Re: Ram fragility

[Brian Ahmer <ahmer.1@osu.edu>]

Title: Re: Ram fragility

> Good
> info Brian,
>   I haven't kept them before. I guess I've just gotten lucky. I
> usually leave my breeding fish in bare bottom tanks. I also do partial
> water changes on everything except fry tanks once a week. My fry tanks
> get water partial water changes twice a week.
>   With the Rams I keep the temp up around 85 and TDS low. Nice
> soft RO/DI water.
> I had a spawn mid Dec and then another 3 weeks later. I also talked
> with a breeder friend of mine and he also had routine spawns every
> couple weeks. They are also the only dwarf except the Neo/lamprologus
> type that will actually attack my hand when changing a sponge filter
> or something like that. Seem pretty tuff to me.
>                                                                                             JerryB

I think some of my problem was using portland oregon tap water.  i never had success with that until I artificially acidified it down to 5.0-5.5 and raised the temp to 85.  not sure what the hardness was back then.

in ohio i've now got a tds/pH meter.  hardness of the tap is 200 (tds units, pretty soft) and pH is neutral.  I had success with rams in this water and also artificially acidified, temp high again.

I've never been able to raise a spawn though.  They always eat the fry within a few days of free swimming.

--

Brian Ahmer
ahmer.1@osu.edu
http://www.angelfire.com/or/biggestbri