Electric blue rams

[boydvd]

Hi guys

i just picked up a pair of electric blue rams. they look interesting and have a blue sheen like the solid blue Disucs, what's their name, Turquise, i think.

They apprently came from singapore and the shopkeeper said he'd buy the fry off me... shame is that they are $50 each.

I hope they don't die from transport stress. Shoudl I put melafix in their tank when i get them home?

[kristina]

You shouldn't have to if your tank is in order. Is your tank sorted yet? I would be doing that before adding more fish.

[boydvd]

Hi Kristina,

the tanks have stablised. no more deaths. plus i am quarantining new fish in a separate tank. These fish are too lovely and rare to lose. I am going to get some levamisole and give a prohylactic worming treatment as the panduro were meant to be wild caught.

Tai

[boydvd]

here are pics of the electrics blue rams... i think they are lovely. i spoke with an aquarium and the supplier said the breeders in Asia wont release any females for the time being as they are a brand new strain.

[kristina]

I just saw them in person, my local at Sutho got a batch of them in, not too bad looking... and you wouldn't believe the look on my face when the manager mentioned he is thinking of clearing a few tanks to exclusively keep apistogramma in on a regular basis. I got in the car out of plain view and did a little dance. The people in the car next to me were a little freaked out but it was worth it. How exciting!!! And his prices are pretty good too, I'm stoked!!! Apisto tanks in my local! What more could a girl want hu?!

Sorry... so how is he settling in boydvd? still going good?

[boydvd]

you go gerl!

how exciting getting apistos in your lfs!!

they are doing well. i'm treating them in my quarintine tank. for worms and flukes. they have slightly sunken bellies but look happy and feisty. i got a couple more of these guys from blackburn aquarium. even if they dont breed they will look lovely in my community tank.

[kristina]

How big is your community tank and how many males/females do you have in there?

[kristina]

Just read back in the thread boydvd, $50 per fish? Krikey that's dear! My local has them for $30 each and I think they have a slight discount for pairs, this is Sutherland for all interested. When I was in there he other day he had just got them in and was treating them for worms and stuff too... I might go back and check them out today, they would have settled in the tank a bit by now and probably colouring up a bit more.

[scott bowler]

cool i want some if anyone knows were i can find them that would be awesome pm me pls thanks

[boydvd]

Hi Kristina. Yes I am shocked I paid $50 fir them. Good news is one of those electrics has just spawned with my standard blue female. They seem attentive now but I expect them to eat their eggs in a day or two.

I've got a panduro female who hasn't eaten for two weeks now. I treated her for worms do hope it fixes her. Nit sure what to do. She sort of behaves Like her mate did before he died. Iced used praziquatel and levamisole. If these don't work I might give up. The other pair of panduro I have keep eating their spawns I think.

[kristina]

Krikey Tai, maybe just leave the tank running for a month with only tetras in it or something small, and just keep up regular water changes. Take out anything in the tank that might be a remedy for something, or anything unorthodox that is meant to help, only leaving the basic aquatic needs like filter (and bare media, no purogens or peat etc.) and heater. Don't even keep the lights on too long. Just keep this up and whatever is in your tank should get washed out fairly quickly. Honestly though... just stop putting in a whole bunch of different chemicals for all different reasons and please please please dont put any more fish in there until the tank has settled down. The key is that you have to let the tank settle down. You shouldn't be having these dramas if you take good care of your tank and only do something to it when absolutely needed. You might need someone to go over with you exactly what you are doing and how you have it all setup, there is seriously something wrong Tai.

Yeah $50 per fish is a bit dear, but they are lovely fish. I checked out the one's at Sutherland yesterday, and some of them displayed fungal infections. I was dissapointed as one of them was very ill. He was missing most of his dorsal fin, having only about 3 spines remaining, and fungus eating into his body, missing numerous scales. He was breathing heavily at the top of the tank and his body was bloated out. After watching for 5mins, he was occassionally swimming sideways and it was apparent that this fish was going to die if his tank conditions did not change soon. I spoke to the kid behind the counter and asked if I could take him home even for half price and if he survived I would bring him back to the store and give him back (knowing I have a spare tank with more than ideal conditions to cure him in). He said he couldn't do it as he wasn't allowed to give discounts which I can understand but then he said something that made my heart sink in my chest, "who cares, its the same as every other fish its just a different colour." This drip didnt give a shit, and after writing my name and number down just in case, I left without buying what I had gone there for in the first place. I was so upset and still am to tell you the truth. I will definitely be speaking to the manager when I'm in there next. He's a top bloke.

[boydvd]

HI Kristina

yes i am trying to keep it simple and just put the filtered water in there. also trying to avoid chemicals where i can. the sick panduro is in a 2 foot breeding tank and that's had next to no additives.

do you find live food can cause sickness? i think balckworms may be the culprit. i'm avoiding all live food bar brine shrimp as i assume they would be least likely to harbour parasites.

yes these fish are beautiful things. it is upsetting to treat them like disposable items when we're done with their novelty. :(

[kristina]

It's more than that... its that they have a kid working in a fish shop that doesn't care whatsoever about the fish and openly displays that in a crude manner to customers who go to a fish shop for.... can you guess it? Good Quality Products and Cared for Fish.

