german blue ram question

[~Erik3.8.07~]

ok my german blue ram is sitting around on the bottom like the other one did before he died. He was perfectly happy and active a couple days ago. My tank perameters are all perfect.

Since i got them ive had an ick outbreak (which what i believe killed the other ram) and my gourami had a bacterial infection. So over the past few weeks ive had to treat the tank with meds almost daily so when i finally finished treating my gourami i put carbon in to absorb the meds. Which is right when the ram starting acting odd.

So what im wondering is: Is active carbon harmful to german blue rams?

[cocoa_pleco]

ive never had luck with rams either, they all die within a week.

carbon is only harmful in 3 cases, HITH prone fish like oscars and severums, planted tanks, where nutrients get taken away, and reefs, where nutrients get taken away.

i dont think its the carbon

[~Erik3.8.07~]

but it just seems to coincidental that it was when i added the carbon, i mean he's been fine for the past month. Now im starting to think that maybe it was the carbon since when the other ram starting acting like this, there was carbon still in the tank

[~Erik3.8.07~]

idk these guys dont seem very hardy from what i keep hearing so i think im gonna try my luck with bolivian rams instead.

[Kaga's Kritters]

yea german rams are very sensitive fish. bolivians are supposed to be a little more hardy. i have a german ram i've had for a week or 2 and he's doing very well so far.

[Fishguy2727]

Is the carbon still in there? If so pull it out and see if that helps.

What are you feeding?
What are these 'perfect' water parameters?

[~Erik3.8.07~]

i replaced the carbon with just plain polyfiber filter pads and the perameters are, as of about 1:00: 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 0 nitrate and a ph of 6.8-7.0

i feed teta color flakes, brine shrimp, and he always likes to eat the algea wafers i feed my pleco.

[Fishguy2727]

I highly suggest adding a higher quality pellet. I feed all my fish nothing but New Life Spectrum, it is the best stuff out there.

Are there any other fish in there?

[~Erik3.8.07~]

ive never seen nls at petsmart but have yet to look at my new favorite fish store, I look next time but they all have seemed to really love the diet their on now. The other fish are in my sig, its the 46g

[Lady Hobbs]

You mentioned Ick then fungus and treating with meds. How can your water be "perfect" with this stuff going on? A big water change might do wonders and also get rid of that med much faster than the charcoal will.

Good luck. Hope he makes it for you.

[Fishguy2727]

With that many fish in there they may be too stressed to really setlle in.

[~Erik3.8.07~]

You mentioned Ick then fungus and treating with meds. How can your water be "perfect" with this stuff going on? A big water change might do wonders and also get rid of that med much faster than the charcoal will.

Good luck. Hope he makes it for you.

well the ick wasnt from my water, one of the rams already had it but i some how failed to notice till about 5 minutes after i put him into my tank, and i dont even think that it was a fungus, but thats what everyone thought it could be, but it looked more like my gourami just scraped himself on the rocks darting for food, but i treated it just in case. I did a 50% water change the day after i finished the treatment and will do another one tomorrow just to stay on the normal schedule


With that many fish in there they may be too stressed to really setlle in.

he's always had a whole area to himself and never seemed bothered by the other fish and there are a places he can hide