With a properly cycled tank, not needed...and if chemical based, could actually complicate things

 

[Lajos_Detari]

Skinny or sunken belly while the fish is still eating usually means internal worms which can be treated by Flubendazole, Levamisole or Praziquantel. (depending on the types of worm).
When you see a fish with big head and a skinny body, it's definitely having internal infection.

If it stops eating, it means internal protozoa infection which require Metronidazole.

You can use Flubendazole which can treat the most types of worms.
Treat once a week for 4 weeks.
The eggs of the worms may hatch inside the tank.
So, you have to treat the whole tank even the tank that it was previously kept.

Do you feed them with any live food which can cause internal infection?
Sometimes they get infected while in the fish farm or fish store that fed them with live food.
Also, avoid frozen bloodworms that can cause internal protozoa infection.

There are two brands of medication that contain Flubendazole.
The first one is easier to use as it's in liquid form.
The second one is in powder form which is harder to measure it.

Aquarium Medicine - Anti-Fluke & Wormer from NT Labs

Belonging to the best range of 'Water Treatments' awarded by the Pratical Fishkeeping Manufacturers Poll. Anti-Fluke & Wormer is an easy to use, ready-mixed liquid formulation of flubendazole effective for treating intestinal worms and also for eradicating skin and gill fluke infestations.

www.ntlabs.co.uk

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[Ellebrius]

Hello! I don’t know anything about worms but I thought I would jump in and tell you about my 2 Bolivian Rams. Mine are females and picky eaters as well, I think it’s a common thing with them. Anyways when I first got them they had me worried for quite a while especially since I have 3 pearl gouramis top feeders that weren’t letting much pass them by and sink to the bottom. I also have corys so one day I saw some sinking shrimp pellets for bottom feeders and bought them for the corys. Well, I couldn’t believe how much the rams loved them! I break them up in smaller pieces and let them sink while I feed the gouramis, the rams rush to meet the sinking pellets, each grab a piece that barely fits in their mouth and run to their respective corner to eat it before coming back for more. That got them started eating and now they eat a bit of everything, but they still rush to grab pieces of those pellets.