Jump to content

German Blue Ram Breeding Journal


Recommended Posts

On 6/25/2021 at 6:27 PM, Fish Folk said:

Interesting observation: GBR Wigglers, like a lot of different fry, seem to be _more_ active with dim light, and less so when overhead light is bright. Observe...

One time when Dad Fish was raising lots of fry in his bubble nest—I can’t remember if I had already pulled some or I was just leaving this batch alone—I turned on the tank light late at night to do some maintenance. To my surprise, a bunch of fry were out in the water column swimming! It looked like they were out searching for food. It made me wonder if they have a night-time hunting instinct. That or they just snuck out while Dad Fish couldn’t see them. 😁

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, this journal has felt almost too good to be true. It’s seemed a bit too easy.

Today, the fry (not yet swimming) appear very lethargic. There’s very little wiggling going on, and almost none are even starting towards becoming free-swimmers.

I brace for the worst: they’ll probably all die.

Now, what I’m going to do is a little bit off script. But in order to try and recover any I can, I decide to perform a water change.

So, per usual, I float 1x 16 oz bottle of R.O. Water to match temperature.

5B058D84-E929-4F64-824F-38D18478911D.jpeg.48fcb376749ca05071a2a37d6bf31ace.jpeg

When ready, I siphon water from the specimen / fry container down to a 16 oz. measuring cup through a fine pre-filter sponge to avoid getting any fry sucked out.

F0B91F71-F1AB-46C9-A1B3-4CF50C59DB07.jpeg.07480fee0ff6e70c4b6ff50db8e4600c.jpeg

Then, like an army field medic administering an IV, I siphon the R.O. Water down into the specimen container.

C2FCF05D-5CCC-4B67-8DA2-FA58EB9962B9.jpeg.76a979311147105b991f49091f89d31f.jpeg

Now, there’s still room to raise the water surface slightly above the tank water top line. So, I use a 10-ml. syringe to move in cycled water from the tank for this - ca. 60-100 ml.

8E352802-7AC2-429D-B897-ED2D3C0C4DCB.jpeg.9ed678a7b7216cfa1fb85f149949ae9d.jpeg

Additionally, I affix the air stone bubbles slightly further down into the water column to allow subtle water movement.

55879261-AC56-41BC-8325-5C5FC723E11D.jpeg.446fe6f975760e742e86b0a3251ee6c8.jpeg

It’s here that I want to commend the real genius of @Dean’s Fishroom with his fry trays. He has solved so many basic problems that arise. For example, part of my issue here is that the depth of the specimen container is prohibitive. Dean’s fry system has shallow trays which make it much easier for them to get started. Someday I’ll level up! Dean gave a great talk to our fish club a few months ago on his fry system. It is truly brilliant.

Anyway... still not sure if we’ll get any from this spawn. If we do, you’ll be able to follow it all right here.

Meanwhile, I want to point out how beautiful these Ram adults are. These aren’t “show quality” Rams. But they’re so naturally colorful. I love how the yellows and pinks are standing out today.

B30FFBBE-07CC-45EF-827B-6AEAB472746A.jpeg.474bbb0eedd3c04d558ec5845621e661.jpeg

 

Edited by Fish Folk
  • Like 6
  • Love 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Today, it appears that many fry are still doing alright. It’s the first of several delicate developmental transitions where they move forward to become free swimmers.

Here’s a little “first flight” video, showing those that are early launchers...

Now, it is time to very, very, very carefully (and lightly) stock the container with micro life. This is a tricky process. Wait too long... and the fry die. Feed too much... and the food rots / fry die.

I’m going to feed some vinegar eels. I take ca. 8 oz. of tank water, mix in a “pinch” of baking soda, and draw out / put in 8 ml. of vinegar eels. Then I add a tiny pinch of New Life Spectrum Grow fry starter powder.

