Powder Blue Rams finally Spawned!!!!

After 1 and 1/2 years, my Rams finally spawned!!!!

So here's a little history, feel free to skip it:

I have posted a couple of threads in the past year and a half about these rams. Well originally I bought 8 Powder Blue Rams off of a seller on Aquabid. Within the first 3 months, two died, due to my DIY moss wall, which I then took down. Eventually 1 other one died. Then when I moved awhile later, I had to move the fish and fish tanks. Anyways, now I had 5 Rams, and one had colored up and turned out to be an Electric Blue (look at my sig). Well, during the acclimation at the new place, she died sadly. So now I was stuck with 2 Pairs. Slowly 1 pair died out, and another pair remained. The male then died too, and I was stuck with a lone female for around 5 months.

So here's where it get slightly exciting:

Now here's 'present day', kinda. Well, last Wednesday, the 8th, I went to a local fish club meeting where they have an auction afterwards. So, I ended up going home with 2 Male Adult Powder Blue Rams! One was bigger and was obviously the dominant one. He quickly went after my old female, who was smaller, and he continued to court her. After several days (today) I did a 10 gallon water change on the 75 Gallon, which I hadn't done in a long time, and I moved a clay disc thing to the left side of the tank, which was were the two rams would occasionally go. I assumed they might spawn there, so that's why I moved the clay disc there. Anyways, later that day (today), I noticed the female was 'sporting' her egg tube, so this was good news! Then later that evening around 7:30 or so, they started to spawn!!!! I was so excited as I have never had any fish lay eggs before (but I have bred every major livebearer), plus I had had the intention to breed them for over a year.

I'll try to get pics tomorrow, but they will probably have already eaten the eggs. It will probably take them a few tries to get it right, so I'll have to be patient. I'm uploading a video soon too, so, watch out for that.

My female also has EBR genes, so I may get some EBR's out of them if they are successful!

So Pics and Videos coming soon!

 

Congrats!!!!

Did you get the powder blues from Joe?

 

Congrats!!!!

Did you get the powder blues from Joe?

Thanks, and yes, I did. Looking back, I should have gotten the Gold Powder Blues. They were sold to me as "Mettalic Powder Blue Rams".

Have you bought from him? They are very professionally packed.

 

I thought about it getting them, but decided against it. I'm definitely going to be following this thread...

I'm getting 6 EBRs instead and going to breed them.

 

Very cool!! I'm waiting for pictures LOL.

 

Very cool!! I'm waiting for pictures LOL.

Yeah, you and me both

 

I thought about it getting them, but decided against it. I'm definitely going to be following this thread...

I'm getting 6 EBRs instead and going to breed them.

I was going to do that in the beginning too (get EBRs), but they were too expensive . I may end up getting a female EBR, and try to breed it with that other lone male xD

Very cool!! I'm waiting for pictures LOL.

Yeah, you and me both

So am I. I have to wait till tomorrow to get pictures, and that is IF they still have the eggs. Video is almost done though >.<

 

I know where you can get cheap and quality EBRs ;-)

 

I know where you can get cheap and quality EBRs ;-)

*cough cough*

 

I know where you can get cheap and quality EBRs ;-)

Is that where you are getting your EBR from?

*cough cough*

*facepalm*

I already saw that thread I have the money for them, but I have to control myself >.< Plus there is a LFS here that has them (or HAD them) for $10, and there was someone selling them on another forum for $10. Idk, but I will let you know Rogue, if I change my mind

 

Lol...I sure am.

The EBRs here are selling at one LFS for $24.99 (not the greatest quality) and another one is selling them for $34.99....looks a lot better.

I'm glad yours is breeding, I might purchase from you when they are ready to ship ;-)

 

Lol...I sure am.

The EBRs here are selling at one LFS for $24.99 (not the greatest quality) and another one is selling them for $34.99....looks a lot better.

I'm glad yours is breeding, I might purchase from you when they are ready to ship ;-)

Wow, $35! The highest price I've seen around here was $24.99, for decent quality ones.

And yeah, always good to have a diverse stock/gene pool

I saw your thread too. You should ask Mike for a blog and then transfer your thread to your blog.

 

There are two stores here that sell them. One for $40 and one for $65. Needless to say I never buy anything when I walk in there.

 

...that is expensive.

 

There are two stores here that sell them. One for $40 and one for $65. Needless to say I never buy anything when I walk in there.

:;eatdrink *spits out orange colored drink* That's crazy, poor rams will never be bought....
(btw, we need an emoticon for that, spitting out a drink)

Anyways, here's my poor video:

Skip to 2:15 to see the rams Excuse the bad lighting. And watch in HD/720P, it's a must

 

I got to say, that is an awesome tank. I love, love the natural look.

What is your pH?

 

I got to say, that is an awesome tank. I love, love the natural look.

What is your pH?

Thanks, I kinda have mixed feeling with this tank xD

It's been 7 months since I set this up and there still are TONS of tannins. I haven't tested the pH in awhile, but I will probably do so tomorrow. It's gotta be under 7.0.

You should check out my other tanks, specifically my 20Long, not necessarily 'natural looking' though

 

I love how dark it looks...what substrate did you use?

 

I love how dark it looks...what substrate did you use?

It's just dirt, capped with normal black gravel. I might get some Black Diamond Blasting sand to add to it later, because there is not enough of a substrate cap.

Here's the Pics, there's a lot.... I took more of my other tanks too


The female and the other lonely male.....

The eggs, as of today:

















The female ram:





The Pair:



More pics to come, I think

More pics!!!

The Male

My Male Killi!



The 20 Long
























The other pics are on the first page....if you haven't seen them

 

Nice pictures! I'm surprised your Powder blues have so much color to them! Mine were always just blue.

 

Nice pictures! I'm surprised your Powder blues have so much color to them! Mine were always just blue.

Yeah, the pictures really, really do not do them justice though.

 

Awesome pictures of your PBRs.....

I use to breed that type of Kilifish before....

 

Awesome pictures of your PBRs.....

I use to breed that type of Kilifish before....

Thanks, and that's cool. It's some Fundulopanchax gardnerI killi. I'm thinking of breeding them too, they are a proven pair. I bought them proven.

Anyways,
I saw 2 or 3 eggs turned white, I hope the rams do their job and eat them. At the moment the male seems more devoted than the female at this, but they both should get the hang of things sooner or later. They don't seem to be fanning the eggs too much, and I've heard usually the first batch doesn't end too well.

Well, lets see what happens

 

Nice pictures! I'm surprised your Powder blues have so much color to them! Mine were always just blue.

Oh yeah, and these are the Rams I posted threads about before, where you commented them, remember the pics?

 

Wow. Mine were much more blue, even at a young age.

 

Wow. Mine were much more blue, even at a young age.

I'm not sure if that's good or bad >.<. Did we get them from the same seller?

My remaining female from the original batch is really nice in person. SUPER purple/pinkish belly, green and blue speckles everywhere, red and yellow dorsal, lots of blue stripes on the face. I'd like to see how the fry turn out.

 

LOL depends on how you like it! No, we didn't get it from the same source. I bred my own back in India. The pink belly is definitely a plus

 

Update:

They, or some other fish, ate the eggs over night. I was expecting something like that to happen, so I'm not too "depressed" about it. At least I know now that they are willing to spawn together. Hopefully I can get a couple more spawns soon.

 

Sorry to hear, that is what I hear about first time parents.