Filtered water? what kind of filter are you talking about? RO or one of the small kitchen ones??? Double check the specs on that filter to make sure that is not the problem. Are you only having problems with one tank or numerous??

[gingerbeer01]

Where to start.

Firstly Boydvd - are these the panduro that you said in the other thread that you had on hold and they had 6 in a tank and 1 looked sick. If so this is a lesson on buying fish. If any fish is sick in the tank - or even just doesn't look 100% - walk away - especially apistos. Bacterial disease can rip an apisto too pieces before you have even recognised a problem. The drugs we have are rubbish for treating serious illness - so it is very hard to save a sick apisto.

Secondly you mention worms and mention you are treating for worms. One of the side affects of a big feed of blackworms is stringy poo - is this the symptom that makes you think worms?

In the other thread you mentioned you had treated with tetracycline. I think if it is bacterial you need flagyl (vet script)

Thirdly Kristina - sorry but the guy was right. It is just another fish and all fish deserve respect. However a good store would tell you what they are doing to treat and sell to you after they have fixed. Reality is you do not have the same resources to fix the fish as the store does - unless you are a vet - in which case can you get Boyd some flagyl please.....

The kid did what his boss told him - he cannot discount a fish to you to fix. The boss can and he took your details.

Boyd - I suggest a new thread for the panduro - all symptoms and what you have done so far but help the above helps somewhat.

[kristina]

gingerbeer: I agree that the kid was doing what he was told and had no problem with that if you read back over the previous posts. What I was upset about and still am upset about is the lack of care expressed. This is not the first run in that I have had with this particular kid that did not care. I am not upset about the fish, I am upset about the lack of care. Why the bloody hell would you work in a fish shop if you laughed enjoyingly at a fish dying... IN FRONT OF CUSTOMERS!!!! That is what I am upset about. I am not upset that I did not get a discounted fish, I don't give a shit about that. I am not upset that it was sick. I am not even upset that he had no idea what was wrong with it when I queried him on it, I am upset that he laughed at it although he was enjoying watching it suffer... because "it's the same as every other fish, its just a different colour." This is what my rant is about.

[gingerbeer01]

Boyd,

One more thing - just to make sure you are aware.

Levisamole does NOT kill the worms, it kinda knocks them out so the fish can pass them out of his body. You need to ensure that you are vacuuming out the worms otherwise she will get infected again.

Give us an update when you can.

Kristina don't get me worng - laughing is wrong and he should get the sack for tham IMO. But in all honesty I would have hit the fish on the head from your description. The fish was suffereing and the chances of survival very close to zero.

[kristina]

gingerbeer- agreed. Sorry I snapped back, I felt as though you were unnecessarily rude and quite cutting. Agreed fish should be put down, and kid at shop was not going to do it, so I took the next step and asked for it... seeing as the kid had already admitted it was going to die. I did what I could with the best intentions and it all turned out pretty sour. Again I apologize for snapping back, regardless of how or what you said I should have shown more self-control. I do appreciate that you care enough to say something and are trying to help. Your advice is much needed IMO.

boydvd: please start a new thread and list all the problems you have been having from the beginning, I am personally very concerned for your tank and its inhabitants and I honestly believe you will gain so much more once these problems are fixed.

Kristina

[Noddy65]

Males and females are around...a friend in Darwin just had a spawn...in outdoor tubs of course..

Mike

[boydvd]

wow how amazing... my dream is to live in the tropics and have the fish breeding living outside in a tropical garden!

[Robdog]

Cheap land, cheap to build, the only problem is there are too many QLD's.
What's stopping you?

[boydvd]

hehehe queenslanders are all right... :)

well maybe in 11 year in my mid fourties, i can semi retire. i had a friend with a tropical garden and pond in bali... would be so awesome to have that and all your fish spawn and grow without special care :)

the dream is still alive

[kristina]

I think it would be seriously hard to retire if your on an average wage. Moving and buying/building also means leaving your job for many people. It's harder than just up and going. What a dream though. What is easier about breeding fish outside?

[boydvd]

i know, it's a dream, but all i can keep saving for it :) and have a sea change

i think that being outside you can have a larger pond area with more natural eco systems which will allow the animals to feed off live insects and i would expect the water would be better, especially being topped up by rain water.

that said you then have predators to worry about.

i recall when i went to my cousin's country house in vietnam. they had a fish urn outside and the fish thrived in it with no care.

[Robdog]

Moving and buying/building also means leaving your job for many people. It's harder than just up and going.

Not really. Check out this thread (http://www.discusforums.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=11294&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=cairns&&start=0) :wink:

[Pheonix]

You can forget cheap land and cheap realestate here in Darwin. The market is ridiculously over priced. But the weather is awesome!

I have seen the fish that Noddy was talking about, more spawns but only a few fry as its very cold here at the moment 17c overnight. when the water warms up abit in a month or two he should have better results