Time for the Blues

[RogueDiscus]

As if I didn't have enough going on in my den, my electric blues are guarding a batch of eggs on the back of the rock. If they can keep the GBR pair away I might get some fry in a day or two.

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[LizStreithorst]

It's about time someone here got it going on with their rams. Good luck!

[RogueDiscus]

It's about time someone here got it going on with their rams. Good luck!

Maybe you're joking, but sounds like you and Pat have been pretty close!

[LizStreithorst]

close don't win no cigar.

[coralbandit]

Some one here is going to ring the bell !
Nice looking EBR Steve .

[RogueDiscus]

I've been laying low. We'll see what happens :)

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[Willie]

I'd just move the rock into its own tank. Rams don't need parental care to hatch and grow out.

Willie

[LizStreithorst]

Yeah, but that's no fun!

[Second Hand Pat]

How are they doing Steve?
Pat

[RogueDiscus]

Parents still guarding them. I put in an egg crate divider to separate them from other fish in the tank. Kind of funny. The blues can swim through the egg crate, but the others in the tank are too big.

[LizStreithorst]

If you get free swimmers they will swim through and be eaten.

[coralbandit]

I think they would likely stay with the parents for 2-3 days ..Then like with all children "all bets are off" ..

[RogueDiscus]

If you get free swimmers they will swim through and be eaten.

Yes, if they get that far I'm prepared to put in a Mattenfoam divider. Maybe remove the parents.

[LizStreithorst]

That's an excellent idea. Until the kids swim free the pair can bond even more by successfully warding off the predators.

[RogueDiscus]

Nice looking EBR Steve .

Thanks Tom. It helps to get good stock. :)

[LizStreithorst]

Yeah, they are exceptionally nice! I never cared much for the blue ones until I saw the pic of your pair. I imagine you got them from Tom?

[RogueDiscus]

Yep!

[coralbandit]

Thanks both of you for compliments .The fish do it all..They fall apart and look crappy when not kept well so there is more to it then just getting good fish ...You make them look good .
The EBR are the most mellow of all the rams I have .I find them especially nice like that ..They are the best parents of my original stock .
I crossed a dark with EBR and have a few black headed EBR..Black where yours are yellow ..
I really hope I can repeat this ..

If I was handicapping the ram breeding marathon with my limited experience I give the EBR the clear advantage ..The blacks can be very much 'Hit and Miss' as I call them and just don't know enough about Tristans rams that Liz has ..
I see fry in your future !Matten sponges are great !

[LizStreithorst]

What I would give to have all my tanks filtered with Mattens. I have quite a few and they rock. But they're an extravagance for me since sponges do a very good job.

I was drawn to that orange face on Steve's pair. Do you have a pic of the black faced ones that you can post?

[coralbandit]

I just took these pics for you Liz!
https://i.imgur.com/Bl2W4iGl.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/Bq7xdKWl.jpg
I call them BEX [Black EBR X hybrid ]
It is way more fun to just make colors up then to try to re create someone else idea of perfection !
A pretty fish in my humble opinion ..

[LizStreithorst]

Oh Tom, the black faced are so dramatic. Don't tell me that you don't modify the Standard of Perfection (if their is such a thing in Rams). I don't have a refined "eye" for Rams yet, but there is nothing wrong with the conformation of that fish.

I'm drooling, but it will be a couple of months before I'm ready to take the plunge. I need some success under my belt with the Rams I have first.

[RogueDiscus]

They're still guarding the eggs, but looks like they are a nice opaque cream color. :( Maybe not this time. I'm thinking they should have hatched by now, right? Probably means time for a good cleaning and let them try again.
On a positive note, I've got wigglers this morning from my tiger turk pair.

I cut myself back this summer; only 4-75's in the den. I had been up to eight tanks at one time. The room is in a '60's ranch home(shoebox) on the side of the house next to the carport. It looks like it was modified very early on into a "den" instead of a garage space. That would be fine as a fish room if it was all mine, but we also have a baby grand in the room, which isn't going anywhere. My wife and I used to both be musicians. She used to teach piano more, but is now "spending time" at the piano with our 7 and 5 year old grandaughters weekly.

Anyway. Wish I had more room. And then there's the water...

[coralbandit]

If you can wait a little there is no harm in leaving the eggs ..
Never have enough room always need to change ,more water ,sounds like you understand ! :p

[RogueDiscus]

Those eggs are gone, and now the GBR's are protecting a batch on the other side of the tank. I've been down with a sinus and chest virus for a couple days and haven't done the cleaning and water change I need to do. Maybe today.

[coralbandit]

They should be fine for a couple days ..
I don't think any of these fish are as fragile as we handle them most of the time ..
Take care of yourself first ..

[RogueDiscus]

Trying again. Tanks all cleaned up and plenty of cover areas. The EBR's have a good size spawn this morning on a rock in the corner. Chasing the GBR's away. I'll get out the divider or foam soon.

[LizStreithorst]

Hope they get it this time. Fish can be frustrating. It seems sometimes that the more you want them to do it the less they want to comply.

[coralbandit]

If you have foam use it so line of site is broken ..
Being they are not used to a divider the usual spirit of competition I like so much may not work if the pair feels a true threat and not just posturing ..
Good luck this time !

[RogueDiscus]

Thanks Liz and Tom. The tank was cleaned/WC a couple days ago, so there is some accumulated gunk already. Should I do a water change now before the eggs hatch, or better to leave things alone?

[coralbandit]

IMO you can do what you usually do trying your best not to get the pair too mad ..
Sometimes things like micro life and infusoria forms in what we call detritus ..
I allow some but try not to let it pile up ..I think the fry find food in the strangest places ..

[RogueDiscus]

Here's the current set up after I put in the foam divider. I'm trying to get a good pic of the eggs, but they're on the rock in the upper right corner.


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[RogueDiscus]

I have some java moss and subwassertang in my shrimp tank I'd like to add, but I'm waiting to get over a planaria outbreak I developed.

[coralbandit]

They should be happy in there .

[RogueDiscus]

I had to contort a bit, but I got the phone around to the side of the tank.


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[RogueDiscus]

Here's a quick pic of the other side of the tank now that the foam divider is in. A GBR pair and a lone Gold Pearlscale. From Liz a while back.


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[LizStreithorst]

OH yeah. Don't you just love to see that sight?

[danotaylor]

Nice on mate! Looking good :)

[Second Hand Pat]

Crossing fingers Steve :D
Pat

[RogueDiscus]

So of course I was getting ready to do one of those move everything around water changes and cleaning, and I find the blues guarding a nice group of eggs. Second day now and still look good. So, should I change water before they hatch (hopefully) or do not disturb?

[LizStreithorst]

I always just do what they are used to.

[RogueDiscus]

Thanks Liz. I wrestle with this with my discus spawns, too, usually going for change now, since it would be more disruptive after they hatch, but these rams are very particular so I asked.

[LizStreithorst]

The way I do my water change is very gentle. Ram's can't take the turbulence of incoming water like Discus can.

[coralbandit]

I am gentle eggs through first 2 weeks ..
After that I use small buckets like1 or 2 g but I pour them in .

[LizStreithorst]

Wow, I never pour water in. I always submerge the bucket in the water and release it gently. Sounds like I'm being overly careful.