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What’s wrong with my GBR?

LewisH93

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Had them both around 2 weeks, they’ve both been fine, today my female has been acting weird. Hiding most of the day, now she’s in one spot not moving, is she about to die?
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From your wording I assume the other ram is a male...correct? Have you noticed any interaction between them?
 
How long has the tank been set up for?
What other fish are in the tank?
Is the fish eating?
What does its poop look like?

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Check the water quality for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH.

Do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate every day for a week.
Make sure any new water is free of chlorine/ chloramine before it's added to the tank.
 
I see white dots on your ram. It looks like it may have Ich.
 
Also, I think it’s a Bolivian ram, not a German Blue Ram.
 
Is there any fast breathing with the Blue Ram?

Blue Rams often have gill flukes that will kill them.
The symptoms of gill flukes infections are fast breathing and scratching.

Make a large water change as Colin mentioned in case of high ammonia and nitrite(if your tank is not fully cycled).
 
It's definitely a Blue Ram

Please could you provide us with your water parameters?

Ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH, GH and KH?
Tank temperature also please?

Blue Rams are notoriously finicky fish, they demand perfect water conditions and the choice of fish available is generally very poor in the hobby from a genetics and health perspective, hence why so many people struggle to keep them successfully as they cannot provide the perfect conditions for them to thrive which will generally exacerbate any health issues.
 
Also, I think it’s a Bolivian ram, not a German Blue Ram.

It's definitely a Blue Ram
I agree with Standby. Blue/german/gold rams (Mikrogeophagus ramirezi in any colour, body shape or fin size) have red in their eye rings, Bolivian rams don't. This fish has red in its eye ring.
 
I haven’t noticed any flashing or anything, they’ve been eating fine too. Yes the other one is male, they’ve been fine since they got put together but since the female turned like this the male has been nipping her a bit. Will it be him who caused it? Also, she is doing heavy breathing, does her stomach look sunken? Internal parasites?
 
No other fish bother her, I have 2 Bristlenose, 1 Angel and 5 Danios, in a 180l, plenty of hiding places, rocks, driftwood
 
I'm going to do a bit of a summary here. In my initial post (#2 above) I should have asked for more data, as others have since done. But the reason I didn't is because the two rams themselves may be the issue, and now I am thinking this to be the case. This is a common or blue ram, not a Bolivian, but both have some unique characteristics. They must select their partner; any female put in with a male is usually not likely to last long; it may if you are lucky, but more often than not it does not. The "pair" must select each other from a group in the tank (in the store or at home, but it takes a number of rams not just two or three or four or even five, but more. If two of them bond, it will be obvious in their behaviours, and the pair are more likely to get along long-term, though there are no guarantees.

If the mal here is nipping at the female, this is probably the issue; they are not compatible. I would want to actually see them interact for a period of time to be certain, but if this worsens--by which I mean the male's "attacks" on the female get more pronounced--I would separate them or she will weaken to the point of death in time.

The other thing to be mentioned is temperature and tankmates. This ram needs warmth to be healthy, in the range of 82-86F/28-30C. The angelfish will be fine with this (though it does not need it this warm, but it can manage), but the danios cannot, this will be much too warm for this active fish (I am assuming zebra danios). And this is another issue--active danios are not good tankmates for sedate cichlids, angelfish and rams. Beyond the activity level, which can be very serious for the cichlids, down the road the danios may decide to do some fin nipping especially of the angelfish.
 
I'm going to do a bit of a summary here. In my initial post (#2 above) I should have asked for more data, as others have since done. But the reason I didn't is because the two rams themselves may be the issue, and now I am thinking this to be the case. This is a common or blue ram, not a Bolivian, but both have some unique characteristics. They must select their partner; any female put in with a male is usually not likely to last long; it may if you are lucky, but more often than not it does not. The "pair" must select each other from a group in the tank (in the store or at home, but it takes a number of rams not just two or three or four or even five, but more. If two of them bond, it will be obvious in their behaviours, and the pair are more likely to get along long-term, though there are no guarantees.

If the mal here is nipping at the female, this is probably the issue; they are not compatible. I would want to actually see them interact for a period of time to be certain, but if this worsens--by which I mean the male's "attacks" on the female get more pronounced--I would separate them or she will weaken to the point of death in time.

The other thing to be mentioned is temperature and tankmates. This ram needs warmth to be healthy, in the range of 82-86F/28-30C. The angelfish will be fine with this (though it does not need it this warm, but it can manage), but the danios cannot, this will be much too warm for this active fish (I am assuming zebra danios). And this is another issue--active danios are not good tankmates for sedate cichlids, angelfish and rams. Beyond the activity level, which can be very serious for the cichlids, down the road the danios may decide to do some fin nipping especially of the angelfish.
Oh really? They’ve been swimming together around the tank fine before the female got this way, the male is perfectly fine so maybe it is him doing it, so am I best off separating them for good? Or should I separate and try and reintroduce her?
I have the temperature set to 80.. my LFS obviously have given me the wrong info, said the Danios were compatible with the rams.. what will happen to them at this temperature?
 
Oh really? They’ve been swimming together around the tank fine before the female got this way, the male is perfectly fine so maybe it is him doing it, so am I best off separating them for good? Or should I separate and try and reintroduce her?
I have the temperature set to 80.. my LFS obviously have given me the wrong info, said the Danios were compatible with the rams.. what will happen to them at this temperature?

I would not jump into things here with respect to the rams. As I said previously, I would want to be able to observe them for a time (days) to see. I cannot explain how one learns to observe things, it takes experience; what you see as "nipping" might not be what I would see it as. But the likelihood is there, given the normal behaviours of this species. If the male's "attentions" increase, and the female becomes more reticent, then yes, separation would be advisable.

The danios are not good tankmates for cichlids. I cannot tell you to get rid of this or that, you have to decide. It is not the best scenario. Temperature drives a fish's metabolism, and active fish like danios which prefer cooler temperatures will be "working harder" to function, and this is best avoided as it is not good. If you think back to heat waves in the summer you will remember how that affects you; some people even die from it. It is just the same for fish.
 
Ok thanks for the advice, I’ll keep an eye on her for a couple of days and see what he does. Anything else you suggest me doing? I’ll keep a look out for any flashing too. Hopefully she lasts that long.
I know what you mean, If it works out with the GBR I’ll move the Danios to my other tank. What other schooling fish would you recommend to put with the rams and angel?
 

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