[Thedevilsbacon]

I picked up a pair of German Blue Rams the other day, and to my surprise, they've already spawned. They seem to be doing well so far with the guarding of the nest, and I've read they'll care for the fry once they're swimming as well. Anyone have more experience than me and have any tips? How long should they be allowed to stay in the tank? It's already pretty populated, so they definitely won't be able to stay to full maturity.
I've had more aggressive chiclids breed in previous tanks, but most of the fry became food immediately.

 

[Plinkploop]

No experience with rams but I do with apisto and other cichlid- refresh my memory- are rams cave or pit spawners?

 

[Thedevilsbacon]

Kind of both. I've read they like tall rock structures but they did dig a little pit in the gravel, and it's not in any of the caves I provided. It's in the front corner of the tank, but it's a fairly sequestered spot. Rock and plants on all sides that aren't glass.

That's their little nest

 

[Plinkploop]

If you can move the rock and the pair to a separate tank, bare bottomed with a sponge filter and daily partial water changes you will have your best odds. If that's not an option finding a way to separate their area using mesh or a divider would be the next best thing. If neither of these is an option and you're okay with happy accidents you can remove them when they are noticeably leaving their parents. You could even keep them in the same tank but use a breeder box to keep them contained.

 

[Thedevilsbacon]

How would you move the eggs? That sounds really challenging. The have to be super fragile

I have a little 5 gallon we use as a hospital tank, but I don't think that rock would fit in it and have room for anything else. They're in a 20 long right now and that's one of the bigger pieces in the tank

 

[Plinkploop]

I would say leave it there and try to use a divider if some type and keep your other inhabitants on the other side of it, I've used plastic binder dividers and other weird diy methods to do this.

 

[Thedevilsbacon]

Upon further research, I'm not sure they're fertilized. The eggs are white and it doesn't seem they're supposed to be. I can see the females reproductive organ but not the males. Guess we'll wait and see, but thank you for your help, again 😄

 

[Plinkploop]

Yea, I've noticed a lot of female cichlids will drop eggs shortly after being introduced to a new home. A lot of inexperienced parents will fail at their first couple of attempts to spawn. If you are actively looking to spawn if would suggest setting up a spawning tank for them (5 gallons isn't too small for this situation), get yourself prepared with a sponge filter, a cave and some moss. Pick up some live foods and fry food. Introduce the pair to the breeding tank and let them get comfy. Allow them to raise the fry until the fry are chasing baby brine shrimp on their own and return the parents to your display tank. Good luck!!

 

[Thedevilsbacon]

It's not my intention to breed them, but if they're going to do it in their own, I wanted to know a little more

 

[jake21]

I would leave the eggs with the parents the first few spawns - both parents will care for the them. It normally takes them a few trys to get it right. However rams can be not the best parents so you might have to remove them eventually (the eggs not the parents). Occasionally they get confused and you have to sep the pairs.
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the problem with raising frys on your own is they are pretty small so you have to use very small food - sometimes just hatched bbs will work but if not then micro worm. The first couple of weeks it works best to feed live food so the frys will chase it.
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Before we get to the feeding stage - the actual process is a bit more complicated - first you have the eggs. Once the eggs hatch you will get wrigglers (frys that can't swim). The parents will move them from the egg location. Then after a bit of time you will get free swimming frys. Initially these frys are not capable of eating they still have egg sacks they will consume for about 12 hours. Then they should be fed. It is critical to not over feed as that will pollute the water and best to feed 5 or 6 times a day just a small amount.
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If you have good parents then feeding is less critical as the parents will make sure the frys get food - initially mostly biofilm. Anyway give it time and patients - rams are not the easiest to breed initially - as they are a bit more delicate than (for example) angel or apistogramma frys.

 

[Mr.Shenanagins]

If they are by themselves in the tank they will eventually become good parents and not eat their own. Usually the first few rounds are a bust but they will wise up eventually. Not sure what your feeding them but avoid bloodworms/tubifex. They love it but it makes them bloat and they will not last long.

 

[Discusluv]

I feed my juveniles Rams BBS and New Life Spectrum Fry Starter. When they get older I add Golden Pearls.

 

[Thedevilsbacon]

If they are by themselves in the tank they will eventually become good parents and not eat their own. Usually the first few rounds are a bust but they will wise up eventually. Not sure what your feeding them but avoid bloodworms/tubifex. They love it but it makes them bloat and they will not last long.

I feed them a variety of food. Daphnea, brine shrimp, mysis shrimp, krill, plankton and I've got flake and pellet food too. I have blood worms too but they haven't been with me long enough to even have what I listed originally. I didn't know they didn't do well with those, definitely good to know, thanks

 

[Thedevilsbacon]

They moved what I assume were their wrigglers to a part of the tank I couldn't see, and I think the pleco in the tank found them and went to town. They stopped guarding the little cave after he was in there. Sad. They are back by their spawn spot, and I'm assuming will try again, hopefully with better luck.

 

[Plinkploop]

Beautiful pics of the pair!!!!!!

 

[Thedevilsbacon]

I've never had Rams before, and I have to say I'm IN LOVE with them. They're really just beautiful, fun to watch fish 😍