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FAQs on Dwarf Ram Cichlid Reproduction

Best to stock, raise a few individuals, allow them to pair up over time.

Re: Kribs- Breeding German Rams 06/15/08
I took a fifteen mile bike ride to my favorite local fish store today in 90 degree weather, and alas, found out that they only had one Kribensis left. So after going through many options I settled on buying 3 golden dwarf German strain rams. The sales clerks got me 2 females and one male, and a cichlid specialist there confirmed they were of those sex, but I might need to return a female if a pair occurs and they become aggressive. I just read on your site that the fish like soft water which I will be working towards. Right now they are all doing great, with bellies full of live brine shrimp a few minutes after being introduced. I added some slate in addition to the coconut shell for a spawning site. I intend to do twenty percent water changes twice a week. So all I really need to do is up the temp. to the low 80's and work on getting the pH down for a successful spawn right?
< Rams are very cool dwarf cichlids but they are different than other dwarf cichlid species. Most dwarf cichlids like the genus Apistogramma are sexually dimorphic at an adult size. Ram male and females look almost exactly alike. Males tend to be larger. Females are smaller with a pink to reddish belly when they are mature. The best way I know to sex rams is to shine a flashlight on the flanks of the fish. Over the dark spot on the flanks, the females usually have larger blue scales covering that dark spot. Males usually don't have any colored scales over the dark spot. Once you know you have a pair they can be enticed to spawn by heating the water up to the low 90's. They usually spawn out in the open on a rock or even on the glass. They will spawn in hard alkaline water but the eggs usually do better in softer water. They can be conditioned with live, frozen or high quality pelleted food. the eggs usually hatch in three days and the fry become free swimming in another three days. At this time the fry need to be fed. Baby brine can be too large for their tiny mouths so they need infusoria or green water for the first week until they get big enough to eat baby brine. Breeding pairs have a tendency to eat the eggs and fry. Some pairs get past this stage as they get more mature.-Chuck>

Re: Kribs -German Rams II 06/15/08
I do believe that I have at least one pair because two of them, (one with an over all brighter coloration, and a large difference in size and dorsal fin length, the other small and pale) have begun to chase the third to the other side of the tank. I got my water tested today at work, pH read 7.8 but I have been treating the water the past few days, and there is ammonia and nitrite/ate registering so I'm working on frequent water changes and added a aeneus Cory to help eat leftovers. The fish are eating frozen bloodworms twice a day. Am I on the right path?
< The dominant ram may be a male. Frequent water changes can't hurt. Many cichlid keepers don't keep Cory's with their dwarf cichlids. You will notice that the rams and the Cory hang out around the bottom of the tank. Rams are very territorial so when the Cory stumbles into the rams territory he is quickly chased away. Be careful on how you are modifying the water chemistry. Never change chemical parameters in the aquarium. Always do changes in a separate container and do it slowly over time.-Chuck.>

Re: Kribs -Breeding German Rams III 06/15/08
They actually don't seem to mind the Cory because he's usually frolicking in the jungle of plants during the day. I actually noticed something about the rams though. I said that the male and female will chase the other female away from the right side of the tank, and when the male chases her, he does so with a very nippy sort of chase. When he sees the other female he rushes up to her but doesn't bite, he gives her more of a nudge towards the area where they usually stay. Is this a good sign?
<If they spawn the other fish will become more of a target than they are now. Signs look good for a possible pairing.>
Oh and will Hikari First Bites be a suitable fry food?
< Haven't tried them. They may be too big.-Chuck>

Breeding German Rams IV 6/25/08
After last test the readings of the conditions in the rams breeding tank are as follows: pH 6.2,
< This is OK.>
ammonia .25,
< Should be zero in an established tank.>
nitrite 40,
< Wow , very dangerous. This should also be zero.>
nitrate .5 in ppm.
< This is oK.>
The temp is at 82 degrees.
< This is fine . Leave the water temp at 82 F until you get the other factors corrected.>
All I need to do is keep rising the temp right?
<Your tank has some biological filtration problems. Check your tap water against the water in your aquarium. Some areas of the country that are close to agriculture tend to have high nitrogenous wastes from fertilizer run off. The ammonia and nitrites should be zero and the nitrates should be under 20 ppm. If your tap water is good then you need to do water changes until the bacteria start to convert the ammonia and nitrites to nitrates.-Chuck>

Breeding German Rams V. 6/25/08
Actually a lady today told me the same thing today at work. She said that my tank might be having old tank syndrome. She told me that I should do a 90% water change to get rid of all ammonia/nitrate/nitrites and vacuum out the gravel and use plants to reduce nitrites. Is this good advice?
< Check the tap water first as I had previously recommended. If your tap water has problems then changing the water won't help much. If your tap water is ok then do a partial water change every day until the numbers are under control. Vacuuming the gravel is a very good idea if it is done slowly and gently. If it is done too briskly then it could remove the biological filtration that you are starting to establish. Plants will absorb all forms of nitrogenous waste, but at 82 F plants will be struggling to survive at these temperatures.-Chuck>