49A90A6E-113D-4A38-BEDA-4181BF0939D2.jpeg.c32420855f737bf1857f0e0e4b1dc10d.jpeg

F0158CEB-A14B-45F0-A363-7E0FB9B96DC6.jpeg.8790accaa7d0da551253a5d0e97a64db.jpeg

97A81866-3E30-471C-BE10-62A2AC1734DF.jpeg.a0584ab0508b5841469d0241d0f0de72.jpeg

I stir up, allow to settle, and draw out 10 ml. from the top. Of this, I squirt in maybe 3 ml. It goes in like tiny wisps of smoke.

Next, I make a duckweed control ring. I move in duckweed from another established tank where I let it go wild with my Daisy’s Blue Ricefish. I also grab a tiny amount of Java moss from my Goodeid tank (it grows better in the cool water).

2E79CACB-CDE7-4402-8E5E-A6CDF4C234FE.jpeg.f7d86f11eedd8f2a418d1281a61427ad.jpeg
 

F9A21818-E2A4-4CCD-9D98-6873EC88E124.jpeg.5891ec7aab7fdff833c3333da5e4ea60.jpeg

0C39E487-61EC-43EF-91C9-7C43CD1CFBF7.jpeg.dee9a8a8d57ac9bb852482b392f1aa5d.jpeg

E2D7295D-8E44-4993-83AE-F84701CCDBDD.jpeg.986197d9d9842ef86e8a81ac1b288d3d.jpeg

B4D72CF8-E6D3-493E-B858-8140F769AD5C.jpeg.9f29042634c247f40611d7a2786a9bb2.jpeg

  • Like 5
  • Love 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

One benefit of adding live plants is the ammonia uptake / filtration they provide. In this case, it’s ammonium because pH is very low. But additionally, plants emit O2 during daylight hours, and bring along a few tiny infusoria that are excellent first foods.

Before long, if this batch survives, we will let them at the pure gold of live baby brine shrimp...

8B7FE8C3-A343-47E5-922D-9B4CE242727A.jpeg.a0469e1edfd6f969f0802060b9d6cee8.jpeg

  • Like 3
  • Love 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The cloud of baby rams has risen!

AA17E94B-FB77-450A-83A0-AB221DF81610.jpeg.74ae8bd5e7ee385af764e2df65e284ad.jpeg

I will feed the same mix of dillute vinegar eels + Grow fry starter powder this morning.

But first, I do a “brine shrimp test.” I basically ready a batch of baby brine just like any normal feeding time. I feed the adult rams, emptying out a syringe, then just gently dip it into the fry container. My goal is to allow just one or two baby brine shrimp loose with the fry. I want to see if any of them will try to eat the bbs. This is a crucial hurdle: once Ram fry will eat bbs, their survival rate dramatically increases. My camera will not cooperate, but ... the result is “no.” The fry aren’t interested in any wiggling bbs just yet.

So forward with the eel breakfast! 

 

  • Like 3
  • Love 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

One more thing, totally stolen from Dean Tweedle, is using a small watercolor paintbrush to tap off small amounts of powdered fry food into containers / tanks. I dip the fry brush into the fry powder, and gently tap on the side of the feeding cup — not getting it wet. 

5E88CEC3-4035-44C5-9D88-99BD7B4F2CD2.jpeg.93920a0815b318ede9aa65058e17675d.jpeg

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here’s a video of the fry-cloud today. Looking alive!

I fed again this afternoon very lightly (1/2 doses of recipe above for vinegar eels + powder).

Noted that the Adult Ram pair were acting “frisky” and her tube is slightly dropped ... 😅

C790F895-CA6B-411F-B25F-B5CC39003C30.jpeg.c0ae1517cf8301c50253378e154fdedc.jpeg

If they spawn again, I’m pulling again. Not until they’re in the outside tub will I let them try raising a batch on their own.

Call me cruel... 

