Pitch Black Rams

[Ron Sower]

I have never heard of the female going for the male.  That is very very unusual.  It's interesting to me that you've had a killer twice and I have never had one.

My new pair was a bust.  They're back in the big tank now and sometime today, maybe during WC I'll keep my eyes open for another pair looking like they're in the mood.

Liz my old Golden Eyed dwarf cichilds did that. I would pull the male because the females are so protective of the spawn. That is a breed trait though.

...I had it happen once with breeding Krebs...everything was good til he must have pissed her off...he was dead at the end of the day when I checked on them...

[LizStreithorst]

Ron, sometimes I just go BB.  There are too many places to hide in a planted tank.  These fish are sneaky when they are caring for kids. 

I snagged what I think is another potential breeding pair this afternoon when I fed lunch.  Their tank has quite a few baby long finned albino snots.  I put in a piece of driftwood with plants glued to it as a place for the little snots to hide.  I use anything from 10 gallon tanks to 29's.  I change a ton of water.  In a 10 I have to change water more often than in a larger tank.

[wsantia1]

Ron, sometimes I just go BB.  There are too many places to hide in a planted tank.  These fish are sneaky when they are caring for kids. 

I snagged what I think is another potential breeding pair this afternoon when I fed lunch.  Their tank has quite a few baby long finned albino snots.  I put in a piece of driftwood with plants glued to it as a place for the little snots to hide.  I use anything from 10 gallon tanks to 29's.  I change a ton of water.  In a 10 I have to change water more often than in a larger tank.

Liz, how often do you change the water in the 20 gallon tanks. I'm pulling the parents out of the 20 either tonight or in the morning.

[LizStreithorst]

Willie the answer to that question depends on so many things I can't give you an easy answer.  I learned by trying different things and seeing what worked for me.  These fish are still teaching me this or that I didn't know.

[Ron Sower]

I have been watching videos on raising Rams this afternoon....Liz, is raising and breeding the black Rams pretty much like raising the German Blues?...
I had a pair of them several years ago and they spawned a couple times, but I had no place to grow them out...they were in a small community tank and the parents stressed and ate the eggs...

[LizStreithorst]

As far as I'm concerned the only difference is that it easier to tell the sex of the blues.

[Ron Sower]

As far as I'm concerned the only difference is that it easier to tell the sex of the blues.

...thanks!...

[LizStreithorst]

The second Pitch Black pair from Pitch black parents spawned for the first time this late last night or early this morning.  I'm watching and waiting.

[wsantia1]

The second Pitch Black pair from Pitch black parents spawned for the first time this late last night or early this morning.  I'm watching and waiting.

Good Luck Liz.

[wsantia1]

The pair # 2 female beat up the male so badly that I had to take him out this morning.

So I put a different male in with this female and the same thing happened to him. The only difference is that I was around and got him out of there before any real damage was done.

I know some may be wondering if she is a "he". Well she has already spawned with the previous male she beat up. Then she ate the wigglers.

I guess I'll put her in a tank with one of my blind Angels (I have 2). I rescued these angels so they are now pets instead of potential breeders.

[LizStreithorst]

I'm sorry I sent you a fish that turned out to be a killer Willie.  She's a real head case.  If she were mine I'd give her a lot of air out by tossing her into the weeds and walking away until she turned into compost. 

[Ron Sower]

I'm sorry I sent you a fish that turned out to be a killer Willie.  She's a real head case.  If she were mine I'd give her a lot of air out by tossing her into the weeds and walking away until she turned into compost.

...there's your tough love side showing up again, Liz...! 

[wsantia1]

I'm sorry I sent you a fish that turned out to be a killer Willie.  She's a real head case.  If she were mine I'd give her a lot of air out by tossing her into the weeds and walking away until she turned into compost.

Liz she is a beauty so I will pass on throwing her into the weeds . I'll find a spot for her in one of my snot tanks.

[wsantia1]

It's been a couple of rough weeks for my Pitch Black (mostly gold) fry. It seems that every day there are 1 or 2 more dead. I've been feeding them 3 times a day and they get close to a 50% water change every day. I am now down to just 2 gold ones. It just seems like they are not growing well even though I make sure they are well fed.

I do have a spawn of wigglers but there were more unfertile eggs that fertile ones. I am waiting for them to go free swimming so I can snatch them up. It may just be the pairing. I also have another pair that like each other a lot but I can tell the female is not ready. She was the youngest of the bunch.

Then there is the murderer male and the crazy female that I can pair with anything including each other. They are both healed up and healthy so maybe I'll try again. They have both spawned before, just not with each other.

I'm trying not to let it get me frustrated because I know these fish are great stock and it's only a matter of time before I am successful.

[LizStreithorst]

Keep at it Willie.  I wish I knew how to advise you better.