Breeding German Rams V.V 7/10/08
They just spawned!
< Congrats!>
The male and I think the mother are being very good guardians so far but the other female discovered the eggs taste good when I fed them. Should I remove or separate them.
< Your question is not very clear, but if you are asking about removing an extra female then I would say that removing her is a very good idea.>
And are Hikari First Bites a suitable first food?
< I have never used them before to ram fry but they may be worth a try.>
How long should it take for the eggs to hatch?
< About 3 days.-Chuck>

Breeding German Rams VI – 07/11/08
Actually by the time I woke up the eggs are gone. But since cichlids mate for life I just bought a divider and the First Bites. I'm just going to keep doing what I was doing and hope they do it again.
< They should spawn again in a couple of weeks. Cichlids do not mate for life. They are together as long as it is satisfactory to both partners. Mates have been known to kill one another.-Chuck>

Ram breeding 5/15/07
Hello WWM crew,
First, awesome awesome site.
<Hello and thanks!>
I've learned so much, and with education comes appreciation.  My German blue rams have spawned for the second time.
<Very good.>
The first time many of the eggs turned white and were lost.
<Happens...>
From what I've read on your FAQ's they either were infertile or were lost to fungus?
<Usually a bit of both: the few infertile ones get fungused, and the fungus spreads to the developing eggs. The parents should help prevent this by removing infertile eggs.>
Not much I can do about the former but what of the latter?
<Add anti fungus medication to the water. Keep the water quality high. Ensure water is slightly acidic (pH 6.5) and very soft (2-5 dH).>
I also understand that when a certain percentage of eggs are lost the parents will abort the process and consume the few remaining eggs.  Is this true?
<No idea, sounds dubious. If the batch is bad, the parents will "recycle" them. But cichlids often do trial runs before settling down to breed properly. Patience is required...>
My other questions are re: feeding the fry should I get to that point.
<You will... breeding cichlids isn't difficult, it's just a question of getting "all your ducks lined up". Once you have, the parents pretty well take care of everything.>
I've read your advice/directions of how to use lettuce to culture infusoria.
<This does indeed work well with rams. Also try microworms. If all else fails, some green algae dragged from a clean pond can work very well. The fry will peck off tiny animals/plants you can't see.>
Of course I now do not have enough time. So, had I cultured a batch previously, can I freeze or otherwise preserve that for later use?
<Not really.>
I'll be using some Cyclop-eeze or equivalent fry food which I've never used before.
<Definitely worth a shot!>
Do I need to turn my sponge filter off when I add this?
<Try it and see. If the fry are eating the food, it'll be obvious. If the food is simply getting zipped into the filter, then yes, switch off for a couple minutes at a time. With baby fish, feed small amounts but often.>
The rams/eggs are in a 10 gal tank with clay pots/dishes and some java moss along with a few timid guppies.
<Sounds ideal.>
Thanks so much, you guys are awesome.  Keep up the great work.
--
Dean
<Good luck! Neale>

