[loveflying]

It looks like a couple of my blue ram males had a bit of a fight and one came out a bit worse for wear. He has a couple of spots where it looks like he is missing a scale or two from nips. I don't really have a quarantine tank, but I do have some large tubs that I can add water to and keep him in. My question is two fold, do you think I should remove him from his current tank and put him into the tub? Whether I remove him or not, do you think I should medicate him with melafix for the nips or just leave him be? He seems to be a lethargic, so I think I should medicate him but I am open to suggestions.

Thanks

 

[kamikazi]

what size tank are they in and do they have mates?

you could quarantine him till he heals but then what will you do with him, do you have another tank he can live in

 

[loveflying]

They don't have mates yet I think. The males have been together for a while now. This fight was kind of out of the blue. I did add a couple of females for them to hopefully pair off. Currently, they are in a 40 gallon breeder. I was told by the breeder i got the fish from that as long as each male gets at least 1.5 square feet of tank bottom each that it should be enough. The tank is quite heavily planted. Before the females were added, the males were coexisting and even swimming together for two months.

 

[kamikazi]

did you recently rescape, move or add things? I find that it seems Rams use plants, wood, rocks as points for the edges of their territory. i had a couple rams who were living in a 29 together, they used a branch as the boundary for the territory. I moved some plants, rocks, and the wood slightly and all of a sudden one took over the whole bottom of the tank and the other was hiding behind the filter intake.

 

[loveflying]

that might be it I added in some plants recently to the tank.

 

[kamikazi]

you could try getting the hurt one healed and re-introduce him to the tank and maybe they will establish new territory

 

[loveflying]

hey thanks for the advice kamikazi. I'll separate the hurt guy out and try to heal him up before reintroducing him.

 

[JSA]

you could try getting the hurt one healed and re-introduce him to the tank and maybe they will establish new territory

If you do this, be sure to rescape right before you add him back, because the one who had the tank all to himself in the interim may have decided the whole tank belongs to him.

Julia

 

[loveflying]

Thanks for the advice julia i`ll remeber to rescape before i reintroduce the guy back in to the main tank.

 

[The Dude]

hey thanks for the advice kamikazi. I'll separate the hurt guy out and try to heal him up before reintroducing him.

I did this with an Angel. Exact same story, but these 2 grew up from quarter size together. One little fight and I removed the loser to let him heal then put him back into the tank. In one day the other Angel relentlessly attacked and pursued the other and almost killed it. They were both nearly full grown also in the tank were a couple Platys and a Plakat. The Angel has no problem with these guys, but after having some time alone he has claimed the entire tank as his. I then had to remove the Angel again. Let it heal and then introduce him into the 75g with 5 others that he grew up with. They all tormented him and injured him again, but I had no other tank for him so it was either he makes it or doesn't... he did. My advice.... leave him unless you have another home. The Ram that is left in the tank will claim all of it in the absence of the other Ram.

 

[kamikazi]

If you do this, be sure to rescape right before you add him back, because the one who had the tank all to himself in the interim may have decided the whole tank belongs to him.

Julia

good advice i hope it works