Blue Rams

[Tempestuousfury]

The female ended up getting a line (more like black patches going across horizontally) down her side. She seemed stressed when I got her, and it appeared a few days later. The color ends up flaring up and dying away, so I am not exactly sure what it means. The same thing seems to happen with the male (though he never really looks like he is stressed out), though his stripes resemble the vertical stripes seen in tiger barbs, moreso than say a latteral line.

Only things I can think of are stress or something to do with breeding/ courtship. *shrugs* Any ideas? Thanks

 

[-cAtFiSh-]

Hmm have you noticed any aggression between them? Maybe the male is being aggressive towards the female and stressing her out.

What other fish are in the tank?

 

[Tempestuousfury]

45 gallon
4 spotted corydoras
6 albino corydoras
8 zebra danios
3 gold long-finned zebra danios
4 blue long-finned danios
7 black skirt tetras
6 harlequin rasboras
1 female betta
1 female guppy
1 female guppy/mosquitofish... not sure which
2 Blue Rams (female and male)
6 khuli loaches

He used to chase her around, but that stopped shortly after it started. They both seem to be ok right now... no hiding or clamped fins.

 

[bleechme]

45 gallon
4 spotted corydoras
6 albino corydoras
8 zebra danios
3 gold long-finned zebra danios
4 blue long-finned danios
7 black skirt tetras
6 harlequin rasboras
1 female betta
1 female guppy
1 female guppy/mosquitofish... not sure which
2 Blue Rams (female and male)
6 khuli loaches

He used to chase her around, but that stopped shortly after it started. They both seem to be ok right now... no hiding or clamped fins.

It might be your corydoras that are stressing the Rams. Rams and Corydoras don't go well together since both like to dwell on the lower part of the tank.

 

[Tempestuousfury]

Both rams swim around the entire tank... and it doesn't seem like they're avoiding the corydoras because of their activity. In fact, every so often I'll look at my tank and see the male at the bottom, hanging out under one of my plastic plants.

 

[-cAtFiSh-]

I was told that blue rams are quite sensitive to undesirable water conditions. Maybe your water isnt suited to rams and that could be whats causing stress

 

[Tempestuousfury]

I was thinking that, and will be taking my water in to get it tested.

However, other than the lines, there's no other really obvious indication of stress (i.e. clamped fins, lach of color, hiding, etc.)

 

[~T~]

High nitrate can make rams uncomfortable.

 

[Tempestuousfury]

Crap, billionth time I've forgotten to take my water in for a test. however, nitrates shoud not be an issue, since none of the other fish look stressed, and I do weekly 25%+ water changes. Thanks for the post, though, since the water test thing might actually stick in my head now.