[Stan.V]

I have 2 German Blue Rams with a Blue Eyed Albino Bristlenose, Ruberlip Pleco and 2 upside down catfish in a 55 gal. Water is fine, temp is good as well everyone gets along, i got the rams like 2 weeks ago but maybe like 2 days ago i noticed that one of them has a really big round belly, like a balloon. At first i thought it was full of eggs but then I learned that fish can get bloated. So I think it might be that although it seems to swim fine and eat nromal just that it has a huge round belly and I dont think it has eggs because they are only like 1 inch or 1.5 at the moment. Anyone might know what it is if so any tips on curing it? Ive heard about epsom salt but some has said that it can hurt scaleless fish like my catfish and others have said they've done it with scaleless fish without a problem, Please help (Since the rams are small and shy ive been feeding them wardley sinking shrimp pellets and they seem to love it)

 

[Plinkploop]

You could try daphnia. I've used blanched peas on cichlids and betta with success for constipation and bloat. Really any blanched green that you'd use for algae/ plant eaters as a treat can work if the bloat is from constipation and you don't have to worry at all about your scaleless. If it's not from constipation than disregard this.

 

[Discusluv]

It does look like you have a male and a female there. Ive had my own spawn at 3.5 months old so it isnt entirely impossible that the female has eggs.
Can you turn the red down on your lighting so I can see the fish better?
Are both Rams still eating and acting otherwise fine? What is temperature on tank?
I would not feed just shrimp pellets to Rams- it will not provide a balanced diet. Purchase a cichlid pellet like New Life Spectrum cichlid pellet.

 

[Stan.V]

It does look like you have a male and a female there. Ive had my own spawn at 3.5 months old so it isnt entirely impossible that the female has eggs.
Can you turn the red down on your lighting so I can see the fish better?
Are both Rams still eating and acting otherwise fine? What is temperature on tank?
I would not feed just shrimp pellets to Rams- it will not provide a balanced diet. Purchase a cichlid pellet like New Life Spectrum cichlid pellet.

Water is at like between 74-76 and yea, I tried feeding it peas but it didn’t want to eat peas. Only the other one that don’t have the belly and yea I’m going to get them cichlids pellets. It’s just that they’re small and we’re shy, now the one without the belly will come to the top and nip at my finger lol. Reminds me of my old Oscar I used to have ;(

 

[Plinkploop]

I had an 18 inch inch Oscar named Gino (orangino) that used to lay in my hand and come up for pets... Had him for 15 years. I miss him so. I feel for you.

 

[Discusluv]

Water is at like between 74-76 and yea, I tried feeding it peas but it didn’t want to eat peas. Only the other one that don’t have the belly and yea I’m going to get them cichlids pellets. It’s just that they’re small and we’re shy, now the one without the belly will come to the top and nip at my finger lol. Reminds me of my old Oscar I used to have ;(

They will not last long at that temperature. German Rams-- at the very least-- need to be above 80 degrees. I breed and raise them and keep mine at 84 degrees. They will not die directly from low temperature- but indirectly from temperature stress.

They will not last long at that temperature. German Rams-- at the very least-- need to be above 80 degrees. I breed and raise them and keep mine at 84 degrees. They will not die directly from low temperature- but indirectly from temperature stress.

Edit: The stomach does not look to be full of eggs on further inspection. The stomach would be redder. Is she eating at all?

 

[Stan.V]

They will not last long at that temperature. German Rams-- at the very least-- need to be above 80 degrees. I breed and raise them and keep mine at 84 degrees. They will not die directly from low temperature- but indirectly from temperature stress.

Then that’s a problem for me because I also have 2 upside down catfish in the same tank and apparently their temp should be from 72-79, what shall I do?
As far for the little big ram. I fed it peas and within like 2 days the belly was gone! I guess it was bloated. I think it’s a male but I wouldn’t be sure because these are my Gerry first rams.

