German Blue Ram Breeding Journal

[redfish]

Those are beautiful.  I really like the GBR.  

[Atitagain]

So beautiful, such an amazing species. I enjoy mine so much, I’ve moved them into a 55G and they are loving it. Still waiting on a successful spawn but now that they have had a chance to get comfortable in the new environment shouldn’t have to wait long. 🤞

Such an interesting journal thanks for the updates and advice.

[Fish Folk]

Young Rams in pre-spawning display. Just did small water change, tid bit of gravel vacuuming, and have added frozen krill (Hikari) back into their diet. Mailing these out next Monday. Maybe I’ll get lucky and see a spawn before they go. These are “grandkids” from the pair that started this journal…

 

[anewbie]

On 3/22/2022 at 8:16 PM, Fish Folk said:

I think the flow-through floating fry box is actually a far better method for pulling. I’ve done very little daily maintenance, and fry are on to BBS now.  My hope is that consistency in water chemistry with parent tank is true gold.

I actually like the ziss boxes. They stick on the inside of the tank (rather than float); they have a bubbler to provide some current; but they also have mesh bottom to allow free water flow from the main tank (improve water quality like the floaters). 

[Fish Folk]

TIME TO RESTART!

Decided to start with GBRs again. Bought two females today. Ordering two males next week. 90% sure all will be “juiced” with hormones. But babies I raise will _not be_.

 

[Fish Folk]

Rams are settling in…

[Guppysnail]

On 3/28/2023 at 8:06 PM, Fish Folk said:

90% sure all will be “juiced” with hormones

Rams are crazy fun. I’m glad you are back to them. Can you explain this statement a bit please. I’m unfamiliar with “juicing” fish with hormones. 

[CrashBandit05]

Beautiful! Already showing potential! Are those MTS shells laying around?

[Fish Folk]

On 4/18/2023 at 5:41 PM, Guppysnail said:

Rams are crazy fun. I’m glad you are back to them. Can you explain this statement a bit please. I’m unfamiliar with “juicing” fish with hormones. 

Overseas, estrogens and androgens are added to stimulate growth and bring dimorphic colors out early. The two females I bought first were likely juiced. Here’s a short video. Large females with noticeably pink bellies probably spiked. They’re unnaturally pink compared with the rest of their body coloration…

By contrast, here is a naturally born and raised pair in full spawning dress. These have ZERO hormones added, but they take awhile to mature. This is why I breed them myself…

 

 

[Fish Folk]

On 4/18/2023 at 6:13 PM, CrashBandit05 said:

Beautiful! Already showing potential! Are those MTS shells laying around?

Thanks. Yes. Tons and tons of MTS.

[Guppysnail]

@Fish Folk that explains a lot the bellies on my bought girls were brilliant pink. Their babies I hatched 1-15-23 are just today laying eggs but I have to look a bit closer to see the pink bellies. Thank you explains that. I can’t imagine what else those hormones do to them. 

[Fish Folk]

On 4/18/2023 at 7:56 PM, Guppysnail said:

@Fish Folk that explains a lot the bellies on my bought girls were brilliant pink. Their babies I hatched 1-15-23 are just today laying eggs but I have to look a bit closer to see the pink bellies. Thank you explains that. I can’t imagine what else those hormones do to them. 

My LFS got ahold of a complete wholesale list from his “wholesaler’s”overseas source. We looked it over together. Loads and loads of species broken out by family / species. Then came a heading in the spreadsheet “no hormones.” Everything started over, slightly higher prices, and a much shorter list. He asked, and learned it’s safe to assume virtually _everything_ not specifically listed out under “no hormones” gets juiced.

[Guppysnail]

On 4/18/2023 at 8:58 PM, Fish Folk said:

My LFS got ahold of a complete wholesale list from his “wholesaler’s”overseas source. We looked it over together. Loads and loads of species broken out by family / species. Then came a heading in the spreadsheet “no hormones.” Everything started over, slightly higher prices, and a much shorter list. He asked, and learned it’s safe to assume virtually _everything_ not specifically listed out under “no hormones” gets juiced.

Holy crap. We get our LFS available to order list mailed to us each week. We have gotten to know the owner quite well. I have never seen the hormone thing but they go through a wholesaler Fish Fish Fish out of New Jersey. I’ll have to get the owner to see if they can get the wholesaler to tell us what is “juiced” or not. 
This is incredibly valuable information. Thank you. 

[Fish Folk]

I forget how much I love these Electric Blue Rams in with Discus. This one sat still for a shot tonight…