Re: Ram breeding 5/20/07
Thanks for the info Neale. Alas, all the ram eggs turned white and were lost. I don't think they were fertilized. I guess I need to be patient.
<Maybe not fertilized, maybe just the wrong water conditions. Check pH/hardness, and if acceptable (i.e., not hard/alkaline) just give the cichlids time.>
I have another issue I'd like your help with. I'm planning to set up a 150 gal Amazon tank which will eventually be home to a silver Arowana. I realize that finding tank mates for them can be difficult and I had a large one years ago that lived happily with an Oscar.
<Different species of Arowana vary widely in their territoriality. The South American species are generally good community fish with species that stay at the middle and bottom layers of the tank. The Asian species tend to be far less tolerant. If in doubt, stick with catfish, loaches, etc. that the Arowana won't view as a threat.>
However, now that I will have one in a planted tank, I wonder if you might suggest some larger, non-plant-destroying, fish that might fit the bill.
<150 gallons is a good tank size to start with, but do bear in that it is a bit smaller than the ideal for an adult Arowana. Typically, tanks in the 180-200 gallon size range are recommended.>
Ideally, some specimens from the same part of the world would be appreciated.
<So as not to overburden the swimming space and filtration, I'd probably be looking at catfish to start with. Thorny catfish (family Doradidae) are always fun and in the 15-20 cm size bracket there are some very nice species, such as Platydoras costatus (the Striped Raphael). A similar sized catfish is Hoplosternum littorale (the Common Hoplo) a relative of the Corydoras but bigger and very hardy. It is a first-rate scavenger, and easy to tame. Docile Pimelodidae are possible, but choose with care as many species get extremely large while others are hyperactive and will stress the Arowana. Sorubim lima and Pimelodus ornatus are two reasonably easily obtained pims of suitable size. Sorubim lima at least seems to do well (better?) in groups. Inevitably, one of the Loricariidae would make a good choice. The smaller stuff like Ancistrus would probably end up as dinner, but anything around the 30 cm mark such as Hypostomus would be not too big and not too small. Panaque are always good value and very attractive fish, but they produce huge amounts of wood-chippings that need to be siphoned away regularly (daily in my inexperience!). For the midwater, you'd perhaps do best with either some sort of docile cichlid, like the aforementioned Oscar, or a school of mid-sized characins, such as silver dollars. Pacu get far too large for your aquarium, and Semiprochilodus tend to be aggressive and might annoy the Arowana. The same goes for Leporinus, which while the right size, have the potential to be very nasty.>
I realize they like lots of open water for swimming and will plant accordingly!
<Very good! Besides the question of swimming space, plants also trap uneaten food and faeces, particularly when large fish are kept. Often the best approach is to skip plants in favour of plain gravel at the bottom plus rocks or other structures that are easy to clean. An authentic Arowana habitat would not be filled with aquatic plants anyway, but with tree roots. Arowanas normally forage in the "flooded forest", as you probably know, and in S America they are called "water monkeys" because they swim in the water but eat bugs and beetles they catch from overhanging trees. So while some low-lying plants, such as Cryptocorynes, might be fun, I'd tend towards using fake or real wood instead. There are some excellent fake mangrove roots that would look ideal here.>
I'm very much looking forward to having a silver again; haven't had the opportunity for the last 12 years.
<Sounds like you're going to have fun. Do consider upgrading the tank though, or at least putting a bigger tank on your wish list from Santa. The price difference between a 150 gallon tank and 200 gallon tank won't be great, and probably better value to get the 200 now than have to upgrade 6 or 12 months from now.>
Thank you,
Dean
<Good luck! Neale>

Breeding Ram Cichlids – 05/07/07
Hello, My German Rams mated! Yay! And while I am very excited about this, I wasn't expecting it/didn't think it would happen so soon (I've only had the female for about a month and they really didn't seem all that in to one another) and I am a bit unprepared for it.
What is the best and quickest way to grow/culture infusoria?
<There are actually lots of recipes for culturing infusoria. Here is an easy one. Take some rotting lettuce leaf and add it to the bottom of a wide mouth jar. Fill it 2/3 full with near boiling water. Let it cool for 24 hours then add about and ounce of aquarium water from the surface or some stagnant pond water. Cover the jar. In about a week you should have some infusoria to feed the babies. This recipe is just one from the book " Encyclopedia of Live Foods", by Charles O. Masters. This is a great book that is long out of print but worth the effort to find.>
In reading info on several websites, I am a bit overwhelmed by the process and am worried that I may introduce something to the tank that may not only kill the fry, but also hurt the rest of my fish.  Is this possible?  From what I have read, I don't think I will have enough (any) infusoria available by the time the fry hatch.  In lieu of infusoria, is there anything else that I can feed them?
<There are some commercial fry foods around that are worth a try. Try Cyclop-eeze. It can be found liquid and frozen from Drsfostersmith.com. Azoo makes an Artificial Artemia and an Artificial Rotifera. Hikari makes First Bites to for fry.>
I am also worried that the eggs may have already died.
I have heard/read that the first couple of batches don't survive and that some males are infertile.  I saw the eggs yesterday morning for the first time and they looked just like I thought fish eggs would (I've never really seen any outside sushi restaurants).
This morning when I checked the tank,  the eggs definately looked different.  It is hard to describe, but they didn't look as round, almost like they were deflated a bit.  Or like coarse ground salt grains.
Some of them were clearer and some were more whitish.
I keep telling myself that that is just how they grow, but I have a feeling that's not true.
I realize that most won't make it to maturity, but I would like to get at least one to adulthood.  And hopefully the pair will keep spawning and I will be prepared next time. Any information would be greatly appreciated.
< The white eggs are probably dieing. Transparent eggs are still viable.>
If it helps, I have a 20 gallon long tank with the aforementioned pair of German Rams, a Balloon Gold Ram, an Apistogramma, 2 Mollies, 3 Corys and 8 Neon tetras.
I have soft water and good water chemistry (pH a bit high for the rams at 6.8 but have been trying to slowly lower it).  I do regular (every 7-10 days) water changes and keep the temp around 82-84F.
Thanks so much. The CLV
< It will take a few tries for the pair to figure out how to spawn effectively. Once they do you will have time to prepare some food for the fry.-Chuck>

