# my German Blue Ram is HIDING



## Whitney

Hi everyone,

On Thursday I got three yoyo loaches. My Blue Ram seemed pretty stressed at first at the new arrivals, but yesterday he seemed to have gotten over it and was swimming around in the open and coming over to me at the glass as he usually does. Last night he went into a corner of the tank (one of his cave areas) and wouldn't come out. I thought it might just be that he was tired. However, this morning he's still there. He wouldn't come out for breakfast...he won't come over to me at the front of the tank (he usually follows me around like a puppy). His dorsal fin is clamped as well.

I checked the water and all my ammonia, nitrite and nitrate levels are ammonia 0, nitrite 0, and nitrate 5.0.....the tank's temp is 81.2 degrees. 

Is he just upset about all the new movement in the tank or is this a bigger problem? I haven't noticed the loaches being aggressive, but I also didn't watch what they do all night long. 

How long should I let this go before taking the loaches back to the fish store? I don't want my ram to be unhappy or scared. 

I have a couple of pictures included of my ram hiding. Let me know what you all think I should do.


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## Phantom_Cichlid

He could be afraid of the Yo-Yo Loaches.


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## Phantom_Cichlid

How big of a tank is everything in.


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## Whitney

it's a 30 gallon tank.....in it are three diamond tetras, 6 harlequin rasboras, 2 small bristlenose plecos and the new yoyo loaches (which were supposed to be the final additions to stocking the tank).....

I know that stores are trying to make money....before getting the loaches I asked around online forums at length and went to two different aquarium stores and asked multiple people there......I had been thinkng about getting corydoras, but was then told bye some people that there was a good chance my ram would attack them.....it's not a very crowded tank, I had thought that the loaches would be ok.

However, if this isn't the case....I'll take them back.....I just want to know how long you think I should give my ram to adjust before pulling the plug....I don't want him to get sick over this.....but I am new to the hobby and I don't know what is normal adjusting behavior and what isn't.

I appreciate and welcome all the comments and suggestions everyone who has more experience gives me.


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## Phantom_Cichlid

IMHO i would pull atleat 2 loaches or them all and my ram was okay with my cory


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## Damon

The loaches arent the problem, though I believe they are the straw that breaks the camels back. Thr ams is probably feeling bullied. With no mate, he'she feels alone. Both species are mid to bottom dwellers and without "backup", the ram may never feel secure with the loaches in the tank.


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## Phantom_Cichlid

Thats a good point Damon, I did not think of it like that.


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## Whitney

Ok.....well, I rearranged the tank a bit and added in a rock and some fake plants (which I had initially taken out when I first put in real plants) to create more hiding spaces....

If things don't get better by tomorrow morning, I'm taking the loaches back.

I would happily get my ram another ram to be with, and would have when I bought him by was advised not to by my fish store....I don't know why. Anyway, I don't think they have any rams there now for sale....but for future reference...when I do get another....does it have to be a female, or will another male also work as a companion?

Thanks for your advice and thoughts....it's much appreciated


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## Phantom_Cichlid

A male might work with enough hiding spaces but i would get a female.


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## Whitney

well, that may have to wait until one of the stores gets them in....for the time being I can take the loaches out.....hopefully he's not totally traumatized and he'll go back to normal


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## Damon

2 males will create more problems than solutions. Get a female companion. They will stake out an area. A if they breed or not, they will be more active and sociable. They most likely wont see the loaches as a threat either. May chase them away from a cave or other area but thats all.


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## Whitney

He didn't get over it.....yesterday morning I woke up to find that my beautiful little ram had died.

I took his little body back to the fish store with a sample of water. They couldn't see anything wrong with him or my water. 

I told the girl that I thought the introduction of the loaches may have stressed him to death, she said she thought it was just a coincidence. 

I also removed two of the loaches and brought them back too (the third found a cave in the unremovable backround of the aquarium and though I tried for an hour- could not get him out. 

Now I need to decide what I'm doing about my tank....get more rams (this time I'd get a pair)....or something else altogether.

Thanks to everyone for your responses, I'm sorry it turned out like this.


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## Damon

I'm sorry for your loss. Its never easy................
As for new stocking, if you like rams, get a pair. The lfs stated your water was ok so I really dont think you did anything to bring about his death.


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## Phantom_Cichlid

Sorry to hear about your loss. I would stock it with a pair of rams like Damon said and maybe some top dwellers and a pleco.


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## Whitney

Thanks everyone, 

I do already have a pleco, and some top dwellers (as well as the one yoyo that I couldn't get out). I found a couple of places that have small german blue rams in stock. So I think I'll get a pair. 

One store called Aquarium Adventures www.aquariumadventure.com (which is an aquarium superstore associated with petland) had only received it's shipment the day before yesterday, so most of the guys were very darkened......the other store, "Living Sea Aquarium" www.livingseaaquarium.com/ (which is a nicer store) had better looking rams, but they've been there for a while, so that might explain it, and the guy said they've already been "cherry picked" so these are sort of the left-overs.

What should I do? Wait a few days and see how the petland rams shape up? Go back and just purchase the nicest ones left from Living Sea? I've read that you can't always tell which the nicest rams are by their colors in the aquarium store? Do you guys have any suggestions for what I should look for in a good specimen? The most colorful- the biggest- the most active?


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