Overnight Blue Ram death with no warning?

[msquared]

I should correct my original info to say that this store, Malawi Aquatics in St. Louis (Florissant, actually) does not breed their own Rams. They source their rams from a breeder in Florida, which is a lot better than getting them from Asia from what I've read (lots of hormones and long shipping times). They do breed some other cichlids, but not Rams. And they really know cichlids and keep totally separate tanks for their varieties (not a single interconnected water source). She said she kept that Ram tank specifically soft and acidic for that breed, for instance. And she is feeding them more than just flakes. So I think her Rams are getting much better care than in the average LFS. The store wasn't shiny, and was decidedly industrial looking inside - just a lot of tanks on shelving built of lumber. But the tanks themselves were all clean, and I didn't a single dead fish in the whole store (which is a first). And all the fish looked good. So as far as I can tell, she is not just a storeowner, but is also a real aquarium enthusiast.

This Ram took a little longer to get comfy, and she isn't quite as bold and inquisitive as the last, but she now comes to the glass to greet us and seems very happy in the tank. Her coloration is really great for a female, I believe. It has boldened up quite a bit as she has gotten comfortable. I'm just hoping to get a couple good years of life from her, with no SRDS (sudden ram death syndrome). I'll try to post a pic or two soon.

 

[msquared]

Okay, here is a pic of each side of her. She is just like the previous Ram in being fascinated with the java moss. Neither eats it, but they pick through it for food and play tug-o-war with it. So far it hasn't been destroyed.

So gmh, you brought up getting male to go with her in the future. It will need to wait for if/when I upsize the tank. But if I do, how would I go about "trying out" males to find one that makes a compatible couple? Do stores typically let you take one, try it, then return it until you find a match?

 

[gmh]

You're going to be taking a chance on a male and female hitting it off. The fish store may or may not be willng to trade in an incompatable male for another. Does not hurt to ask. Establishing a ralationship with the manager is helpfull. I give my favorite LFS plants and such from time to time and they do me favours in return.