Re: Unexpected Surprise ! Microgeophagus "blessed event" 4/22/07
Dear Mr. Fenner:
<Ashley>
Thank you for your prompt reply. I have read the excerpt on WWM re: the alkaline reserve, etc and will try to rectify my problem as indicated as I believe that is exactly what is wrong with my water. However, upon checking my tank today I have a wonderful surprise, totally unexpected and now am faced with *what-to-do*.
<Do tell>
My paired Golden Ram Cichlids have not only spawned but I now have as it seems gazillions of little Rams under the protection of their parents.
<Congrats!>
My other 3 Rams are huddled at the other end of the tank.
<Ah, yes... as I alluded to... need for more space... to "get away">
I was planning to get a 20 gallon tank for these fish and keep the 10 as a QT, but my equipment is not in as yet. So in the meantime, I would expect the odds these fry would even survive is next to nil,
<Along with perhaps the other adults...>
but if some can, what should I do? Also if there is a chance to have them grow, do I need to put in special food for them specific for fry?
<Please read here: http://wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/ramreprofaqs.htm
and the linked files above>
Should I get a tank divider to separate the 3, or put the 3 in my main which is a 55 gal species only Angelfish tank contesting of 7, (this water & temperature will not be the same as my Ram tank), or just let nature take its course.
<Mmm, a tough question/proposition... There's not enough room in the present tank... but trying to re-catch the Rams in the larger tank... I would likely move them myself>
It would be nice to see them grow and mature as I have gotten many of my cichlids to spawn but never to maturity. As far is getting rid of them, that would be no problem as I would have many enthusiasts that would take this little fish. They are a pretty and comical cichlid. "A little fish with a big fish attitude."
<Ah yes>
I'm just thrilled for this to happen and wanted to share this with you. I believe that reading on this site enabled me to give them a proper environment and to any one wanting to keep fish I can't stress it enough, as they do on WWM, to read first and then buy the fish, your rewards will be three fold in seeing the fish in its best finnage/form is very rewarding.
Once again, thanks!! :D!
<Thank you for this sharing, your enthusiasm... Life to you my friend. Bob Fenner>

Re: Unexpected Surprise ! Ram repro. UPDATE 23/04/07
Dear Mr. Fenner:
<Ashley>
I did what you suggested and put the 3 Rams into the bigger Angel tank, and right away their color changed from their golden brilliancy to a washed out yellow, but I believe they are much happier for it.
<Ah, good>
They are swimming around and exploring, although the Angels seem to be annoyed at the newcomers. I have this tank at 78F, and the ph is at 7.0. I have ordered peat pellets from my LFS and will add those to the filtered system to try and make it more acidic.
<Good>
I know Angels also like it at a more acidic range and soft water so hopefully this will help somewhat.
<Yes, should.>
I am also raising the temperature to 80F, so 2 out of 3 conditions are being met, to try and accommodate both the Angels and Rams in the 55 gallon tank.
<Very good>
As for the Ram parents and fry, they are still holding in there, being day 3. The *school* of fry has diminished somewhat but I don't think me chasing the other fish to get them out helped with the stress level of the parents.
<Yes... and do know that the first batches of Microgeophagus (and other Cichlids) often do have "troubles"... high/er incidental mortality... I take it you've read re culturing foodstuffs for the young... and are preparing such, as well as water for changes...>
I can see the fry much more clearer from being regular dots, to little wiggles with 2 eyes now, with a white clear string ( if you call it a body), :D ! My question is ( and if I missed it on the FAQs on breeding RAMS on the WWM, I apologize), can/or should I change the water in the *breeding tank* now, as it is due for its weekly maintenance?
<Yes I would... Stipulated (for browsers mainly... as am sure you're well aware) that said water is suitable in terms of chemistry, physical properties... soft, acidic, warm...>
And also in reading the FAQs it does say that there should be enough microbes, etc in the tank that they would feed on in an old established tank but mine isn't that aged, perhaps only 2-3, months at best, or to cultivate Daphnia (of which I have no access to a kit at the moment), so being that the fry are now 3 days old and growing, will the bits of decay or leftover flake food be enough to sustain them until I can get such fry *food*?
<Mmm... not really likely... a bit of a "sticky wicket" here... as there are cross-purposes in wanting to provide sufficient nutrition, BUT avoid pollution... there are other cultured organisms (too late to try to grow now...) and a myriad of commercial and DIY items that one can try... I would look to your Local Fish Stores here... as you need something in a day or so... Likely paste or liquid food (in a tube) will be the direction you have to go... with this cycle... I would add something more in the way of "sponge filter/filtration", an open-topped Dacron media box filter (both these to add bio-filtration w/o the possibility of damaging the young... and some small Corydoras sp. catfish when the parents are removed...>
I read all I could on the Golden Rams on the site, if I missed parts and am asking questions with answers already present on the site, I do apologize, but I saw lots of information regarding what to do before, and to get them to lay, but not an abundance on what to do after you get them to fry stage and so on.
<Mmm, books are of much more value here... the same husbandry, care applies for "wild type" Rams... Do check with your library, inter-library loans... Amazon... re dwarf cichlids...>
I would like to add, at first I thought the parents were eating the fry as they were catching them and what looked like eating them, but no, they were what I would call corralling them and spitting them back out into the school to keep them contained.
<Yes. Well stated>
That was amazing to watch. So hopefully mine will advance and I could share my experience with the readers to add to the FAQs on Rams. :D!
<I thank you; they will too.>
Will the parents quit being so protective as the fry grow more mature, and if so, will they eat them or continue to let them exist in the tank?
<They will bother them most likely... Do need to be separated... The best route, to remove the parents...>
Once again, thanks for the advice, and your time. Will keep you posted. :D!
<Thank you my friend. Bob Fenner>

