juvenile german blue ram just acted crazy and died!

[j_profe]

Hi guys! thank u for this site!
I have a 60 gal tank that just finished its cycle a week ago when nitrates showed. I cycled it with several fish inside, several water changes and no dead fish (imagine all the work!). So by Saturday we went and got 3 blue rams, did the usual stuff (leave it in the bag floating around, introducing some of my own water to the bag, etc) and by today, early morning one of the rams started to go up, like trying to jump out of the water, and when he got tired, floated around until he went to the bottom, like gasping for air in one of his sides and just died! ???? what happened? did he arrived sick from the store? here are my aquarium stats: 8 gouramis, 6 goupies, 2 plattys, 2 molly and 2 blue rams. ammo 0, nitrit 0, nitra between 5 and 10, ph 8.2 (maybe too high for blue rams?). Just did a partial weekly water change (25%) just in case the ram was sick.
Thanks for helping!!!!!:help:

[MChambers]

Blue Rams are sensitive fish. I wouldn't put them in an aquarium that just finished cycling. Also, a pH of 8.2 is not good for them.

If you really want rams, Bolivian rams might survive that pH.

[j_profe]

thanks MChambers!
I was just reading about them..my water conditions might not be very favorable :help: ..what can I do with the other 2 blue rams?

[ElizabethJKR]

I would also test for ammonia and such. You might have had a spike which killed the fish.

[j_profe]

Thanks xxEMO!
I am still testing twice a day, and last night ammo was 0, like this morning...I just removed some leaves that were turning brown just in case...are german rams ammo. sensitive?

[ElizabethJKR]

I really have no idea, but I know adding fish to a tank causes a spike.

[j_profe]

Thanks xxEMO!!! we'll see! the other two are just happy so, maybe they will be lucky!

[Lady Hobbs]

You might want to consider picking up a small 5 gallon for a quarantine tank. That way you can watch your fish closely for a couple weeks to make sure none have ick. Treating a small tank much easier than a big tank.

[j_profe]

Thanks Lady Hobbs!!!!
my husband just called me and said that we'll have to get a tank like that, to keep fish from the store for a while...the rest of the fish look happy, even the other 2 Rams look happy too. Any links for the set up of this special tank?

[angel_love]

Just a barebottom tank with a filter and heater. Nothing special, just something you can put up quick and tear down when not in use. I would keep some gravel in a media bag or bio balls (whatever they call those things) in your 60 gallon to let the bacteria build up on it so when you need to use the quarantine you can just plop the bag in there and poof! Instant cycle....

[j_profe]

THanks Angel love! First thing tomorrow morning will be to geta small tank for that!