Sick Bolivian Ram and a PH and Temp drop

[Pheintz]

Yesterday I found one of my Bolivian Rams on its side. Still breathing but unable to swim upright. I am thinking swim bladder problem.

I netted the fish and isolated her from the others so she wouldn't be picked at and immediately got my AP Master Test Kit out. Ammonia, nitrite, nitrate all 0 (most of my plants are going nuts so I assume they are using it). Thought everything was ok until I did the PH test. It had gone from 7.2 to 6.8. The only thing I can think of is that the driftwood in there (been in for a couple weeks or so) had suddenly kicked in and lowered the PH. Maybe too quickly? I then noticed that my temp which is usually 82F had dropped to 78F even with the large heater in there. (we did have a cold night)

The rest of the fish, including the other ram, are looking fine and I am keeping my eye on them. The sick one is looking pretty much the same today so I am not holding out much hope. If I hold her upright she will swim in between my fingers but will flop over bent in a U shape when I let go. Poor thing.

She never did become bonded with the male and stayed mostly to herself. She also stayed mostly gray colored. I suppose she could have not been as healthy as the other and therefore was more sensitive to changes.

[wackydan]

My Bolivians are doing fine. Ph is about the same 6.8 and my temp is 79-80 generally.... and My nitrites have been running up a wee bit... but otherwise they are doing exceptional in those conditions for me....

Sounds like it's a fish problem and not a water problem.

[Pheintz]

I was thinking the same thing. It's a shame, though. Very hard to find any kind of Ram around here much less the Bolivians. I had to drive to another town just to find those 2. Hopefully the other will be ok by himself.

[Cathy G]

Wacky dan - you stole my avatar - not funny. This is MY fish. (She is my female Bolivian, not yours.)

Pheintz, I don't think your sudden pH drop would account for this unless something else is going on. Is she breathing heavily? Are her gills swollen? Had she been eating up until this point?

Until something else shows up I don't know what to recommend. Keep her in clean water, perhaps add an extra airstone/bubbler. I had a fish upside down during an attack of gill flukes once, I added Prazi Pro and within 24 hours this fish was right side up again. It was nothing short of miraculous, never seen a fish that far gone, come back. (It's tail was even eaten off by a secondary bacterial infection. That tail began to grow back with 48 hours.)

Keep the water clean, 0 everything but nitrates and those less than 5. If you see ANY sign of heavy breathing, extra pink gills, extra mucous around the gill area, use PraziPro immediately. (Can be purchased at better lfs, or online.) I had 2 extra airstones in that tank and I firmly believe that made a difference too.

Cathy

PS What is your kh? If it is at least 3, there shouldn't be any swings in pH.

[Pheintz]

She is breathing normal and still occationally tries to swim. I haven't noticed any swollen gills (they look a normal pink color) or other abnormality.

My dGH was 4 when I checked a week or two ago.

Very pretty Bolivian you have in your avatar, Cathy. My healthy one is slowly getting closer to that color but still not nearly as vibrant.

[Cathy G]

I hate to tell you this, but she is normally a fairly boring colored fish. What's colored her like this is the little pile of eggs under her! She is usually the most beset fish in the tank, even the smaller blue rams push her around - as does her mate. However, when she is spawing, wow. She moves fast and if I even get too close to the glass she starts warning me off with all kinds of flairing and shaking of her fins! I've really grown to like the Bolivians.

Cathy

I don't suppose you are running co2 in this tank? I can't imagine your pH dropped like that from just driftwood with such a good kh. If not, I suppose we will just have to wait and see. (If you have an airpump/bubbler, I'd still get it going...)

[Pheintz]

Not running any CO2. I do have the bubbler running. It's a large one and produces a good amount of bubbles.

The only other thing I can think of is that maybe the local water company changed something. I didn't re-check the water out of the tap and had just done a water change a couple days prior. I suppose I should check that.

Rams remind me of puppies. lol They go from perked up.. to looking droopy and scolded sometimes. I love the German Blues but the LFSs don't have much luck with them and they are hard to find these days.

Your's is certainly showing her "I'm all colored up and ready to rumble" attitude. You must have some good water there or have a good system for keeping it just right. Years ago I had some blues but their eggs never hatched. Probably due to my ph here being a bit high for them.

[wackydan]

Yah... Ok... I'll have to try to get a better pic of mine.... keeps coming out blurry.