We are new to Rams. We recently bought some electric blue rams. They have been doing fine for over 2 weeks now. One of the Rams has been acting strange for the last 4 days. We think it is a female. We think we have 2 males and 2 females in the tank. She has been sitting on top of the mag-float all day. Sitting on the filter intake sponge all day. Not swimming at all really. Belly is large where we would imagine eggs to be held. Colour hasn't changed. Doesn't look like dropsy at all. From research online she looks like she might have a breeding tube protruding.
Is the lethargic inactive behaviour typical of a pregnant Ram?
The other 3 Rams are fine. Swimming around. Flaring at each other. Looking good and healthy.
Images attached.
Unfortunately it would seem that she is sick and dying today. :(
I expect that this is bloat.
Although I never kept any Rams.
I have had Malawi and Tanganyika Cichlids for years and every so often I will get one fish ending up with bloat and eventually dying. A lot of times I think it is stress not sure why as the tank parameters and feeding schedules remain the same.
Hopefully you will get a breeding pair from the reminding group.