  • Like 2
  • Love 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you’ve been following this journal, I think this post will be special. It’s hard to explain the wonder of seeing new life thrive.

First off, I tried BBS again. I took a little video. Most of the fry didn’t hit them, but a few did. This is an encouraging sign!

Within 48 hrs, many more will be ready to transition over to BBS. That is a huge hinge in their development.

Now, the really challenging thing about raising Rams is getting past the first few weeks. They require vigilant clean out of their container. Here is how I set up:

0E303A9A-2790-4857-B604-AA9E76302444.jpeg.f01536345e13650c0889e245b797f3de.jpeg

I draw out 16 oz. water, trying to suck out detritus and dead fry from bottom, and stringy bio film from the sides and structures. This takes 10 mins. Here is a Time Elapse — 10 mins in 22 seconds...

I’ve refilled with 16 oz. bottled WalMart water (R. O. water sourced) and now, I think you need to see the view from above...

And also, look at the side view when held up under an overhead light...

I paused the video and tried counting. I stopped around 175... I think there’s over 200 fry.

But in the next few weeks, the die-off rate can be brutal. If I can’t control that glue-like bio film (?that’s my guess?) or feed them well, or clean their container consistently... everything could quickly crash. I cannot ever remember preserving more than 75 ever.

Here is a batch of Golden Blue Opal Rams my son raised a year ago. This is why we go through this work. Here is the entire batch (with a photobombing young discus) all in a 20 gal. Remember this when someone tells you, “you can’t put more than two Rams in there...”

 

Edited by Fish Folk
  • Like 2
  • Love 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Looks like it’s time to move from airstone to sponge filter. It’s earlier than I’d like in this process, but the bio film is getting to thick — it’s “gluing” fry to itself — and so I’m going to make this happen.

First I move an active sponge filter from one jug to another, squeezed out once in tank water between the move.

6CD5A11D-6A48-4105-8B82-1A7689856A2E.jpeg.c52784f2b57a1a23281097132cb41637.jpeg

F321474E-5EDF-414F-BC84-E6721D6A0ADC.jpeg.4064310e67e04d44d0173958e973dc46.jpeg

After floating an R. O. Water bottle, I clean out the specimen container, trying to get out as much bio film as possible.

9936DDB1-CE84-4DFF-A535-D5ED56A9DF14.jpeg.4ba909df7b4425df436e22b848daac16.jpeg

After the clean out I add the sponge filter and then the R. O. Water.

5DD2E669-4EA4-40EB-9DB3-DB5875FE6F3C.jpeg.7560dce3d71e6c3d5bb0f2884de438ab.jpeg

Now I add this back to the tank... but also remove the little duckweed ring (which doesn’t work, and is covered in bio film).

4C604507-D4E9-4745-A105-F2BC68FC4D9A.jpeg.0c4a4e961a2e589a2aa7865b95d629e2.jpeg

E70F0D0E-2441-436C-BF49-A6A901FD6EA4.jpeg.a55942e5b57ccf1c6f917569de1a7c3a.jpeg

So, one thing I’m learning here... going the route of “fresh, non-cycled water” often results in this drawback: heavy bio-film build up, which is dangerous for fry.

I’m beginning to muse on a new approach to raising fry (actually ... I’m musing on stealing ideas from others 😎)

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, the bio-film (?) has ended the young lives of a number of Ram fry this morning. I share receipts, good and bad, so here’s the graveyard...

6897EF78-05D3-4CD3-9A01-1475F6301AFD.jpeg.9750cf70e2b9d01bf7d81d6043966c01.jpeg

There were about 5x live ones I was able to return. On the whole though, still a generous hatch.

B028D8A9-4C58-413F-ADD8-F46A1D79966F.jpeg.28b38f0e2c952a0cbeab579a7a08a48d.jpeg

And I’ll add that the sponge filter seems good. I try baby brine again. Some mild nibbling apparent, but nothing really threshold-crossing yet.

