My Blue Ram (Mikrogeophagus.ramirezi) Breeding Log

[Ram-Finatic]

Hi everyone,

I'm new to the forum but not the hobby. Kept a wide range of fish in the past 12 years, from community to predators and odd balls. Up until recently, I primary focused on predatory and monster fish, but I've decided to get back into the cichlid world (Specifically South Americans). My experience with cichlids revolved around angels, some Apisto Sp., discus, and Lake Tanganyika cichlids.
The fish I'm currently keeping include:

2 -Betta.macrostoma (both males, lost my female recently) - story for another thread

3 -blue whale/shark catfish (Cetopsis.coecutiens)

11 -Nothobranchius.rachovii 98 killifish fry (1 week old)

and

5 rams (2 "German" blue ram pairs, and 1 female electric blue)
1 pair happens to be the main topic of this thread, so without further ado -


Monday - July.26th,2016 (10:20pm)

Brought this lil guy home yesterday (around 8:00pm) and acclimated him to my 20 gallon breeder (which is currently housing my female GBR and female EBR). Trying to grow some clippings from my main tank as well (Java fern, narrow leaf ludwigia, and Hygro.polysperma)
Immediately after introducing him to my tank, the 3 fish began a flirt-fest and the new male paired off with my female GBR. Fast forward to this morning, The pair has cleaned off a piece of black slate, and the male has dug a pit. The female's egg tube in starting to extend, and she's beginning to get plump.
Happened to snap a few quick shots with my phone. I apologize for the poor quality, bad lighting and algae growing on my tank walls (camera couldn't focus). I will get better pics, once I've done some maintenance on the tank and relocate the lone female EBR. Pics really don't do justice for the pair, the colours and finnage on the male are really stunning in person. Love how high the male's dorsal ray extends, can kinda see it in picture #2 & 3.

Wednesday- July.27th, 2016 (10:17pm)

Quick update with some awesome news!
The ram pair just started laying eggs on the piece of slate in their tank.
These are some early shots, the pair is still laying and fertilizing. Eggs looking good so far, hope everything goes well (The waiting game begins).

Thursday- July.28th,2016 (12:52am)

Can see eyes and spines slowly developing
Keep you guys posted

 

[Ram-Finatic]

Unfortunately, when I arrived home today at 6:00pm, I discovered my female ram made a quick snack out of the eggs.
Less than half left on the slate

Hopefully their future spawns are more successful, fingers crossed.

 

[Ram-Finatic]

Hmmm...Kinda have a dilemma on my hands.

I'm planning to sell my younger bonded pair of rams tomorrow afternoon (not the pair in this thread), and just discovered that they've bred (laid eggs on a piece of Indian almond leaf I have in the tank). Turned off the lights for the day and locked the door, to ensure no one goes into the room to disturb them.

The buyer is really interested in the pair, and we've ready planned meet tomorrow. Thinking about asking the current buyer if he's willing to hold off for a while (to see if the eggs hatch and the parents raise the fry), or continue with the sale and artificially raise the eggs/fry myself.
Any suggestions?

On other news, back to the pair in this thread:
They are starting to clean off the slate rock in my tank again, and the male is beginning to dig new pits. Will make sure to give them their privacy this time around.

 

[TCMontium]

I would give the pair whenever the buyer wanted to. If he/she accepts the delay, than its okay to see what the pair will do with the eggs and fry. It would probably be beneficial for the buyer to wait too, because he/she will know if the pair can take care of fry succesfully or not. If yes, then its all good. If no, then the pair may have had a little proper experience with baby-care at least. I never did breed ramirezi though, so don't quote me without question, I can be wrong.

 

[Ram-Finatic]

I would give the pair whenever the buyer wanted to. If he/she accepts the delay, than its okay to see what the pair will do with the eggs and fry. It would probably be beneficial for the buyer to wait too, because he/she will know if the pair can take care of fry succesfully or not. If yes, then its all good. If no, then the pair may have had a little proper experience with baby-care at least. I never did breed ramirezi though, so don't quote me without question, I can be wrong.

I messaged the buyer earlier this morning, asking him if he would be willing to wait a bit longer.
Waiting on his reply.

 

[Mike Wise]

Me? I've only been successful with artificial breeding. If I wanted fry, I'd pull the eggs. Orinoco Rams (wild or domestic, of any color variety) are notoriously poor parents. They quickly seem to get bore of the whole process. This lead to one or both eating the eggs/fry. Often this leads to squabbles between the pair for a while. In the wild this species lives and breeds in a colony-like situation. The pairs don't have time to get bored because they both are continually trying to defend their breeding territory from their neighbors. Some day I'd like to see how colony breeding works for Rams.

