• You liked BFD7 now you should join this forum and of course become a club member to see what CCA is all about.
  • Thank you to everyone who registered and showed up for the BIG Fish Deal #7.

EB Ram spawn

Becca

Members
So the EB Rams are at it again. This is their 3rd and largest spawn (2nd in the past 4-6 weeks) and this morning I think we had some wigglers. Of course, I really need a magnifying glass to tell and I don't have one.

The male guarded the eggs for 2 days and the female kind of brooded on the other side of the tank. This morning the female was busy chasing the male all over to keep him away from the wigglers while a stupid pest snail was busy plowing through the helpless little babies.

I tried to remove the snail, and the female bit me, and promptly went back to chasing the male, who had some nips taken out of his fins.

I put him in the Marina breeder box, for lack of any better ideas.

It's been more than 10 years since I've "raised" Rams, but I seem to recall both parents guarding the eggs AND fry. What the heck is going on here?
 

Becca

Members
She seems like a tough cookie has she calmed down since removing the male


Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app

I don't know, I'm at work now. Last I checked on her, she was hovering over her young, like she should be, so she's not still trying to get at the male through the breeder box.

I was rather surprised when she raced across the tank to bite me. Definitely wasn't expecting that.

Last time they spawned she busted her lip up tormenting him.
 

mchambers

Former CCA member
In my experience with dwarf cichlids (albeit not with German Rams), it's simply impossible to predict how the parenting process will play out. I had a Bolivian Ram pair where the father did all of the child rearing and confined the mother to a corner of the tank. I've had rainbow cichlids where each parent took some of the fry and raised them, with the father stealing other fry away from the mother. With the Pelvicachromis Taeniatus "Lobe", I've seen different parenting for different groups of fry, even with the same parents.
 

Becca

Members
I've had rainbow cichlids where each parent took some of the fry and raised them, with the father stealing other fry away from the mother.

This reminds me of mice I had when I was a kid. There was one old female who would steal whole litters from other mothers and try to nurse them.

I just hope I didn't **** b*tchy blue ram off to the point of eating her eggs/fry. Poor dad seemed upset to be removed from them, but something had to give.
 

verbal

CCA Members
This reminds me of mice I had when I was a kid. There was one old female who would steal whole litters from other mothers and try to nurse them.

I just hope I didn't **** b*tchy blue ram off to the point of eating her eggs/fry. Poor dad seemed upset to be removed from them, but something had to give.

Hurting his feelings seems a lot better than the likely alternative.
 

Becca

Members
Becca, what are your nitrates and ph?


Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app


Not a dang clue, and I intend to keep it that way. If they are spawning, they are happy.

there were wigglers scattered around yesterday morning before the lights came on. After they came on, mom gobbled them up.

If she tries being mean to dad next time, I'm pulling HER instead.
 

ErnieG

Members
I hope they breed for you again Becca and your right, if they are spawning they are happy. Many fish keepers don't realize that breeding your fish is the ultimate goal and just because their fish are swimming around and eating doesn't mean they are happy. That's why I pride my self on breeding every fish I keep.
I have another few dirted tanks that I think you might like, I will post pics when I get the rest of my plants for the meeting on Saturday.
 

Becca

Members
I hope they breed for you again Becca and your right, if they are spawning they are happy. Many fish keepers don't realize that breeding your fish is the ultimate goal and just because their fish are swimming around and eating doesn't mean they are happy. That's why I pride my self on breeding every fish I keep.
I have another few dirted tanks that I think you might like, I will post pics when I get the rest of my plants for the meeting on Saturday.

Thanks :)! I saw one of your tanks - I can't wait to see how it looks when it starts to grow out.

Most of my fish spawn for me. I don't have all of them in tanks that are ideal for raising fry, but these EB Rams are the only occupants of their tank, so it'd be nice to get some fry. They're a young pair and this is their third spawn since we brought them home, hopefully they're learning from their mistakes.

I'd really like to get the Dmacs to spawn again, but they haven't since I moved them to the 20L. I might have to play with flow in that tank a little. It's on a sponge filter and their old tank was an eheim 2213.
 
Top