I water change as usual, feed vinegar eels + fry powder as before, and add one small rams horn snail to start a cleanup crew.

0EAD4977-6F88-4936-BD15-08A823829585.jpeg.e885ad984f0e653d92b404e121bc00a7.jpeg

CC95DB29-F167-4C4F-B76C-30AAD1E5EB8E.jpeg.0079bff702d491c5d772009676436764.jpeg

One more quick look — note how many have pink / orange bellies: they _are_ getting into the brine shrimp some!

606A8E07-5B64-4BFC-9399-065A651BC2F7.jpeg.6f8cb56b8d06b8323c0cb79d3c40f93d.jpeg

Edited by Fish Folk
  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

More fry die-off today, but the remaining ones are growing stronger and stronger. Here’s a video of them full on baby brine shrimp...

Meanwhile... the adults are in pre-spawning mode again. I keep tinkering with placement of lighting to get them to spawn right where I want. Female is the leader. He’s all excitement and she’s all business!

I’m leaving the lights on. And I’ve got things ready to pull spawn #2 just in case...

955A49E2-6F83-4CDB-8E36-B2FBDB1A5C52.jpeg.5a7d2c6dce890ba74d6fe7eccae69889.jpeg

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well! I think the Ram fry are past their first major threshold. From this point forward, their life depends much more upon my consistency than on their weakness and environmental stresses.

Here is a short video of them this morning just after a water change (as demonstrated earlier in this journal)

The “cloud” of fry is smaller. There has been significant loss in the last 48 hrs. But these are now using the full water column. The gluey bio film issue has largely been remediated.

They are now fully onto baby brine shrimp. Here is a video of me feeding them (apologies for some shaky cam)

Their bellies are glowing orange with eaten BBS.

In 8-10 weeks, they’ll be sturdy enough to add to a grow-out aquarium. Leading up to that, I’ll be slowly adding tank water to their daily water changes, but by bit. Then, once their strong enough and tuned in to their tank water, they’ll move over to a net breeder hang-in cage.

983D9B7C-1FC1-4D12-8875-0F503AD9E52B.jpeg.0e8694bac28a82c8ee7d5a2f1f4819d8.jpeg

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Happy July 4th, USA NERMs!

Just did a water change on Ram fry. Set out to do a BBS feeding, but noticed it was a “bad batch.”

This happens when it has set too long without being used. Basically, much of the hatch dies, releasing ammonia and making everything toxic to fish.

Here is what the hatch looked like — notice that the orange / tan coloration in the water won’t settle.

F3D8CB7B-AEFF-4A87-A098-C7270E4D24B8.jpeg.aee3576dd296f0dd8d52fafc10d33fb8.jpeg

Upon close inspection, this video shows a lot of non-moving, dead shrimp in the serving syringe / tube...

Fortunately, there is another batch trailing behind it. This one came out much better. See how the orange drops to the lower 1/3 of the hatchery.

047D4F85-E2E3-41A8-A516-DCF426A81881.jpeg.981af1a48916938e8cb60adb5b2db0c9.jpeg

And upon inspection of this hatch, note how the entire syringe / tube is visually “boiling” with movement...

Now, the Ram Fry are starting to mature. They’re all onto BBS. I didn’t do a water change yesterday, and found 2x dead fry. But this is still basically on par or better. They’re not always as active as before, sometimes sitting still for periods of time. It’s hard to tell the difference between the Pygmy Rasboras darting through the tank behind them and some of these fry.

I may try to ever so slightly edit their diet, adding some Sera Micron, Fry Powder, etc. They benefit from a balanced diet.

Right now, I’m going to grind up some fresh Bug Bites Spirulina Flakes into powder, and mix the smallest amount into their container water to try feeding.

6B52E103-171D-4FC5-AB58-D5EB65AD0E7E.jpeg.65d49902a71a20323caea0f687bf601f.jpeg

 

 

 

 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...