# Help! unexpected babies!!



## jessie111 (Apr 9, 2008)

Please forgive me, I posted this same exact same thing on another cichlid forum but I am too impatient...need lots of advice & this forum looks like it gets more activity...

Anyway- Earlier this afternoon, today that is, I bought a pair of German Blue Rams for my month old 30 gallon tank. I currently have 3 rasboras and 1 corydoras fish too. I was not expecting to find the rams breeding in my tank ALREADY!!! The female has laid eggs all over a leaf on a plant in my tank and the male I think is, uh, fertilizing them. I have absolutely no idea but thats what it looks like. 
Im so excited, Im having babies, holy ****!!!

What can I do to help them live? should I take out any other fish? will they eat the eggs or will the mom and dad protect them?? I just put them in there a couple hours ago, for crying out loud!!!
(Just for the record these fish are local bred and my water is about 7.8ph, same as the local pet store.)

thanks for replies, x100000 as I have no idea what to do!


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## DirtyBlackSocks (Jan 24, 2008)

Blue ram need a few tries before they get it right on spawning, don't expect to see fry the first time out - even then give them 5-10 tries after developing wrigglers before intervening by removing the fry.

Some ar egood parents, some aren't - it's just dependant on the fish, really.


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

Congratulations!

As DBS said, first spawns aren't always successful, so don't be too disappointed if they eat their eggs or don't take proper care of them.

Should they be successful with this clutch, the parents will guard them diligently and they will probably be fine until they become free swimming (in about a week). Once they do, the parents can lose control quickly, and many will become snacks for the raspboras and cory.

If you plan to keep a clutch, once they are free swimming, you'll want to siphon out the majority of the fry, but make sure you leave a few behind for the parents to "practice" with.

You'll need a small grow out tank (10G) with something to cover the filter intake tube. Just a bare bones tank will be fine, but you'll need heat and filtration.

You'll also want to raise some baby brine shrimp to feed them on. I alternate that with Hikari First Bites. They need to be fed frequently, preferably every 3-4 hours, but I usually feed mine 4-5 times a day.

Kim


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## jessie111 (Apr 9, 2008)

thanks guys. this morning the eggs are still there. The female is guarding them like a hawk.

Sorry if Im over-excited, but at the local pet store I had watched the tanks forever looking for a pair but as soon as the clerk went to scoop them out, I couldnt tell the difference anymore. I was expecting it to take a long time for them to pair up, if at all, but they seem to be sticking together.

I read the ph has to be under 7 for egg hatching. Do you think this applies to fish bred and raised in the same water as mine? Just a thought. Thanks.


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

My ph is 7.6, and I have no problems with raising Bolivian ram fry.

GBR's are a bit delicate as far as water goes, so hopefully someone with experience with the blue rams will chime in!

Kim


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## DirtyBlackSocks (Jan 24, 2008)

It's not about the pH, but the gH - too high of a gH with most South American cichlids cause the eggs to harden over before the males can fertilize - but it's really only a huge issue in certain types of apisto's, and discus.


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## DCguy (Mar 9, 2008)

I echo what cichlidaholic wrote. In addition I recommend that you plan for what you will feed the fry is they survive to that point. You will need a small size food that they can easily find. I only feed live foods and find micro worms to be a great first food for rams.

The next big test is if the eggs hatch to larval fry. If they do you can expect the pair to move the wrigglers to a different site and perhaps move them around the tank until they begin to swim. If the eggs vanish watch the parents to see if they are "homing in" on a small pit in the gravel. The larval fry can be very hard to see.

More info here

http://dwarfcichlid.com/Microgeophagus_ramirezi.php

DC


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## jessie111 (Apr 9, 2008)

I have neglected all my responsibilities today and am officially obsessed with reading about and watching these fish (from a distance). They are awesome!!

Since this morning the male has been chasing away the female and watching the eggs instead. He hasnt hurt her, luckily its well planted + driftwood.

I checked my water and realized my ph is actually lower than what it was when I last checked- most likely due to the driftwood I put in a couple weeks back, possibly from CO2 as well.
My water is showing the following:
ph: 7.2-7.4
nitrites: 0
ammonia:0 
nitrates: 5-10ppm

I'm really wishing I had a hardness kit at this point....but I guess I'll have to hope they hatch! After so much reading Im not getting my hopes up yet.

I have a plyboard stand that fits a 30g long(36") at the top and the bottom. Would that support the weight of a 10g too since its a different size? I have an empty 10g in my basement but only an undergravel filter for it. (it has a heater too) Would that work for fry? and would it even be cycled in time if I set it up today?

oh and thanks a million for the advice!!!!


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

By the way, I hope you're not using binoculars to look at your fish.

I really don't believe you're going to bother them at all by taking a closer look! If that were true, my fish would be protesting my nose against the glass... :lol:

Kim


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## jessie111 (Apr 9, 2008)

> By the way, I hope you're not using binoculars to look at your fish.


  ha ha


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## cturner (Mar 21, 2006)

Any updates Jessie???


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