Redtail97

when you got first got your ram how long did it take to get its colour(not including ones that bought with colour already there)?

alicem

I guess it depends on how much color you expect from it.
About an hour after introduction to the tank mine colored up nicely for their size.
Mine are about 1.5 inches long (including their fins), so they are little yet.
The yellows and reds are vibrant and the blue on their gills is too, but the body is more lavender than blue.

Your temp. may be a little low. Your GBR may be happier with a temp. closer to 80 degrees F.
hth,
alicem

Redtail97

ok thanks

bolivianbaby

Could you take a pic? They won't show a lot of color until around 10-11 months and they're not full grown until close to two years. I'll try to find the article that shows pictures and tells you how old they are.

Redtail97

do you want me to take a pic of mine or find another pic?

dvc_r

Can I just kick in a quick suggestion?

As a general rule with most fish when it comes to feeding:
the more variety of food,
the more colorful your fish.

I'm always changing up their diets. I have five or six kinds of frozen foods, Omega flakes, granules, and "specialty" foods for specific breeds of fish. I also like to keep a 2 gal tank with live brine once a month.

Redtail97

by the way i ave only had my fish for 3 days so i am not expecting it to show its colours straight away but just asking and i feed my fish:

freeze dried brine shrimp

bloodworms(in jelly for)

good flake food

tetramin pro colour crisps

catfish pellets(i havent got any sort of catfish but i had so i still feed to plec and others)

Algae wafers

a bit of veg now and then so i do try to vary the diet but so far my GBR has only tried my colour crisp and bloodworms

alicem

I'm sure it's fine.
He's probably young and maybe a little cool.
I hope bolivianbaby finds this article. It sounds interesting.
alicem

Redtail97

thank i raised the temperature to 26 degrees celsuis like 10 mins ago so in the morning he should feel a bit better i think hes a year old(from fry) hes 1.5 inches long do you think thats a decent size for the age

dvc_r

It sounds like you're doing everything right to me.

AmongthePuffers

Sounds pretty good. With age and good care, the rams should color up nicely. Though it's never a sure thing.

Redtail97

and my LFS said they got it straight from holland they were labelled DUTCH RAMS in thew shops and they were small with barely any colour so i am guessing they werent injected with hormones otherwise they would have been colourful and i am going to get my test strips my other has run out so all i know now is my nitrite is 0 today my temperature is almost 84 DF so when i clean out the water i might just lower the temp a tiny bit what should my ideal pH be i am aiming for 6.8 and what should the hardness be