Breeding GBR's

[Adrian]

Once more, I dare to go where I have never gone before. So, before I fail at trying something I have never done before, I am looking for information. I have never raised or bred GBR's. I know they can do most of the work, but I am going to be setting up a ten gallon tank for a pair for just breeding. I will need to know what type of filter to use, best feeding times, and what to feed. How warm the temp should be, etc.

Why? Why try breeding and raising GBR's? Good question. I can not really give a good answer, except that the species is truly a gift from the gods with all their gorgeous coloring. I also like the fact, that as a cichlid, they are by far one of the more tolerant in a community like setting. A major plus for me, as my show tank has a community setting. I love the colors that these fish have, and I really hope to have success in raising some fry. Got to love the fact that trying is half the battle. At first, I didn't even want to venture this route. Figured that they are to fussy, or to finicky a species to attempt. Well, my curiosity got the best of me, and I will be getting 2 pair for my tank, as soon as I see that one pair is ready...I will be putting them into a ten gallon so they can be at peace when raising their young, with a little help from me. Any advice on this subject will be greatly appreciated.

[Dave66]

Outlander,
I excised this on breeding and feeding Rams from my Eartheater Primer. And you should use a seasoned sponge filter in the breeding tank, because the baby fish cannot stand that from a power filter. Temp should be 82 in the Ram tank.
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Kept in a group of six or eight individuals usually results in a compatible pair if kept in a soft water, slightly acid planted tank. They spawn readily in such waters, most likely on flattened stones, occasionally in depressions in the substrate. Young Rams lay about a hundred eggs, adults, up to 500. It takes a week for them to hatch, and a further 24 to 36 hours before the fry are free swimming. Do not disturb the parents in any way when they have a spawn, as they will always eat the eggs or fry if disturbed, like by a gravel vacuum. As above, do partial water changes, no more than 20 percent, at night with room lights very dim.

Rams in general are excellent parents, with the brood collecting in a cloud around them when they are free swimming. The fry are too small for baby brine shrimp, so Rotifers are the best first food. It will be at least a week, more likely 10 days, that the fry have grown sufficiently to take live BBS. They aren't difficult to raise after that point, and leaving the fry with the parents for a month is a very good idea, and will result in fish larger, more colorful and healthier than their parents. There will always be a demand for such home-bred fish. Rams can live more than three years properly kept, with up to five not unusual.

In feeding, they like to sift through the substrate for tidbits, so frozen and live aquatic worms, insect larvae and small Crustaceans, like Mysis shrimp, are their best foods. A suitably-sized pelleted food can be part of the diet, and vegetables like cucumber, and blanched zucchini, will address the fishes' need for plant debris. Live food like water fleas (Daphnia pulex) and aquatic worms like California Black Worms are very beneficial. The substrate should be fine, like aquatic soils, for best results with Rams.

Stay away from those Rams bred in Asia, as though they are available in various attractive color forms, the fish themselves are inferior due to poor quality control and injections that makes males color up early, shortening their lives by 2/3rds. The two major national chains in the US carry these Asian-bred Rams, so seek out fish bred in Florida or the Czech Republic for good, high quality, healthy Rams.
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Dave

[miquel]

sorry but the fish from the Czech Republic are not much better than the asian fish. There are bred in the same way the asians do with a lot of antibiotics en hormones.

So if you want good fish go for the german bred specimens or from a fish breeder near you.

I've had the best results at an pH of 5 and Gh and Kh at 0.

[NickFish]

sorry but the fish from the Czech Republic are not much better than the asian fish. There are bred in the same way the asians do with a lot of antibiotics en hormones.


ALL fish that are raised in fish farms are bred like that. The selected females are injected with hormones. But the sale stock are not. Except in asia.

We know that the Florida and Czech rams are injected with some breeding hormones, however, unlike the asian bred rams, they are NOT injected with coloring hormones. And that is what shortens their life so much.

Anyways, quick life lesson. Dave is never wrong....ever. I learned that some time back. :hmm3grin2orange: