fish Emergency!!!?

Question

i just did my first water change,with my new german raqm, ive had him for about a week
same ph and temp, same source, and i used the same declorinator
and my german ram is now just lying on the bottom of the tank in the back
is this bad? what should i do?

i have mollys and guppies in the tank and there all doing just fine,
HELP

hey so ya he died like 20 minutes after i posted this, my lfs was very friendly and took him back,

Answer 1

It's not good, at least not if you've had him for a while.

You say this was your "first" water change, so this say to me that you might have a relatively new tank (less than 2 months old). Rams are very sensitive to their water quality, and yours may still be cycling - that is building bacteria to decompose fish wastes. If so, he's not going to do well without serious water changes to reduce the ammonia and nitrite that could be in your water.

If the ram was in your tank from the first, it may have slowly become accustomed to the decrease in water quality over time, and with the water change, the change in ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH caused a "shock" to your fish. Even though the water you used in the change was from the same source, realize that the wastes in the tank cause the water chemistry there to change, so what you added would not have been the same as that in which they were living. Even the pH will decrease from the CO2 and wastes that your fish produce.

About all you can do now is hope the ram recovers. If it does, and your tank is new, you might be better to return him at least until your tank has had the chance to mature - which will be about 6 months from the time it's set up. Otherwise, I would recommend that you do smaller but more frequent water changes so each water change is less of an actual *change* for the fish in the tank. About 15% twice a week until the tank has finished cycling, then you can go to 25% each week. Use a gravel vacuum to clean the gravel at the bottom to remove your water rather than just scooping it out - any wastes in the rocks will continue to decompose and add ammonia and nitrite to the tank.

Also, be sure you aren't overfeeding the fish - only give them what they're able to finish in 2-3 minutes no more than twice a day.

The rams also prefer to have soft, slightly acidic water and the guppies and mollies need just the opposite - hard, neutral to alkaline water. If you continue to keep these together, you can only meet the needs of one or the other, and the one who's needs aren't met will suffer for it.

Answer 2

when buying new fish it's important to test the store's pH to make sure that the change won't shcok it but this death isn't immediate it can take up to a month for a fish to die of irregular pH. if there is no sign of diases or any other abnormality I could only deduct that the pH at the store is way different than yours. also you cannot trust the staff on the pH I went to petsmart and they said there pH was 6.5. Then I tested it with my kit and it was 8.2. If this is the case you can probably take it back tro the store and get a refund also make sure they are caring for it in a seprate tank till it gets better and make sure their not just gonna flush it to save a buck one meds and special care.

Answer 3

move the german ram into a new tank

Answer 4

german ram aren't good with mollys or guppies...so i suggest you move the ram into another tank.

Answer 5

german blues are best in their own tank they need a high water temperature so they are more colorful and they are best to keep with slow moving fish such as angelfish ,discus , festivum cichlid

Answer 6

How much water did you change? You are only supposed to change 15%-25% of the water.

Answer 7

MOVE THE GERMAN RAM INTO ANOTER TANK

Answer 8

i feel really sorry for you..but could have changed them into another tank! =(