Breeding Ram Cichlids 4/6/07
Hello, I have bought 3 ram cichlids about a month ago from a local PetSmart and I tried to get males and females because I have an interest in breeding them. I am convinced that I have at least a pair. Just the three of them are in a 10 gallon tank with plastic plants and a sideways flower pot for like a "shelter" because them seem like they need lots of cover. Do you have any tips on how I can breed them, like should I use driftwood or slate or neither? I feed them pellets, mini krill, and frozen beef heart. Your help is greatly appreciated. Also, what can I do to make their habitat as best as possible? I do regular water changes and keep the water around 84 deg. Thanks, Kevin
< Rams like warm soft acidic water. You have the temp right, but did not mention the other water parameters. Try changing 50% of the water with R/O or distilled water. Add a couple pieces of driftwood to help acidify the water and darken it a little bit to make them feel more comfortable. Rams like to lay their eggs out in the open. Sometimes they pick an open flat rock or the side of the glass. Sexing rams is not easy and many times they are bred in Asia and they send all the same sex in a shipment. Males are larger and have no blue scales over the black spot on the side. Females are usually smaller and have some enlarged blue to purple scales over the black spot. Sometimes they have pink bellies too. ram babies have very small mouths and usually need very small live foods for the first week or so.-Chuck>

Female Ram Not Interested In Male 3/9/07
Hi there, My name is Angelia and I want to say that your site has been awesome for answering all of my questions.
I have searched and searched however and I can't seem to find a solution to this question.
I have two German Blue Rams, a male and a female as far as I can tell. That up until yesterday evening were doing great. The problem is with the female, she has really faded in color, and acquired a dark lateral line that I haven't noticed before, and when ever she is close to the male she acts like she is going to go belly up. She clamps all of her fins and looks like she is having a hard time staying up right. She isn't eating a whole lot, mostly tasting stuff and spitting it out. The male sticks close by her and looks like he is kinda picking on her, but when he does leave her and is on the other side of the tank her fins spread out and she acts normal, other than the pale color. The male on the other hand is very vibrant, more so than when I got them, (the female was looking great until yesterday evening). Is this normal or is there something wrong? Is he just chasing her to death? I separated them last night, putting her in a breeder net to give her a break and this morning she seemed fine, eating and swimming normal, but as soon as the male got close when I let her out she clamped up and started swimming funny again.
Thank You, Angelia
< Sounds like the female ram is being intimidated by the male. He is interested in b reeding and she may not be up to it. She shows the male that she is not colored up and takes a submissive posture by closing her fins. Separate her for awhile and give her a little TLC. After she puts some weight back on you can try and reintroduce her again to the male. Increase the hiding places in the main tank in case the male gets a little too aggressive.-Chuck>

The Blue Ram - Queen of the Desert   12/17/06
Dear WWM Crew, I think I have trans - gender  Rams...
<Happens>
So, I've heard that Rams in pet shops, come in,  commonly all males, or all male-ish, due to breeders infusing the Rams with  Hormones, to produce the more colorful males. Which really bites.
<Mmm, mostly do "juice" the males... and send mainly these... as females by and large "don't sell">
I have just bought a 'pair' of Rams, in MD.  The  third ray of  'the male' was elongated and the 'female' had no third ray  elongation and was smaller.
<Could be just immature...>
After only a day or so they have come out of their  shell and are happily chasing each other around and strobing their colors as  they flirt about.
<Okay>
The thing is, the bigger male has developed the rosy  abdomen that I hear belongs to the female and has lowered the ovipositor or  something like that.
They both have blue speckles over the spot on their side.  The 'male' is about an 1.25 inches.
<Oh! Is a bit large to be a male here...>
Do you think these fish are essentially infertile and  most probably effected artificially by hormones?
<Mmm, might be infertile... have almost assuredly been hormone treated...>
I questioned the dealer/owner,  at the time of purchase about such effected Rams, as I made the purchase, the  rosy abdomen was not noticeable at the time, and he assured me these Rams were  not those 'phony' Rams.
<... Well... there are such as this about... on the West Coast often labeled as "German" this or that Rams... But...>
I paid $15 for the pair.  I plan on getting more  for my basic Ram/Orinoco Biotype set-up, at least two more pairs so perhaps  these two will be  lessons learned and interesting conversation pieces.
<Good... good attitude>
I  have a school of six Pristella Tetras and am also planning on getting a school  of about ten Cardinals, a few Corys and a Royal Pleco, so far, for my 55  gallon.
<Mmm, the Plec may be a bit too much here ultimately size-wise>
Any advice or help would be greatly  appreciated.
<I'd look to other Loricariid species>
Thank you for all the help you've given me, your  services are a boon..
Ishan
<Thank you for sharing. Bob Fenner>

