Blue Ram - Wont Swim

[killudead]

Good morning,
So I have a 75g comm. tank with a mix of fish in it.
Temp - 82 * F
Feeding - daily, rotate blood worms and flake food, 1 pellet in the bottom at night for bottom dwellers.

I have 2 GBR's 1 male, 1 female.
The male is been sitting on the bottom of the tank for a couple days. I think it might be Swim bladder. He is retaining his color as if he was in perfect health but just wont swim.
The water quality is just fine. The nitrates are below 20ppm and I have been doing water changes daily about 10-15% to get the number even further down. There is a slight pink color on the test strip. Now other info that i can provide. At some points in the most recent weeks, his mate died from popeye. He has been hiding alot since then. been about 1 month since the loss. The left half of his head would turn a choc. brown but it was only his head and the colors and stripes were very defined.
Now fast forward to today, this has been going on for 4 days now. I have been withholding food and feeding peas every other day. I have been reading up on SBD and it says that peas and salt can be used to remedy the situation. But I dont think that he is eating. There are no visable marks on the body to indicate scratches, ich, swelling of abdominal area. I am at a loss and hate to wait to long to see if I can get resolve. Any tips or advice are appreciated. I can get pics if needed for further info. I will be watching this thread for responses.
Thanks

 

[Paradise3]

To me it sounds like he may be pining for his mate. Fish that pair up for life really do pair up for life and if you try putting any other mate in for him he may end up just killing it.
I would wait for someone else to reply as i have no idea about cichlids or egg layers but if i'm right please do tell me so i can put it away for future reference.

Xxx~misscosmo~xxX

 

[daiandgems]

I lost my male blue ram about a month ago and ever since my female was very quiet and sat at the bottom of the the tank until this weekend when she died all my water stats were fine so i put it down to her pining for her mate. Though rams do need specic ph ranges and so on pm truckasaurus123 he know all about chichlids hope that helps.

 

[Truck]

What are the PH and GH parameters of the tank? And which substrate?

 

[killudead]

What are the PH and GH parameters of the tank? And which substrate?

Thanks for responding truck...
To answer your questions, this is going from memory.
The PH on the test strip is a slight orange hue. I am thinking 6.8-7.2 range.
The GH (hardness I think) is more on the brown side, I am thinking hard water from memory.
Substrate is eco-complete and black Flourish. Not real heavily planted but not so bad. I will update my log as well later so that you pics to refer to. I should also mention that the female that died from popeye, he had several spawnings with her before she died. I did replace her, but "leggo" my sick male, has not taken to her and keeps to himself. He likes to hide in his log and peeks out to see what is going on from time to time.
I will be home in 2 hours to give exact answers. I also have the test tube kit of a better measuring tool.

 

[Truck]

The PH is a little high, it could do with being around 6.2-6.4, and the GH should be between 0-12dgh, also the substrate best for rams is sand, as they're mini earth eaters, hence the name, Mikrogeophagus, which is in latin, mini earth eater.

 

[killudead]

The PH is a little high, it could do with being around 6.2-6.4, and the GH should be between 0-12dgh, also the substrate best for rams is sand, as they're mini earth eaters, hence the name, Mikrogeophagus, which is in latin, mini earth eater.

ok, so with that being that case. What can i do to help him moving forward.
Ignoring the substrate issue and the PH issue. Any ideas on what his deal is. Do you think it could be SBD?
If you need pics or vids let me know, happy to get them for you.

 

[Truck]

SBD?? Pics would be helpful, especially the forehead.

 

[killudead]

SBD?? Pics would be helpful, especially the forehead.

SBD - Swim Bladder Disorder

i have info for you
GH is 75ppm
PH is 7.2 range
almost no pink on the test strip for nitrate's
no nitrites at all
no chlorine
KH is above 120 but looks below 300ppm.

Movie - http/www.pccentral.biz/aquarium/br6.mov

 

[Truck]

I wouldn't rely on the test strips, they're not the most accurate things, and there is not test for ammonia/ammonium.

If I were you I'd get hold of some saliferts (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and PH) you will also need the KH and GH kits which you can use the API ones. I understand the saliferts are expensive in the US, but they're the most accurate and consistent hobby test kits available.

These symptoms generally occur, just before a Ram is about to die, out of interest are you using a thermometer to measure the temperature? and is it a digital or alcohol one?

Ideally you could do with getting the PH right down, to about 6.2, the GH is fine, but thats providing your test kits are measuring it accurately, which doubt, it currently stands at approximately 4-5DGH, the Kh again isn't accurate enough for a reading in DKH.

 

[killudead]

I assume that you mean that hobby test kits are the ones with the test tubes and the agents that you add after the fact.
I do have that kit.
as for the thermometer, it is a normal no dig unit. Has that red crap in the bottom of with all the little metal balls.
It has been almost a week and no signs of recovery yet. I am lost on what to do. but will start reading the advice again to see if I am missing something. I added a piece of wood to the tank last night to help bring down the ph a bit.
I guess we wait at this point.

 

[Truck]

Yes, the liquid kits, they give better readings, but if they're API the readings still wont be that accurate, but will be better than the strips. What are you feeding him?

 

[killudead]

the test kit i have is from red sea.
I rotate the feedings, blood worms, flake food for 6 days and then fast for 1 day.
i have a ph of about 7.4 or so. nice blue color in the test tube. Need to test the upper range. also
at this point i have tested the GH/KH. I says that my water is med hard.
thanks up to this point for your help.
still no change in the little guy. he does not look any worse but not any better either.

 

[Truck]

The PH is high, but hopefully the bogwood will bring it down, all you can do is feed him lots of meaty food, and hope for the best.

 

[killudead]

The PH is high, but hopefully the bogwood will bring it down, all you can do is feed him lots of meaty food, and hope for the best.

When you say meaty food, what are talking about. Bloodworms or something different all together.
Do you think it might be swim bladder? also, there is a video that is playable through quicktime if you have it.
www.pccentral.biz/aqaurium/br6.mov should be the file name