Female German Blue Ram

[kribensis12]

Hey guys, looking for some insight here.

I have a 20g tank (well planted, caves, driftwood etc.) with some community fish and a mated pair of rams (Golden male, German blue female).

They spawned a few times unsuccessfully and then are COVID-19 hit, my tanks kinda hit the back burner (as in, feeding them less frequently etc.). Throughout this period of less frequent feedings (never stretching more than 2 consecutive days) I have begun to notice that the female ram was thin (about as thin as she might be directly after laying eggs, prior to bulking up again).

I thought that it was my fault due to less frequent feeds (though the male is as stunning as ever, no loss of weight for him) and began to make sure I was feeding more high protein and fat foods like bloodworms to get her to bulk up. No luck.

Her coloration has been terrible for about the last 3 months - she appears to be very stressed (color alone). I began to notice a few weeks back that she is eating oddly - sort of pecking at the floating food like the chicken from Moana and not very successful which I've attributed to the weight issue. Her eyes are not cloudy. nor does there really appear to by anything wrong with her.

Tonight I became very freaked out - I fed them again and watched the female closely. She was pecking slightly at the food as per usual and then started swimming backwards at about a 110 degree angle (as in \ ) with the head pointing slightly back. She swam about 1/2 the length of the aquarium like this and then righted herself and began to try and eat again.

I'm sort of at a loss - no other fish is showing any symptoms, there have been no new introductions to the tank etc. My best guess is some sort of internal parasite (I do have some powdered flubenol on standby) which I could try to use, but I'm afraid that the damage may be too far done.

Tank stats (since I know you're going to ask!)

Size: 20g
Temp: 82 degrees
pH: 7.2
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate:0-10 ppm
kH/gH: not available, but soft because I mix my own RO. City's water is concrete level hard water so it's literally a 9/1 ratio to get the pH to drop at all.
WC Schedule: Once weekly 30% w/ gravel vacuum (if needed).

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[JuiceBox52]

I cant comment on the disease, I'm not sure what is causing it. @Colin_T might know though.
I would just like to say that I absolutely love that you used the chicken from moana as a comparison to your fish, that made my day

 

[kribensis12]

Does anyone have any ideas? I think she might be too far gone, but if not, I'd like to save her if possible.

 

[Byron]

From your information, I would suggest the male has had enough of her and is harrassing her. I had a pair of Bolivians that did exactly the same; they spawned four times before the male killed her.

Both species (Mikrogeophagus ramirezi the common or blue and gold ram and M. altispinosus the Bolivian) must select their own mates form a group, always. Sometimes even when a pair does bond, divorce can occur later, but it more often works than not.

 

[kribensis12]

From your information, I would suggest the male has had enough of her and is harrassing her. I had a pair of Bolivians that did exactly the same; they spawned four times before the male killed her.

Both species (Mikrogeophagus ramirezi the common or blue and gold ram and M. altispinosus the Bolivian) must select their own mates form a group, always. Sometimes even when a pair does bond, divorce can occur later, but it more often works than not.

Hey Byron.

I would suspect that normally, but I've been paying pretty close attention to them as of recent and the male does not seem to be interested in her whatsoever - positive or negative. She'll swim right in front of his face and he does not even respond - and she does not act afraid of him whatsoever.

Given those behavioral cues do you think it's still possible that he is the cause?

 

[Byron]

Hey Byron.

I would suspect that normally, but I've been paying pretty close attention to them as of recent and the male does not seem to be interested in her whatsoever - positive or negative. She'll swim right in front of his face and he does not even respond - and she does not act afraid of him whatsoever.

Given those behavioral cues do you think it's still possible that he is the cause?

I don't know, b ut it is still a likely cause. Internal disorders are not easy to ID.

 

[kribensis12]

I've been observing very closely and have seen no aggression still; hard to say what is going on. Unfortunately she is not doing any better (but also no worse) so I guess I'll just have to keep tabs and see what happens.