Breeding Ram Cichlids 9/30/06
Hi crew. I have a pair of blue rams which spawned recently. About 40% eggs hatched. The fry became free swimming. They decided to spawn again. My question is should I remove the fry and let the parents guard the eggs or should I leave the fry and the eggs with them.
After how many days can I separate the rams from the fry. Any help will be greatly appreciated. Thanking you
< If you are trying to save every fry then remove the eggs the day they are laid. Place them in a clean tank with warm 82 F water, and a few drops of Methylene blue to inhibit fungus. They should hatch in about three days. If you are more interested in watching the parents take care of the fry, then separate them after the fry become free swimming.-Chuck>

Rams Fighting Or Mating? 9/26/06
Hi guys! About a week ago I bought a couple of relatively young rams at a LFS. I thought they were both female, but since then it has become apparent that the one is probably male, although judging from the black spot on the other I'm pretty sure it's still female. My tank is a 18 gal eclipse, running for a long time (over a year) and tank specs are pretty good (0,0,15), other than that the water is a bit basic and hard, but I'm working on fixing that.
There are several plants in there, but it's not heavily planted by any means. When I got the rams, they seemed to adjust to my tank conditions pretty quickly, even though it's not in their ideal range. The one I think is male colored up really quickly and the other seemed to recover from the stress, but didn't really color up. They've been hanging out together for a while, and every once in a while they sort of "face off" and maybe dart at each other a little bit, but not really nip each other. While they do this the pale one would get really pretty, but become dull again as soon as it was done. I was worried about aggression, so last night I separated the one out in a little trap thing in the tank. Now it's really pretty, but the other one is right next to the trap and they both are trying to get at each other. They aren't acting aggressive either, more like a pair to my uneducated eyes.
Eventually, since they hung out together so much, I took the pale ram out of the trap and it turned pale again! I don't know what to do. Should I try to find another tank for this ram? Or should I just wait and see? I tried finding an answer to this question, but nothing quite seemed to fit my situation. Thank you so much Sarah
< Lets determine the sexes first to see if you have a pair. Males are generally larger with longer fins. Females sometimes have a rosy red belly when they are in good shape. the key is usually the black spot on the side. Males have metallic blue spangles on the flanks except over the black spot on the side. Females usually have larger spangles right over the black spot. Many times all the fish in the dealers tank are the same sex. If you have two males then there is a territorial dispute. If you have a pair then this could lead up to spawning if they end up being compatible. My guess is they are two males.-Chuck>

Breeding Rams 9/9/06
Hi crew. I purchased a pair of blue rams. They are in a 10 gal. tank. They are about 1 inch. They appear to be afraid as they do not eat. The tank contains a 1 inch convict, a few pots. Should I add a few plants as I want to breed them. How can I make them feel secure.
Any help will be greatly appreciated. Thanking you
< Remove the convict. He gets too big and is too aggressive for the rams to compete against. Raise the water temp to 82-84 F. Use soft acid water an feed lots of different live and frozen food. Keep the water clean. If they are pair then you should see some results in a couple of weeks.-Chuck>

Mysterious Rams!
Dear Crew,
Greetings from Blighty! In my lovely freshwater tank (240l, ph 6.5-7, nitrates 0, v. low alk) we have finally added 3 Rams, on the advice of the LFS we bought what we thought were 1 male and 2 females....however...it has since turned out to be 2 lads and 1 lass, as the boys have been fighting, so, back to the LFS we went with boy1 (sadly missing a couple of scales) to return with what we were promised was a girl
<Mmm, am surprised to find so much damage with this species in such a sized system...>
...but having put her/him into our tank, she coloured up lovely and turned out to be...(can you guess!)
another boy, intent on chasing boy2, so that he is also missing a couple of scales. So we will be taking him back to the LFS as soon as humanly possible. Is there a fool proof way of telling the difference?
<More "fool proof" when Microgeophagus spp. are larger... the size, color, morphological (particularly the first few spines of the dorsal fins being longer)... are discernible sexual characteristics>
and is there anything we can do to help boy2's wounds heal more quickly? Concerned and amazed by my feisty fish. Nicola
<There are chemicals that can/could be used (administered to treatment water as dips/baths, introduced in foods, even injected in cases where the specimens are severely debilitated or valuable), but I would do nothing other than keep the specimen/s in ideal, stable conditions... soft, acidic water, not-too brightly lit... well-fed, and they should recover nicely.>
Nicola Blay, BSc, MSc
International Zoo Veterinary Group
Keighley Business Centre
South Street, Keighley
West Yorkshire, BD21 1AG UK
<Oh! BTW, these fishes are sometimes treated with androgens, producing what appear to be males (with elevated agonistic behavior), but may well be genetically females... This is a long-standing practice with a few species/groups of fishes coming out of the orient (though the fishes originate elsewhere)... to "boost sales", provide "pairs" to human customers... I mention this to encourage you to seek your Rams from more than one source (perhaps a local breeder). Bob Fenner, phenotypically a male and a real one as well>

