Help With German Blue Rams

[Stuzzy]

Hi guys & girls,

Hoping for some help here with my new German Rams.
Looking for some opinion as to whether or not I've got a boy and a girl!
I know there is a few discussions on various threads here, but I would appreciate a second opinion!
My LFS did their best, but I'm not 100% sure about the boy, as it seems to have very dark bands on the pelvic fins?
Hope you can help!!!!


http/i1339.photobucket.com/albums/o715/Stuzzy1/image_zps6e40133a.jpg
http/i1339.photobucket.com/albums/o715/Stuzzy1/image_zps67cd3e34.jpg

P.s.

The first pic is 'the girl', second, 'the boy'

 

[greenmumma141]

Hmm. Im not too sure either. I could be wrong, but I thought the black lines on the pelvic fins were a sign that the fish is male? maybe not. I do know for sure though, that a good way to tell is if there is blue iridescence on the black spot, if so it's a male. I think the second one is for sure a male, could be wrong though. Im sure someone else with more experience will help, sorry if i just added to the confusion  


also, pretty sure the first pic is a female bc of the pink belly

 

[Sammy1911]

I would say you have a pair there, good looking pair too

 

[Baileyxu]

1st is female second is male where did u get ur fish from? Are they overseas stock?

 

[Stuzzy]

UPDATE!!!
I can confirm they are a happy pair! They found a quiet spot of bogwood earlier today, and are now tending a clutch of 50+ eggs!!! All after less than 48 hours in the tank! Anyone with an insight as to how to increase the chances of them becoming fry?!! Very excited!!

 

[Stuzzy]

Ps. Current set-up
125l Planted Tank
External EFX200 filter
Aquaone internal filter
T5 lighting (8hrs per day)
CO2 system with diffuser, 30ppm
Silica Substrate
Planted Bogwood

Tank temp 26C
Ph 6.3
Gh 8
Nitrites/ammonia nil

Tank mates

5 pepper cory
6 bentosi tetra
6 cardinal tetra
1 bnp
1 sae
1 bamboo shrimp
2 assasin snail

Fed fish flake and bloodworm pellet daily
Once weekly blanched spinach and frozen bloodworm

25% weekly water changes

 

[Stuzzy]

Rubbish quality but you can just about see em!
http/i1339.photobucket.com/albums/o715/Stuzzy1/image_zps44bf0e71.jpg

My tank, 3 months old

http/i1339.photobucket.com/albums/o715/Stuzzy1/image_zpscc2814eb.jpg

 

[greenmumma141]

Congrats!!!! And after such a short time, how exciting! You should be quite please, GBR's are pretty sensitive to water conditions, so for them to mate your tank must be doing great. Love the pics too, very natural looking 

 

[Stuzzy]

....murder in tank.....

Awoke this morning to find all the eggs gone....presumed heartlessly eaten by suspect fellow tank mates....
Identity parade and interrogation to follow.....

 

[Brahmza]

Good looking pair! Do you know if it is their first time breeding? If so, it's possible that the eggs were actually eaten by the rams. Possible the eggs could've been infertile, or eaten by other tank mates, but if it's their first time, that's usually normal. It will normally take a new pair quite a few tries before they successfully raise them to fry, but don't let it get you down! If they had eggs once and the water parameters/habitat hasn't changed, they'll surely keep at it! Going through the same stage with my current rams. I have two pairs of german blues and one pair of electric blues. Bought them all as juveniles and they've paired off. Each pair has laid 1 clutch of eggs so far, all not making it. At first I was bummed out, figured I was doing something wrong, but through research I discovered it's normal for the first few clutches to not make it. I wish you the best of luck! Keep me posted!

 

[Samuran]

Hey, was just going to say 1 female and 1 male but then I read they had already spawned.
If you want to raise on the fry you'll need to get them into a breeding tank, the BN will munch through any eggs in your community tank.
Also I found when I was breeding rams that a PH closer to 4 was needed for good egg development. Last point is that quite often fish breed not long being introduced to a new tank, partly due to the shock of the different water and also partly as a survival trait... i.e. "ack the waters different! quick lets spawn before it kills us"