My pretty pair! :D

**Lolita** · 11-28-2012, 02:20 AM

Hey all!

I haven't shared any pictures of my new GBR pair. They seem to be doing really well, which I'm thrilled about! The last time I tried to keep GBR they didn't do well at all.

I've had them now for about a month. They have been active and hungry since day one, which made me happy. They don't hide much and get along well enough with my pleco that he actually allows them into his domain (which he never usually does, he's pretty territorial.)

They had stress bars until recently, when I added a school of 13 Harlequin Rasbora, and put in a new heater. The stress bars faded considerably on both of them. The female almost has no stripe at all, you can barely see it... and the male's are much lighter, but still visible. It worries me a little, but I want to ask your opinions.

Should I be worried? I'm not sure what it could be if the fish actually is stressed out. He doesn't seem stressed at all, and my parameters are perfect. (0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, less than 5 nitrate) My pH is admittedly high for them (7.4 I believe... the test was a little iffy), but they were very slowly acclimated.

I keep the tank at 81 degrees, and to a 30-40% water change every weekend.

Edit: PS sorry for the crappy quality, I took this picture with my phone LOL

**steeler1** · 11-28-2012, 04:50 AM

Looks good to me. Nice little chiclids kept 2 for a few years awile back.

7.4 is not that high so your okay there, I remember they took a little time to settle in.

**koaladarshana** · 11-28-2012, 04:58 AM

They look great! Their color just pops out.

**Lolita** · 11-28-2012, 03:28 PM

Yaay, thanks guys! I wasn't sure if I should be worried about the slight stripes or if they were fine. :D I feel much better now!

**fishmommie** · 11-28-2012, 05:32 PM

Nice Rams. I recently got 2 for my 30. My first experience with them. Have had them for 6 days now. So far so good. eating well. sociable and trying to run the tank of tetras LOL

Can I ask about stress bars? I had not heard that phrase. Are you talking about the black stripes or the paler gray ones? I thought they were simply a part of their normal coloration. Any info you'd care to share I'd appreciate. Thanks

And again, very nice pair.

**Lolita** · 11-28-2012, 06:27 PM

Originally Posted by fishmommie

Nice Rams. I recently got 2 for my 30. My first experience with them. Have had them for 6 days now. So far so good. eating well. sociable and trying to run the tank of tetras LOL

Can I ask about stress bars? I had not heard that phrase. Are you talking about the black stripes or the paler gray ones? I thought they were simply a part of their normal coloration. Any info you'd care to share I'd appreciate. Thanks

And again, very nice pair.

Thanks! :D And good luck with your pair!

From what I know stress bars are the dark, vertical stripes that occur on fish when they are stressed. I think on GBR the pale stripes are part of their coloration on many of them, but they get very dark when they are stressed. My fish's bars were dark when I first added them, and have progressively faded away since I added them.

It looked more like this when I first got him:

And now, as you can see, the stripes are much paler. :)

This is what I was hoping to see:

**fishmommie** · 11-28-2012, 06:37 PM

[QUOTE=Lolita]Thanks! :D And good luck with your pair!

From what I know stress bars are the dark, vertical stripes that occur on fish when they are stressed. I think on GBR the pale stripes are part of their coloration on many of them, but they get very dark when they are stressed. My fish's bars were dark when I first added them, and have progressively faded away since I added them.

It looked more like this when I first got him:

And now, as you can see, the stripes are much paler. :)

This is what I was hoping to see:

I think I must be blind. LOL I'm seeing dark vertical bars on all the fish in all of these photos. So I'm not discerning any difference.
On my 2 - one of them has a dark black stripe going up the front of its dorsal fin and a dark spot in the middle of its body. The other has no black on it at all. I'll try to snap some photos tonight if they'll pose for me.
I find this all so interesting. My Colombian tetras lose all color when they're stressed (like at tank cleaning time), yet these little guys add color. Just when you think you've got a handle ... the handle comes lose LOL

**Lolita** · 11-28-2012, 06:47 PM

lol! The two first dark black bars are supposed to be there. It's the lightest part of their body I guess which shouldn't have them.

**fishmommie** · 11-28-2012, 06:50 PM

Originally Posted by Lolita

lol! The two first dark black bars are supposed to be there. It's the lightest part of their body I guess which shouldn't have them.

Ah. Got it. Thanks. I haven't seen any dark bars on the back 1/2 of the body on either of them. Actually - as I said - one of them has no black at all. Not sure if that means it's inferior, as in style, or if it just happens to be this particular fish's coloring. It's beautiful - tons of other color - but literally, no black.

**Lolita** · 11-28-2012, 07:26 PM

Originally Posted by fishmommie

Ah. Got it. Thanks. I haven't seen any dark bars on the back 1/2 of the body on either of them. Actually - as I said - one of them has no black at all. Not sure if that means it's inferior, as in style, or if it just happens to be this particular fish's coloring. It's beautiful - tons of other color - but literally, no black.

:O I'd love to see pictures!