Like A Rock... actually a Ram
Hey Bob,
Had a big success that I had to share....at least it's big to me.
For the past couple of months I have had one female Ram in my planted tank. I've been patient waiting for some decent males to show up at the LFS. I finally brought a couple home a week and a half ago.
<One of my fave fish species>
This evening I was doing my usual spot check and noticed that the female had laid about 250 - 300 eggs on a hollowed out portion of a piece of bogwood right at the front tank panel. The male and female are taking turns fanning the eggs and are violently chasing off all comers. The next several hours will be interesting.
<Neat>
I raised the tank temp two days ago from 72 to 74. Have been adding Ketapang and Blackwater every week. Didn't think Rams bred so easily.
<Didn't used to years back... but now much more facile... due to conditioning/selection of a few successive captive generations. Bob Fenner>
Dave

SEXING RAMS
I have recently purchased 2 Blue Ram Cichlids (Microgeophagus Ramirezi) and I am looking at purchasing more depending on how they interact with the rest of my fish. I would like to know if there is any way to tell the sex of them and if so how. I would like to have an equal mix of male and female. Thank you, Spenser Nice
< Sexing rams can be difficult. Most dwarf cichlids are sexually dimorphic with the males usually being larger and more colorful, but rams don't follow this pattern. Male rams are usually larger than the females. Some female rams have pink bellies, but not all the time. On the side of wild rams there is a black spot. Look closely at this site with a flashlight from the side. Females usually have numerous highlighted colored scales over this spot. Males usually don't have any colored scales on this spot and it remains black. Many times rams are imported from Asia and they are usually all the same sex. They can be all males or all females. There are a strain of domesticated rams referred to as German Rams that have darker markings over the front and back of the fish.-Chuck>

SEXING RAMS
How can I determine sex? I have one but want to get a mate.
< Rams are different from many other dwarf cichlids in that they are not sexually dimorphic like the Apistos and Nannacaras. I discovered this little technique years ago that seems very reliable.
First of all males are slightly larger than the females. The forehead is a little broader on the males too. Females that are mature may have a rosy pink area on their belly. Males fins are slightly longer than the females.
Take a very close look at the black spot located on the side of the fish with a flashlight. On most males they have numerous blue scales on the side of the fish except over the black spot. Females on the other hand have larger more pronounced scales in and around this black spot. Sometimes they are slightly different colors too.
Check out any good dwarf cichlid book at the LFS that shows a breeding pair of rams and you to will soon see the difference. Sometimes all the fish in the tank are the same sex. If you rams were imported from Asia then they may have artificially enhanced longer fins too. This is one of my favorite all time fish. Good luck.-Chuck>

Sexing Blue ram cichlids
Hello,
<Hi there>
I would like to know if there is any way to tell the difference in sexes of blue ram cichlids, AKA Microgeophagus ramirezi. And if so, how?
<This is posted on our site... which you would have seen, had you had the courtesy to follow instructions: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/rams.htm>
Thank you,
Spenser Nice
P.S. I have tried sending you an email asking this same question before and received no reply. I would really like to figure this out, and so would the head fish guy at my local pet co who is also an avid reader of your site. Again, thank you and please send me a reply.
<Please read. Bob Fenner>

Egg Eating Rams Moving to New tank 12/1/05
Hi there and thanks in advance for any help you can provide.
I have a 25 gallon freshwater with 1 Pleco, 3 gold rams, 1 Curviceps cichlid
<<Chuck, or anyone else, if you get a chance, would you provide me with the genus and species of this animal? Marina>>
<<<Flag cichlid. Used to be Aequidens Curviceps, is now Laetacara Curviceps .>>>
and 2 African butterfly cichlids, 2 plants, a large rock/cave, piece of wood on slate and a small bridge. 2 of the rams have had eggs 4 times thus far and each time the eggs are eaten/disappeared usually when I wake up in the morning and after usually 2 days. The butterfly cichlids I purchased about 4 weeks ago have just laid their second batch of eggs. The first batch had the same fate as the ram eggs. Any idea's of what I can do to try to help them keep the eggs? Should I try an egg light (read that on your site)?
< After spawning the fish are exhausted and have expended a lot of energy to spawn and have worked up an appetite. Try to keep them well fed with lots of baby brine shrimp or micro worms. Egg eating is a problem for these species and they can get into a habit of eating eggs that is hard to break. the eggs could be removed and hatched artificially.>
I am also purchasing a 55 gallon that I would like to move most of the occupants too, but still keep one of the mated pairs in the old 25 gallon. What is the best way to get the new tank safely cycled and not damage the old tank or kill any of my fish when they get moved?
< Take some of the old gravel and place it in the new tank. The bacteria in the old tank are needed to get the bacteria in the new tank going. Add new fish slowly over a week or so. Quarantine any new fish from the store for at least a couple of weeks before adding them to an established tank.>
Is it possible to run the new filter for the 55 gallon on the 25 gallon without doing any harm to the fish and using the old 25 gallon filter with the new tank to help the process? Should I move some of the substrate and/or plants, ornaments?
< Swapping filters for awhile will not harm anything.>
Thank you for any help you can provide, I really appreciate it. Your site is a great resource, thanks for all the time and work you all put into it. Troy
< Thanks for your kind words.-Chuck>

