# My Male German BLue Ram is sick, please help



## markopolo (Jun 2, 2008)

hole in the head perhaps?? 

if it is hole in the head here is the treatment straight out of my fish book dictionary thing

Symptoms: sensory pores on the head above the eyes or along the lateral line become enlarged and pus filled. feces are light and stringy. 

Causes: Hexamita a parasite often found in intestines of young cichlids and gouramis usually harmless until fish weakend by stress, old age, or poor environment. 

Treatment: dose the tank with prescription drugs metronidazole or di metronidazole 50 mg per gallon, mixed with water before use, repeat after 3 days or mix drugs with food. Vitamin A C and E supplements may aid with healing.


heres a good link with more info http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=16+1791&aid=2586


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## SeasofChz (Aug 25, 2009)

observe the fish as much as possible
dont do thing to stress the fish out! provide a good environment: stress free ; fed well 
if you see any changes in behavior such as flashing(scratching) heavy or labored breathing, loss of appetite, then medicate

it could be h in h but could be a cyst, a tumor, hard to say so post a pic if it changes


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

Can you get a side-on picture?

From the front, it looks like the fish is bloated.

Have you noticed any lateral line erosion?

What are you feeding?

What's your water change regimen?


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## smoq (Feb 19, 2008)

lauraleellbp said:


> Can you get a side-on picture?
> 
> From the front, it looks like the fish is bloated.
> 
> ...


I'll try to take one today. Yes, on the picture it looks like it is bloated, but it's not. I didn't notice any lateral line erosion. 
I feed my Rams with discus pellets, freeze dried bloodworms and brine shrimp and tetra color flakes (and they usually steal bottom-feeder's tablets from my corys).
As for water changes, I do one 30% once a week and I top-off about 2 gallons every 3-4 days. I add saechem prime to the tank after water change.

My female Ram is fine and eats readily and the male even chase her sometimes
Hope that helps.


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## rmc (Dec 6, 2005)

The first thing I would do is stop the fd bloodworms and brineshrimp and get more veggies in their diet.

A salt bath is pretty tough to beat for treating open sores.


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## smoq (Feb 19, 2008)

rmc said:


> The first thing I would do is stop the fd bloodworms and brineshrimp and get more veggies in their diet.
> 
> A salt bath is pretty tough to beat for treating open sores.



Thanks for all the info. I try to feed more vegies. Can you tell me more details about salt bath. Do I have to use commercial aquarium salt to prepare that? If yes, in what proportion?

Update: now the bubble is gone and there is open sore after it. Fish is acting normally and eats readily.


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

I 2nd the salt bath idea.

Ideal is to use a non-iodized salt; aquarium salt, kosher salt, sea salt, pickling salt... but even iodized (table) salt will work if you don't have any other.

With a ram, I'd go for about a gallon of tank water (so the temperature and other water params are sure to match, helping reduce stress) and a heaping tablespoon of salt. Leave the fish in the bath for 2-3 minutes.

Repeat the procedure once a day for a few days and re-assess. If the wound seems to be doing better, I'd keep doing it till a few days after the wound closes over.

If you can't tell any difference after a few days, I'd go with an antibiotic instead.

And keep an eye on Craigslist for a used 5 or 10gal setup for a QT tank. $20 should get you a whole tank (filter, light, heater, etc) and IMO is invaluable over time.


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## rmc (Dec 6, 2005)

I just use the stuff in the water softener. I dissolve about as much as I can in a container of tank water and then drop the fish in. The fish will usually go belly up and float in about a minute. Sometimes I will gently aggitate the water and fish to make sure the wound or fin damage is treated. Then I toss the fish back into the tank. It will most likely hit the bottom like it was dead but will start moving in a few minutes and swimming around shortly after that. If multiple treatments are needed I do them every other day. I think the most I've ever treated a fish was 3 times, and that was a big tank-buster cichlid that met a fish meaner than he was.

One thing nice about salt is pathagens, fungus, and parasites rarely have a resistance to it.


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## Solid (Jul 19, 2009)

No advice on treating the fish, but I've read that rams don't live much more than 2-3 years, so it could be weakened immune system due to age. Beautiful fish btw! Good luck.


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## Ariel301 (Sep 7, 2009)

I agree on the salt bath in a quarantine tank. And after the salt, I'd use some Melafix on him. I've had good luck with it for treating fin damage and wounds.


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## smoq (Feb 19, 2008)

I did the salt bath and tried to heal his wounds. After few days he started to eat and swim freely. Then, yesterday, he started to have problems with staying upright and 2 hours later he was dead. It was a shock for me, cause he seemed to be getting better. I have screwed up Monday now Anyway, what should I do? Should I get another male for her? Or maybe leave her alone and get a pair of apistogramma cacatuoides I always wanted to have? What do you think?


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## Burks (May 21, 2006)

I'd go with another male, but I am a sucker for GBR's!


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## Solid (Jul 19, 2009)

Id go with another male as well. I originally wanted either a pair of GBRs or some cockatoo apistos, mostly because of this photo:








But after seeing the apistos in person, i dont like the way they sit on the bottom and the way they move around, they are not nearly as active and cool as my Rams. I'm glad i got the GBRs.


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## smoq (Feb 19, 2008)

I know they have rams in my LFS, but they small and I don't know if I will be able to sex it


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## Burks (May 21, 2006)

Try to find a local breeder in the area or something. If all else fails, get one off Aqua-Bid or post a WTB ad here. Someone is bound to have a male.

Or take a gamble and get two to grow them out. Worst case is you get two more females.......then you have to find THREE males.


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