What to do? Rams..

hurricanejedi

hurricanejedi

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Apr 4, 2005
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Raleigh, NC
www.flowerspride.com
So I feel kind of bad now. One week ago from today I bought what I thought were 2 German Blue Rams (hard to tell when they get scared). When I got them home I started to wonder why one of them wasn't coloring up very well. Then I realized he was just coloring up differently. It turns out he is a Gold Ram. One week after getting him he has taken a liking to one of my females and he dug a pit in the sand and seems to be guarding it. I'm suspecting they will spawn soon.

So now I'm worried because I know its not good practice to cross the 2 strains. Do you think there is a chance that any fry would survive my tank inhabitants? I doubt it. At the same time I'm past the time I can take him back. I've taken quite a liking to him as well as he is GORGEOUS! Oh boy... Is this a bad situation? What should I do? I'm excited about the potential spawn, and so soon but frustrated that it won't be a good match.

Also I'm treating for ich. The other 2 rams I have do have ich and these 2 don't. So there is salt in the water and high heat, so chances are the fry wouldn't survive anyway?
 
You could move the fry into some other container, not necessarily a fish tank. I have 7 cory fry that I've been raising in a small rubbermaid container for over two weeks with no losses. I'm guessing you could do the same with these fry and then move them into something bigger as they grow.
 
Hi hurricanejedi,

Gold Rams are a captive bred variety that does not occur in the wild, or at
least does not survive in the wild. They are the same species and the gold has no wild population purity to protect so don't worry about crossing them. Besides, the majority of golds are bred in Asia and it is difficult to find a female due to the use of hormones to produce mainly larger, more colourful males.

Depending on the dominance issues of the color genes the first generation
will more than likely be either all blue or all gold, probably all blue. Breeding of siblings should give a 75/25 ratio.

Rams are fish that inhabit savanna pools in the wild. Since there is so little shade, the water often reaches into the mid-90*F (mid-30*C) temperature
range. Like discus they prefer their water warm and can often succumb to illness in cooler water. Your raised temp should help with the Ich.

Ram eggs need very soft water to hatch. If the Kh is too high the osmotic pressure will cause them to calcify and few if any will survive. Likewise, the fry do better in the first few weeks in soft water. The parents should do a fairly good job of protecting the eggs for a couple of days but will probably have to give up sooner or later with the other tank inhabitants. After a few spawning attempts in the community tank you could give them their own breeding tank and they will be more likely to raise the fry themselves. The alternative is to remove the eggs and hatch them separately.

Hope this is of some help to you & enjoy your new Rams.
 
nice answer RIP.

Like he said--let them breed. you are not creating a frankenfish. it is just a color morph not a hybrid.
 
You guys have made me so happy! I was worried it would be some kind of hybrid which I know is discouraged. Or I thought I'd be weakening the strain by making a paler german blue or something. But if its sort of like a recessive gene and will end up with a split ratio or something like that, instead of a mix then I guess that makes it better. I was thinking something like guppies and endlers is discouraged so I thought this was the same thing.

I have really soft water - kH of 2. I'm going to start co2 injection so I at least need to keep it at 3 but I doubt it will get any higher than that. Of course with the salt in the water I haven't tested lately so not sure if that raised it at all.

Like you said I"ll let them spawn a few times and see how they do on their own. I don't have a spare tank right now but that could change in the future. I watched them this morning a little before work and both the male and female were digging around in their pit a bit. This is really exciting!

PS: Thanks! She's my baby and 3.5 weeks pregnant. I've wanted to breed bengals for about 11 years. This is our first litter so am thrilled!
 
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Rip said:
Hi hurricanejedi,

Gold Rams are a captive bred variety that does not occur in the wild, or at
least does not survive in the wild. They are the same species and the gold has no wild population purity to protect so don't worry about crossing them. Besides, the majority of golds are bred in Asia and it is difficult to find a female due to the use of hormones to produce mainly larger, more colourful males.

Depending on the dominance issues of the color genes the first generation
will more than likely be either all blue or all gold, probably all blue. Breeding of siblings should give a 75/25 ratio.

Rams are fish that inhabit savanna pools in the wild. Since there is so little shade, the water often reaches into the mid-90*F (mid-30*C) temperature
range. Like discus they prefer their water warm and can often succumb to illness in cooler water. Your raised temp should help with the Ich.

Ram eggs need very soft water to hatch. If the Kh is too high the osmotic pressure will cause them to calcify and few if any will survive. Likewise, the fry do better in the first few weeks in soft water. The parents should do a fairly good job of protecting the eggs for a couple of days but will probably have to give up sooner or later with the other tank inhabitants. After a few spawning attempts in the community tank you could give them their own breeding tank and they will be more likely to raise the fry themselves. The alternative is to remove the eggs and hatch them separately.

Hope this is of some help to you & enjoy your new Rams.
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GREAT post... Please come back and post often... :bowing:
 
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