Gold Ram Spawning 11/1/05
Dear Bob,
<Actually, Sabrina here, in his stead.>
My pair of Gold Rams has spawned 4 times.
<Excellent!>
The three previous times they have eaten the eggs after lights out.
<Bummer....>
So this time I decided to place the eggs in a net breeder in the tank. I would have preferred to have left the eggs for the parents to care for but they seem more motivated to eat than parent. My question is how do I determine the fertile eggs from the infertile? They are all white in color, but the majority of them are translucent. The eggs that I think are infertile are the eggs that are more of a solid white or cloudy white.
This is correct.... Usually the viable eggs will be more clear-ish, or maybe orange-ish.>
From everything that I have read I am supposed to remove the infertile eggs because they will cause the eggs around them to grow fungus. Is this also correct?
<That's the best idea, yes. You are correct.>
Thanks for the help, -Mike Mural
<Wishing you well, -Sabrina>

Re: Gold Ram Spawning 11/2/05
Thanks for the quick reply,
<You bet.>
The eggs that have turned white are the empties. I have little fry wriggling all over the leaf I removed with the eggs.
<Ahh! A delight!>
I thought it took 60 hours for them to hatch. I also have discus in the tank and the temperature is 85°F, could this cause them to hatch more rapidly?
<Yes, certainly.>
It is a well established (4 years) heavily planted tank. I want the fry to make it but was not prepared for them to breed so quickly after eating the last batch of eggs. So my problem is what to feed them. The fry are much smaller than the Kribensis fry I have raised in the past. So I added some Java Moss from the tank to the breeder net. I tried to hatch some brine shrimp but they have not hatched yet. So my main question is what to feed them since I am in a bit of a squeeze?
<In this heavily planted tank, there are tons of opportunities for tiny and microscopic life.... Any piles of decaying plant matter, rotting leaves, or other detritus in the tank? I would add some of this to the breeder net.... with caution, as it could "foul" the water in their little world rapidly. Otherwise, you might try liquid fry food available at fish stores, or even dried, powdered egg yolk.>
Thanks again, -Mike
<Wishing you well, -Sabrina>

Rams Breeding :-) 1/31/06
I have a 120 gal that has an  Xp3 filter (rated well over 120 gal.) a 4 bulb compact fluorescent Coralife  light, 4" fluorite eco-complete mix, 2 300 watt heaters, 100-150 plants, 2 LARGE  pieces of driftwood, ph 6.9, ammonia 0, Hardness: medium. I have 6 rams, 6  cardinal tetras, 4 lemon tetras, 4 clown plecs, 6 Cory cats, and 3 killies. I  believe my rams have spawned, because
there are about 50-100 little white eggs  that look like pictures I have seen on google. One of them hovers over the broad  leaf they are on and when I went to move a plant, it went for my hand. I looked,  and to my surprise, I saw a bunch of eggs! What do I do? FOOD, REMOVE, KEEP  TOGETHER? I really don't have another tank, so I would like to keep them in the  120. Please tell me what I need to do to care for them. I have bred Cory's  before, but didn't notice till there were only five left, so please respond  promptly, so I can keep as many as possible. I'm not trying to count my eggs  before they hatch (lol lol lol),
but will LFS's want these at all, or are I  better off keeping them?
>>Anthony, baby rams are really tiny when they hatch, and very sensitive to a small parasite called Tetrahymena that may well be in your tank without affecting anything. From my experience you will need to raise the fry in a clean bare tank with live micro worms etc, but you could try to see if some will hatch and grow up in your tank. Add a night light with a very dim glow to make sure your Plecos do not eat the eggs/wigglers when it is dark. Good Luck, Oliver

Re: Rams Breeding 2/1/06
Hi, thanks for the info, but roughly how often do they breed? Monthly, bimonthly?
Thanks, Anthony
< When they are in good shape and conditions are right about once every two weeks.-Chuck>

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