Blue Ram fry just fade away....

[k9outfit]

I've managed to raise Blue Ram fry to free swimming stage (5-6 times already), but then they just seem to loose ground and die off. I've tried loading their container with plant material (for microorganisms as food), and starting to feed them microworms (brine shrimp seemed too large) almost even before they become free swimming. They seem to do fine, but then gradually fade away and die in a week or two. Any thoughts or ideas as to what I might be doing wrong? I've tried using straight RO water, tank water, airstones set at different levels and bubbling with varying intensity, temp. set at 27.5 degrees, daily water changes/no water changes....

[fishgeek]

it will mostly likely be starvation or poor water quality

do you see any colour to there belly's food is usually very obvious in young fry
white with white worms etc


increased feeding will mean more potential for water deterioation and fry are much more sensitive to these problems


andrew

[k9outfit]

No, actually there isn't any colour to their bellies - so most likely starvation? Is there anything I can do to induce them to start eating?

Don't think water quality's the issue, since I have tried doing 20% and 50% water changes daily, and they still die on me.

[fishgeek]

try directing a small volume of food, i use a syringe and airline, right close to them
i havent raised blue ram fry so cant speak specifically about them

microworms should be small enough, though size of first foods fro blue ram is a somewhat contentious point
i know of people whom i trust that say bbs are actually small enough
microworm should be smaller and anything with movement seems to encourage feeding

prehaps mix some microworm and decapsulated(you dont want the shells) brine shrimp egg's(all the nutrition , none of the mess in hatching) together and see if they then get colour in the belly next go

also finely crushed powder food can be mixed with some microworm to add small particles to a moving stimulator

just my take
andrew

ps i find with young fish large water changes can be problematic so best to set up some airline syphon sets and do slower changes
have the airline attached in the tank and just slowly drain into bucket , then reverse the flow with fresh water sitting smewhere higher than the tank and running in to refill , allows you to leave a slow flow unattended

if still to fast just crimp the tube or retard flow in whichever fashion you feel comfortable, airline tap can retard to just steady drip
no water shocks that way

[mtchye]

Blue ram fry in my experience do MUCH better with dedicated feedings of green water or infusoria sized food. They even refused to take on microworms and slowly fade away as you described.

Try getting a green water culture going in 7 big buckets, that way you have one a day to feed them. I try to keep the water green all the time for the first couple of weeks.

Once they start taking bbs or microworms they are as easy as any other dwarf.

HTH
Vincent

[k9outfit]

They spawned again last night, and now that I've got some new things to try, hopefully we'll be more successful this time around.

Thanks for all the input and great advice!

[parkap]

Good luck k9. Am keen to see how you go incase my rams try to spawn again.

Don't forget, if you get the chance... photos.

[fishgeek]

right that makes 2 of us trying to raise these, mine have just laid egg's all over a terracotta piece in there tank
good opportunity to remove , though i am much more inclined to see what they do themselves

fingers crossed for both of us
the tank they are in, shot from a few nights back before they spawned
too much light in there now to get shots and the pot is hidden in the corner behind the leg of stand

[fishgeek]

and one of mum

[k9outfit]

They are stunning fish, aren't they? Love your set-up too! I've removed everything from my tank other than a couple of rocks to spawn on, so I can try to rescue the eggs before it's too late. Looks like heck, but I'm determined to succeed!

I tried leaving the eggs in for the parents to raise, they keep the eggs in wonderful condition, fussing over & fanning them (they ate them before I added White Cloud minnows as dithers though), but as soon as the eggs start hopping around, they chomp 'em as fast as they can! So, I wait 'til they're almost mobile, then remove them and ... well, you know the rest....

Hope yours are better parents than mine, without an acquired taste for Sushi! Good luck! Keep us posted!