 

[Ram-Finatic]

Alright, got an update. It seems this second pair isn't as keen on caring for their eggs as the pair I started this thread about.
This second pair allowed the eggs to fungus over. I observed them for a brief time, and they just swam around the nest, and never really fanned the eggs. These guys are younger than my first pair as well.

 

[Ram-Finatic]

My main pair has spawned again, and this time with a little bit more eggs. Threw a towel over the tank before they spawned to give them some privacy and a sense of security. Peaked in just to feed them, and noticed the male has taken on the role of fanning and guarding the nest more seriously. Even when they swapped places, the male kept near the nest and ignored some of the pellets left by my female.
Hopefully the female feels more comfortable this time around, and doesn't decide to eat the eggs. I also think the male may have not fertilized the eggs properly during their last spawn, which also could have made the female eat the eggs. Noticed the male trying to fertilizing the eggs again when he switches with the female to fan them. Will update you guys, if things go better with these eggs

 

[Ram-Finatic]

Peaked at the nest today when I fed my pair, and noticed all the eggs are still there
Reach the 24 hour mark, fingers crossed.

 

[Ram-Finatic]

Went to feed the pair this morning and noticed all the eggs were gone...


What I saw instead was the male guarding a clusters of wigglers in the pit he dug at the back of their tank

Not exactly sure how many there were, but my initial count of their nest was about 180-200.
Will continue to give the pair their privacy and see if they can raise the fry to free swimmers
They seem to have gotten switching shifts down pretty well.
Keep you guys updated.

 

[Ram-Finatic]

Checked up on the pair and their fry earlier this morning, while I was feeding them, and things are progressing quite well. The cluster hasn't decreased in size, so I guess the parents (primarily the mom) hasn't been snacking on their babies. The parents really seem to be getting good at carry for their fry, surprised and happy that it took them 2 attempts (fingers crossed that they continue getting better)

The wigglers are becoming more active, startling to roll and bounce a little. 3 more days until they start free swimming, or so I hope.

As always, I keep everyone posted

 

[Ram-Finatic]

Another morning update: The fry are starting to jump/wiggle around a lot more, and the parents have relocated them to a larger/wider pit they dug. The pit also happens to be directly under my java fern. Guess the roots will help serve as shelter and security.

Will update everyone again tomorrow morning

 

[Ram-Finatic]

3 fry have reached the free swimming stage. Watched the parents corral them back to the nest, when the fry would wander out

 

[Ram-Finatic]

Just got home and checked up on the pair and their fry, and saw all the fry free swimming
Some are already nipping at the plants I have in the tank, but I put some microworms in to get them going.
Will keep everyone posted.

 

[Ram-Finatic]

Fed and checked on the parents and their fry this morning, and things are going very well. The fry are all feeding (starting to see their bellies turn white from the microworms, and poop trails behind them haha), and becoming more independent (went from a cloud that followed the parents, to swimming across the length and height of the tank).

Was hesitant about doing a water change yesterday, because the sensitivity of the fry, but using a drip line to top off the tank worked out. Took about 3-4 hours to complete.

Will update again later this evening.

 

[Ram-Finatic]

Fed and checked on the rams just a moment ago, and some of the fry are beginning to starting to wonder around the tank (hiding in and nipping at my cabomba.carolinia and Myriophyllum.scabratum).
The parents seem to have a hard time trying to keep their school of fry together. Once a group of fry leave the school, the parents chase after them to bring them back, but as soon as they do, they have to go catch the ones they left behind haha.
On another note, the fry seem to have doubled in size compared to yesterday

 

[Ram-Finatic]

Some quick and low quality shots, but you can see the some of the fry
There's a lot more than the pictures actually shows

 

[Ram-Finatic]

Well looks like my fry have become bored of feeding on microworms. Tried feeding them today and they completely ignored them. They seem more interested in nipping at my plants and the surface of my substrate.
Decided to make powdered fry food by finely grinding Northfin Krill Gold 1mm pellets. The fry seem eager to eat the stuff, but it sinks too fast, and the fry aren't big enough to take baby brineshrimp yet.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

Well looks like my fry have become bored of feeding on microworms. Tried feeding them today and they completely ignored them. They seem more interested in nipping at my plants and the surface of my substrate.
Decided to make powdered fry food by finely grinding Northfin Krill Gold 1mm pellets. The fry seem eager to eat the stuff, but it sinks too fast, and the fry aren't big enough to take baby brineshrimp yet.

You could try squeezing out a filter sponge, you should get plenty of Rotifers. The fry need something that moves to stimulate the feeding response.

cheers Darrel

 

[Ram-Finatic]

Hi all,You could try squeezing out a filter sponge, you should get plenty of Rotifers. The fry need something that moves to stimulate the feeding response.

cheers Darrel

Will do, thanks for the tip