Dead Blue Rams

No suprise there. That's exactly what happened when I tried to keep rams. Went through three or four fish before I gave up and switched to Bolivians. I've heard most rams come from SE Asia, and that constant dosing with antibiotics is used to keep them alive in less than ideal conditions. I have a theory that this artificially props up thier immune systems. After a month or so off the meds they eventually get a bug that their systems can't lick. Try to get hold of some second hand, wild caught, or locally breed stock, and you will probably have better success. I tell people who are interested in dwarf cichlids to pay the extra money and get Apistos. You could end up having to buy several lfs rams before getting ones that will last. By that time you could have bought a nice harem of cacatuoides for the money.

PS Bolivain rams show none of these problems, and when colored up are a very nice looking fish.

I was lucky....apparently the lfs I bought my rams from had the "German" blues as opposed to the Asian type. I had no problems with mine and raised a nice batch of 70+ fry to adulthood...I sold them to an lfs for 1.25 each..pretty good I think.

I bought my first pair back in March and still have them plus one pair I kept from the spawn. I would ask the fish store where they get thier rams from. I got mine from PetCo...so maybe if you look for them there, perhaps all petcos buy from the same supplier. They told me they got their's from someplace in Florida.

Sorry about your rams...and hope you are able to find a good lot of them somewhere...they really are a cool little cichlid and worth having !

This has happened more times than I care to count!

As has been said, the stock of blue rams seems to be horrible! Many of them have internal parasites when you buy them... I have had better luck taking them home and treating them like I knew they had something wrong with antibotics and such. Seemed to make them last antoher month or so, but they died off as well in pretty short order. They do like a nice clean tank with very soft, warm water and acidic ph. My longest lasting fish were in a tank that I treated with peat, kept about 80*F, and ph around 6.5. I've heard they like the ph quite a bit lower to around 6.0 or even into the high 5's... this is supposed to help ward off some of the nasties they are suseptible to.

Anyway, wish me luck also!... I just picked up 2 more pairs (I think!) at a fish auction last weekend that are supposedly wild caught. One pair seems to have paired up and getting along ok... the other pair still has the male aggressively chasing the female whenever she comes out of hiding. hope he doesn't kill her soon!! Both pairs are in 20 gallon planted tanks. One I have some peat in the filter, but have not check params yet... hopefully will get some eggs soon.

Best of luck,

i have had my pair for a little while now. i got them from the lfs as well. not petco though a really nice store called amazonia aquariums here in austin texas. i would recomend this store by the way to anyone within driving range. i love my rams very much and have only had them for a month now. i am certainly nervous after reading this post.i have the normal ram water paramiters. so i guess its just wait and see. though i love my mini community tank in my bedroom. its a big hit with all my friends. they all want to come in my room and see how Mickey and Malory are doing!

I'm guessing that the rams I ended up with must have been domestically raised....I'm feeling very blessed after reading all the troubles folks have with these fish. Maybe I should do another spawn and get into the shipping business....lol.....the group I raised were fantastic fish...very healthy and colorful.

dont put kribs in a community tank, i did and lost all my neons, red eyes, pretty much anything that was smaller than my male was harassed or eaten. i decided to put it in with some electric yellows i bread and 2 of them died when i put him in there so i sold it.