Rams Stressed?

[msablan]

Hi guys,
     I'm not sure if my 2 rams are stressed or not. When I first got them from my LFS they both had pink bellies and a nice yellow-gold complexion, only the one stripe appeared bisecting the eyes with flecks of blue in the stripe. Now they have several such vertical stripes (minus the flecks) and a duller complexion. No more pink, the blue is only at the margins, even the original stipe is itself faded. I've noticed them flashing but very rarely, maybe once every few days, and ich doesn't seem to be a problem. The paleness and black stripes, themselves more pale than solid, are there day and night, even while feeding. Only when they occasionally get in each other's way does the dominant one color up somewhat. It's been this way for several weeks now, despite water changes. Ideas? Are they stressed or suddenly less colorful or what? The weird thing is when they were quarantined in a 10 gallon tank briefly they were fine, only after moving them into the 20 gallon has the paleness set in. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.
 
20 gallon
2 rams
6 neon tetras
80F
0 ammonia
0 nitrate
0 nitrite
 

 

[techen]

How long has the tank been running for? You have no nitrates which suggests the tank is uncycled and this is what would be stressing them out and even lead to death.

 

[r.w.girard]

And pH?

 

[msablan]

Ph 7.4, the tank's been established for quite some time, say 8 months. Not sure how I can raise the nitrate level without also raising the ammonia level?

 

[DJH584]

Ph 7.4, the tank's been established for quite some time, say 8 months. Not sure how I can raise the nitrate level without also raising the ammonia level?

Are you using the API nitrate test kit? If so make sure that you shake the living daylights out of bottle number two it for at least two minutes before using it. If you don't then you will not get a proper reading.

 

[msablan]

Good lordy, I am using the API set and tested it twice more with more dedicated shaking. Now I'm reading 40ppm for nitrates.
 
Temp            81F
PH                7.4
Ammonia     .25ppm
Nitrite           0ppm
Nitrate          40ppm
 
Bad news bears. Okay so I obviously need to tweak the ammonia, a little less feeding most likely. Could that be the reason behind the stress, along with the nitrates? Also, am I right to associate the stripes with stress? I haven't been able to confirm that but I suspect so. Suggestions?


Also KH 89.5ppm

 

[Cadevan]

My established rams tend to change colour with mood, mine go pale when stressed. Stripes in mine are generally when they are territorial or when I first turn the light on in the morning they always show. Mine go from bright blue and gold with a bright black spot to flat dull yellow in two seconds when startled, rams are ridiculously flamboyant about their moods, I love it, they might be a little freaked out by your tetras, or else the ammonia could be the issue, though my rams just tend to get sluggish when ammonia rises, but all fish are different, and I have a feeling that rams really depend upon the fish, but I don't know, just throwing suggestions out there. Have they been eating? Swimming around like normal? I'm having issues now with a rescued pair and my female not eating, it's always a sure sign of stress to me. How about your lighting, it can play an effect on what colour the fish look.

Might also want to see about lowering the pH mine's at 6.5 on my main ram tank.