Blue Rams

I was in a fish store yesterday and saw a very crowded tank of Rams. They
were good size, at least 1.5" and their colors were fantastic however they
all had torn tails. About the last 25% of the tails were either split or
partially missing. The owner said the would grow back. Is that true? If
it weren't for the exceptional coloring I wouldn't have thought twice about
buying them.

Steve

could be fin rot... I'm not knwoledgeable on this condition to comment much
on it, but I would definitely wait to hear some more responses before
considering them.

"Steve" wrote in message
newsYy3b.219882$cF.72139@rwcrnsc53...
I was in a fish store yesterday and saw a very crowded tank of Rams. They
were good size, at least 1.5" and their colors were fantastic however they
all had torn tails. About the last 25% of the tails were either split or
partially missing. The owner said the would grow back. Is that true? If
it weren't for the exceptional coloring I wouldn't have thought twice
about
buying them.

Steve

"Steve" wrote in message
newsYy3b.219882$cF.72139@rwcrnsc53...
I was in a fish store yesterday and saw a very crowded tank of Rams.
They
were good size, at least 1.5" and their colors were fantastic however
they
all had torn tails. About the last 25% of the tails were either split
or
partially missing. The owner said the would grow back. Is that true?
If
it weren't for the exceptional coloring I wouldn't have thought twice
about
buying them.

Steve

Yes, tails grow back, unless the damage goes right to the base of the fin
rays. In nature, few of these fish maintain perfect fins. Note that
there is a small chance that a split tail may stay split (more so if it
reaches the base, but still only a small chance IMO), and missing chunks
of tail might fill back in but have jagged overgrown edges or be without
a perfect colour match to the undamaged tail. Generally speaking, the
more time the tail has to grow back, and the younger the fish, the more
perfect the filled tail will be. IMHO juveniles tend to grow their tails
back the quickest and with the least discernable differences.

NetMax

NetMax wrote in message ...

"Steve" wrote in message
newsYy3b.219882$cF.72139@rwcrnsc53...
I was in a fish store yesterday and saw a very crowded tank of Rams.
They
were good size, at least 1.5" and their colors were fantastic however
they
all had torn tails. About the last 25% of the tails were either split
or
partially missing. The owner said the would grow back. Is that true?
If
it weren't for the exceptional coloring I wouldn't have thought twice
about
buying them.

Steve

Yes, tails grow back, unless the damage goes right to the base of the fin
rays. In nature, few of these fish maintain perfect fins. Note that
there is a small chance that a split tail may stay split (more so if it
reaches the base, but still only a small chance IMO), and missing chunks
of tail might fill back in but have jagged overgrown edges or be without
a perfect colour match to the undamaged tail. Generally speaking, the
more time the tail has to grow back, and the younger the fish, the more
perfect the filled tail will be. IMHO juveniles tend to grow their tails
back the quickest and with the least discernable differences.

NetMax



I had bolivian butterfly that I found head first stuck in the filter inlet
grill. I got it out and it swam around, it was ok except for the fact that
it had the middle 2 thirds of it's tail severed. It died soon after. I put
this down to the fact that the barramundi I had in the tank at the time had
a go at it.(barramundi - most efficient predator in the fish world by a long
way - stupid to have it in with a ram I know)

a story that is useless to you, but a story non the less.

Steve,

Tails do grow back.....I have a "feeder" goldfish in my 55 gallon that
somehow survived my Oscar and Green Terror, but not without losing half a
tail and many scales. He has been in the tank about 2 weeks, and I can
already see new growth in his tail fin and his scales are coming back in
nicely. I would spend the money for 3-4 of them, if you are sure that the
tails were the only problem. (look at the gills, breathing frequency, etc.
.....) Let me know if you get some......and maybe hook up some pics.

Aaron


"Steve" wrote in message
newsYy3b.219882$cF.72139@rwcrnsc53...
I was in a fish store yesterday and saw a very crowded tank of Rams. They
were good size, at least 1.5" and their colors were fantastic however they
all had torn tails. About the last 25% of the tails were either split or
partially missing. The owner said the would grow back. Is that true? If
it weren't for the exceptional coloring I wouldn't have thought twice
about
buying them.

Steve

Thanks to all that replied. This is a very helpful group. Some of you
legitimately suggested to make sure it was not a disease that was chewing up
the tails. I have always admired Rams and other than the tails these were
the healthiest looking ones I have seen. I was in the same store yesterday
and they were very few left in the tank. May be too late.



Steve