Electric Blue Rams Have Eggs!

[MatthewWebb]

Help!

A couple of days a go I purchased 2 electric rams, I have been concerned for them because they are in a small 60 litre tank, it's over stocked and nitrates are through the roof at fourth to eighty ppm! But now they appear to have layer eggs,! This has come as a shock because the Los said they were both males!

Now I am really worried for them. I have just got some or water, should I do a ten percent water change? Also, there is a small Plecoptera in there so will it eat the eggs.

Any help will be greatly appreciated for I am panicking over these fish even worse now...

Thanks,
Matthew.

 

[Sammy1911]

Ive had eggs a few times from mine, the first couple of attempts resulted in free swimming fry and got eaten by the parents after a week or so and beyond that they never made it into fry at all. other people have been successful so it just depends on the pair you have really, they may do a good jobs themselves or you may need to raise them yourself and get them out asap... i decided the next time mine produced that i would get the eggs out but sods law struck back and theyve never had any eggs since. i did try with and without other fish in the tank but i found it was mostly the parents who ate the young a shame really but its nature eh!

 

[MatthewWebb]

Thanks Sammy, your replay has put me at ease some what. I guess I just have to stop worrying and let life find it's way.

 

[mark4785]

There is much debate over the toxicity of nitrate. Some people keep sensitive fish like Discus in 200ppm of nitrate and, apparently, don't come up against any problems.

I think the only thing for to worry about with regards to the high nitrate are these things:

1. High nitrate water holds less oxygen.
2. The EU, which sets standards for water quality, recommend that levels never be above 50ppm (water beyond 50ppm is not fit for drinking)
3. High nitrate causes salt water to become toxic (I hope you don't have salt in your tank).
4. High nitrate can cause your filter bacteria to become sluggish and not process ammonia and nitrite as quickly (If you are adding RO water with some kind of buffer which lowers the PH, remember that a lowered PH AND high nitrate is not going to be a healthy combination as they both act to slow down the action of nitrobacter and nitrosomonas bacteria).

 

[MatthewWebb]

I am adding ro water but not putting any buffer in it. I did a 10 percent with the ro water, perhapse I should do a bigger one to get the nitrates down.

 

[Geoff-]

I've read that fish will breed under 2 circumstances:
1) when the environment is good enough that reproduction won't expend energy needed for survival
2) when the environment is hostile and fast reproduction benefits the continuation of the species
 
these are evolved responses to stress, they are not conscious choices.  if your tank is overstocked then it's likely the fish feel threatened and laying eggs is an evolutionary response that aims to out-compete the other fish by increasing numbers of the laying species.  
 
long term it doesn't bode well, because stress laying means significant energy is poured into an area and long term health is a second priority.  your fish may lay eggs now but long term they will not survive.
 
additionally, if you want to reduce nitrates then a 10% water change will achieve nothing.  You really need to be replacing 50% of the water at a time.

 

[MissLori]

Do you still have eggs left?

 

[MatthewWebb]

Well, the fish ate all the eggs. Now it looks like on of them keeps chasing the other about! !
 
I hope my new 180 litre gets up and running soon so i can transfer some fish over so they are less stressed out.

 

[balajake]

Buy a bottle liquifry for egg layers, just Incase it happens again. Even though they are with mum and dad you will need to feed them about 4/5 times per day for the first couple of weeks or so. They

 

[MissLori]

Hi again Matthew,

If you want to keep and raise the next batch of EBRs, holler back and I'll give you some tips. ; )
 

 

[mark4785]

Well, the fish ate all the eggs. Now it looks like on of them keeps chasing the other about! !
 
I hope my new 180 litre gets up and running soon so i can transfer some fish over so they are less stressed out.

 
The male in my GBR pair started to chase the female after one of them eat the eggs too. The male stressed the female out from constant chasing and it actually died.
 
For this reason, keep a close eye on the female. If she loses colours and a 'black horizontal tar mark' appears across the fish you will need to think about segregating her.