Sickly Blue Ram

[redevilman]

Hi, i have got a very sick looking ram in my tank and need some guidance.I have recently moved up from a 70l tank which i have had going for over a year now to a fluval roma 200 setup and before i turned out the lights last night i noticed one of my blue rams wasnt as lively as it has usually been.
I have had a look at him this morning and all he seems to be doing is swimming along the bottom of my tank which is very strange because it is usaully chasing the other ram round the tank most of the time and when i come over to the tank he always comes right over to me begging for food but this morning he just swimming along sand bed so any help or advice would be very much appreciated because i have got quite attached to these little buggers.


Water stats

ammonia 0
nitrite 0
ph 7.9 and tap water the same
nitrates 5
gh 8
kh 5
fish in my tank as follows

4 corys julliis which are very happy in fact they never stop
6 black phantom tetras
7 green tiger barbs had 8 one died 2 days after introducing them they crazy too watch too. introduced 10 days ago
2 blue rams introduced 10 days ago
1 neon tetra that skools with the tetras. going to get more this week had six but 5 died within week of introducing them

tank 200 roma
fluval heater
fluval exturnal filter
sand substrate
plastic plants
plastic ornaments
small piece of bogwood

 

[redevilman]

ok update on my blue ram he is off the bottom of the tank but he seems to be being held up by one of my plastic plants and his colours have gotton way to dark for my liking. i have read another post about someone had the same problem and someone suggested it was bacterial if so should i remove him from tank or does bacterial infections spread to other fish urgent help needed please

 

[WILDER]

It sounds bacterial to me aswell.
What does it look like when he goes to the toilet.
Is he resting to oneside.
Any signs of flicking and rubbing.
When he gets of the bottom of the tank does he just float back down.

Anti internal bacteria med by interpet.

 

[redevilman]

Hi, Thankyou for your reply.I took the fish out of the tank yesterday evening it wasnt moving at all when i tried to net it.To answer your questions.I didnt manage to see what its poop looked like but yes it just floated back down on to the substrate,it could only manage to get of the substrate about an inch or so then went back down.there was no sign of flicking or rubbing that i could see but he wasnt resting to one side either,I wont be able to get to LFS to get interpet internal bacteria meds until later tomorrow due to work and wanted to know if it was indeed bacterial infection will there be a chance that my other fish will get it.

 

[WILDER]

The med might be to late.
I would do some water changes on your main tank and just keep an eye on the other fish.

 

[redevilman]

bad news my other ram showing the same symptons he can swim too the top bud just sinks to the bottom. also 3 of my tigers seem to be suffering from fin rot one has lost most of the tail and other 2 have frayed tails what should i be doing to help them as its been upsetting my kids really badly

 

[WILDER]

The third type of infection produced by Aeromonas is by no means the least. This form is often the most virulent (potent) and can be rapidly fatal. This insidious form does not produce any noticeable external ulcers. The most notable feature is a behavioral change in which the infected fish generally become listless and lethargic. Some fish may lose color or appear darker. The fish do not feed, frequently seem off balance and may sink to the bottom laying on their sides. The course of the disease is rapid, and by the time the behavioral changes are noticed, the entire population of a tank may succumb, sometimes in a day or so. This is an internal infection, with the bacteria being found in the kidneys and blood of these fish. The bacteria produce potent toxins that account for the severity of the disease.

Can the fish maintain there balance in the water.

 

[redevilman]

hi just home from work again all other fish in tank are fine apart from 2 tigers n the ram which is swimming round the tank more than i ever seen him but hes just banging in to plants ornaments and the glass he is pale at times then he gets dark all of a sudden.could the finrot be due to fin nipping as one of the smaller tigers is ferocious most of the time he attacks anything that moves

 

[WILDER]

The green tiger barbs sound stressed if its pale and swimming and banging into things.
I know tiger barbs are fin nippers but not sure about green tiger barbs.
Have you seen any aggression.
Have you added the bacterial med to the tank.

 

[redevilman]

Yes i have added interpet internal bacteria no.9. A FEW OF MY TIGERS ARE BEING AGGRESSIVE TOWARDS MY RAM

 

[WILDER]

I suppose you can't issolate them.
Fish will pick on sick fish i'm afriad.

 

[redevilman]

My other tank has a large and growing by the day gold fish of some sort so it be best if i didnt put him in that tank.
I will just keep doing water changes and topping up the meds and hope for the best.Thankyou for your help wilder much appreciated.

 

[WILDER]

I would ask about the green tiger barbs over in tropical discussion.
Good Luck.

 

[redevilman]

Hi i got talking to my neighbour last week an he told me he keeps tropical fish and i explained what was wrong with my rams so he popped round to see them i told him i was putting interpet internal bacterial no.9 in the tank to help my fish and he told me to stop using it and do a 90% water change and add half dose of melafix too my tank so away i went and have been away working for a week and my wife added it while i was away.got back this morning and well il be damned my little ram seems to be getn back to normal,his colour has comeback he is swiiming to the glass when he sees me coming. I am just sorry i left it too late for the other one.on the green tiger barbs situation one of them has got no tail fin at all it just looks white and shredded to the end so will he be ok because he is swimming around with the rest of the brat pack.Or should i take him out alltogether the other two tigers seem to be geting there fins back. which is good news.Also very soon i want to add some more fish like 8 neon tetras or cardinals so will the meds affect new fish or will i have to do large water changes before i add them.

 

[WILDER]

Glad the rams ok now.
Melafix is only really good on external bacteria infections, Only good for cuts and wounds.
How long did you use the interpet med for.