HELP: Sick Ram -- Wobbling side to side

[nanahachi]

Hi all

I have a sick ram and i need your help!!

My tank:
20 g
2 caves
sand
1 Bolivian Ram
2 Cardinal Tetras
2 Bamboo shrimp
1 small pleco

things have been pretty peaceful in my tank for the past couple of weeks. Probably 3 weeks back I added the tetras, and they got along well with the Ram. Then I added the shrimp and pleco about a week ago, and all seem to get along.

However, tonight I just noticed that my Bolivian ram was hiding off in the corner btwn a rock and the glass, hovering just above the sand. He is wobbling back and forth, whether swimming or still.

All the other fish seem fine, but I and VERY worried about my Ram. (I nursed it back from the brink of death a few months back, and what can I say, I love the little guy.)

It has been somwhat warm here, however, this tank is kept fairly warm anyway for the Ram, so I dont think the actual water temp has changed at all (hovers around 80 degrees)

If you have any ideas what could be going on, I would appreciate your help.

Thanks so much.

 

[Blinky]

This may be a silly question, but have you tested your water parameters? Did anything change in/around the tank (decorations moved? Lighting changed? Activity outside the tank increased?) Has his coloration changed? Post every detail you can think of, hopefully someone will know the answer. Meanwhile, I hope he doesn't get worse.

 

[nanahachi]

thanks blinky

water parameters havent really changed AFAIK.

My pH is usually on the high side of neutral (7.4)--I want to find a way to lower this, and just learned about driftwood. sigh

The only thing added to the tank other than the fish has been an AC powerhead that I borrowed from a friend who just shut down a 10g. Now you have me worriedd that I introduced something bad into my tank when i installed the powerhead. argh!!

I will take my levels, but i think they are status quo.

**EDIT
Amonia < 0.6
NO2 <0.2
pH is about 7.4 (kinda high for a Ram, but its been the status quo)

My Ram seems to be doing worse. swimming erratically in the corner of its cave, mouth into the sand, tail up.

He was upside down for a while, then moving around the cave, now back in the corner. this doesnt look good. :sad

 

[Seaman]

i dont think you should be showing amonia....i wouldnt be surprised if thats affecting him...they are fairly sensitive...im just assuming the worst that its .6ppm even though you said less than.

 

[nanahachi]

well, if I increased the bioload too quickly and the amonia is too high. with the result of killing my ram, I will feel both stupid and pissed. d4mnit.

It looks like he is going to die. this sucks.

***
EDIT
My poor little Ram has died. Thanks anyway guys.
RIP Frankenstein.
:sad

 

[Blinky]

I'm so sorry to hear that!

Please please do some serious water changing. A cycled, well functioning tank should have NO NH3 or NO2 at all, these can literally poison your fish. Some are more sensitive than others. This could be the source of your problem. I find it pretty unlikely that you might have introduced some kind of illness with a piece of equipment, considering there is a more likely answer in the water chemistry.

Try to do a 25% water change each day until the parameters settle, and I wouldn't worry about your pH. If your fish have been fine all along at that pH it's unlikely it will affect them now. Most fish can adjust to a pH that's a bit high or low for them, without difficulty.

Once again, very sorry that your little guy didn't make it.