 

[Discusluv]

Then that’s a problem for me because I also have 2 upside down catfish in the same tank and apparently their temp should be from 72-79, what shall I do?
As far for the little big ram. I fed it peas and within like 2 days the belly was gone! I guess it was bloated. I think it’s a male but I wouldn’t be sure because these are my Gerry first rams.

Bring the temperature up to 77 degrees. Hope for the best.

 

[Plinkploop]

If they are the butterfly style upside down they should do fine up to 78°, higher than 80° shortens their life. Rams should to fine at 78° but probably won't mate. I just did the research to see if I could keep cories with rams and the temp range is the same.

 

[Stan.V]

Any idea on what this temp reads? I honestly don’t really understand it

also it’s these type of upsidedown catfish I have with the rams

 

[Plinkploop]

Yup, those were the ones I was thinking of. I kept upside down black diamond cats and those are a fish of a whole different level. I had a pair in a 90 gallon hex, but those guys should do okay up to 78°. Just keep an eye on them and make sure they aren't gasping. It helps if you adjust slowly over the course of a few days, that's if it's possible. If not just keep a very close eye and make sure they adjust okay. If it seems like they're struggling a little do a light (10-15%) change using a little bit cooler of water. My cories did fine adjusting from 74° to 78°.

 

[Stan.V]

Yup, those were the ones I was thinking of. I kept upside down black diamond cats and those are a fish of a whole different level. I had a pair in a 90 gallon hex, but those guys should do okay up to 78°. Just keep an eye on them and make sure they aren't gasping. It helps if you adjust slowly over the course of a few days, that's if it's possible. If not just keep a very close eye and make sure they adjust okay. If it seems like they're struggling a little do a light (10-15%) change using a little bit cooler of water. My cories did fine adjusting from 74° to 78°.

Question about those catfish. Every time i do a water change maybe like 5-10% as soon as I start putting in the water in, they get like paralyzed, like they’re drying. And they try to swim up then sink down. And after a little while they go back to normal. Is that a normal reaction? Or what’s going on??

 

[Plinkploop]

Try to keep them away from the water you're pouring in (I know, I had to use a net to keep mine away) they are getting shocked by parameter changes. That's my belief, anyway, as I've witnessed this behaviour in a lot of scaleless cats and I know they are super sensitive to any parameter changes. I had to use a sump for the black diamond cats because they'd lose their whiskers if anything was off and they got in the stream.

 

[Stan.V]

Try to keep them away from the water you're pouring in (I know, I had to use a net to keep mine away) they are getting shocked by parameter changes. That's my belief, anyway, as I've witnessed this behaviour in a lot of scaleless cats and I know they are super sensitive to any parameter changes. I had to use a sump for the black diamond cats because they'd lose their whiskers if anything was off and they got in the stream.

Sorry to be soo annoying but this is my first community fish tank. Before these I had an Oscar but he passed away like 5 months ago so I wanted to try something different. But what brand food would you recommend that my acara, cstfish,German blue rams and also (honey gold gourami coming in soon) would eat. I want to do pellets because they are less messier than flakes, and I also want something that will color up my Electric blue acara. They’re all in a 55 *1 Electric Blue Acara, 2 German Blue rams, 2 Upside Down Catfish, 1 Rubber Lip Pleco, 1 Blue Eyed Bristlenose, and going to add a honey gold gourami soon.

 

[Plinkploop]

I'll be honest, I used sera o-nips, chopped frozen black and blood worms, oak leaves, frozen spirulina/ bbs mix, live daphnia, hikari vibra bites, sinking catfish sticks and occasionally live bbs. I believe in a varied diet. That being said- I like hikari and new life spectrum for my pellets, flakes, discs and wafers. I think it's called the san francisco company, they have easily accessible live and frozen foods (if you have the time to make your own it saves some money). I also love sera o-nips. They are my go to when I don't have the time to prepare things or spot feed. You stick 2 on the tank glass on opposite sides of the tank (one in a safe spot for your timid/ smaller species 1 in and obvious area for your more boisterous inhabitants). It's not an everyday thing but I'm surprised at the well rounded ingredients and how little waste it leaves. This is just me, though, everyone's feeding habits are different.