Long but worth every minute. By far the best GBR video on youtube, and by a long way. I imagine there was a lot of time & effort put into the amazing videography and editing, and it really shows. So thank you.
How I appreciate the time you put into your videos some of them like this one I don't appreciate very much because I feel like you put some fish in with other fish that just don't belong together and if people do the research they will not to put them together. I feel you've done it for video purposes only and that's just not cool like I said again I appreciate the time and effort you put into some of your videos but some are more than others on this like this one it's not cool I'm sorry just watching it, it seems it was done on purpose I'm sure you have people watching your videos just for that purpose as well. I'm still subscribed I'm still watched but some of them I'm just, I can't do it I won't do it and I will comment if I don't like them I'm not trying to be an ass Because I know how nature works and know how it's supposed to go But we don't have to force it either. Just my opinion and I know it doesn't mean much but thanks for listening
You all prolly dont give a damn but does any of you know a tool to get back into an instagram account?? I was dumb forgot my password. I would appreciate any tricks you can offer me
@Gus Lionel i really appreciate your reply. I found the site through google and im in the hacking process atm. I see it takes quite some time so I will reply here later with my results.
You're welcome! With each new video, I walk away with a greater respect and understanding for the world around me. Thanks for watching the video and taking the time to leave a comment.
My god, what an incredible expert you are. Your voice, tone and speed is actually National Discovery worthy. Thanks for helping us out. I hope to find a local Ram breeder asap instead of a shop 🤞. I subscribe, you deserve all the credit!
I swear to all things holy I’ve been watching for a new video from you. I also swear this video could not have come at a better time. I just got 2 pairs of GBRs. One female is black. You are my favorite UA-cam channel. Your work by far surpasses all other channels. This video is going to be of a huge help to me and my new fish. Previous videos of yours have helped me learn quite a bit. The mystery snails video, kribs, you’ve helped my fish room a ton. I appreciate your work. Thank you so much for the time and effort. It takes an incredible amount of work to do what you do and I once again thank you. I’ll be watching this video multiple times.
Thank you and I hope that I have done the GBRs justice with my film. At some point, I will get a patreon account and some merchandise. Thanks again for your support. :-D
the effort you put in your hobby sir, is worth a lot of views. I'm so glad i found you on youtube !! I'm a hobby breeder myself, but man this kind of uploads are extremely special and informative. Nothing on youtube is compairable with what you do, so i hope i can enjoy a lot of future uploads from you.
You have done a spectacular service for the "aquarium world" here with your splendid fish documentary! Single handedly, you may have elevated this Blue Ram species to "pop star" status!
Wow.....this is far and away the best video I have seen regarding the care and breeding of any tropical fish. Rams have always had a special place in my heart. I love everything about them, their beauty, their disposition, their stances. At 74, I am just getting back into keeping tropical fish. I just set up a 37 gallon tank, and I am awaiting plants and some hardscape. In the meantime I am cycling it with some floating plants, bacteria, liquid fert. and water changes. I hope to get some rams within a month or so and can hardly wait. Thank you so much for sharing your valuable information. I subbed and will do some binge-watching for a while. Take care.
Best video on german blue rams I’ve ever seen, I’d actually say this is a documentary, calling it a video wouldn’t make it justice. My 4 month old pair just started breeding, they’ve laid eggs in the community tank and I had to remove the leaf with the eggs, 20-30 tiny babies hatched, lots of the eggs were white maybe because of improper fertilisation or maybe because of fungus, I’ve added an air stone to the small container for air circulation but still didn’t help much. Next time I’ll give them a tank to breed and raise their fry, the process is amazing and wonderful to watch. Thank you for the effort of making these videos, new subscriber here!
BTW...this is by far the best, most comprehensive video about this topic, and I think I've watched them all! Thank you for taking the time. Your camera work is stellar!
Without doubt the best 'how to' fish video I have ever seen. The photography is excellent. I have seen productions from National Geographic which do not come up to this standard.
I watched it at playback speed: 1.5x because of the length and slow talking but ended up watching it again in regular speed because...Wow! Great footage! Very informative. This video is one of a kind on youtube, not a lot of good GBR vids out there. Thank you for this!
You're welcome! It was a lot of fun to make. It took a year to film and put together, and began at nearly 2 hours in length. So, oddly enough, this is the short version ! :-)
I'm not sure that I have enough adjectives in my vocabulary to adequately describe this video, but I'll try. How about - stunning, exemplary, superb, excellent and breathtaking? OK, you get the idea. I don't know what video equipment Dave uses to capture such close-ups but the detail has to be seen to be believed. I have bred German Blue Rams so I must say a big 'thank you' to Dave for this first-class video presentation.
Thank you for the list of complimentary adjectives! And by the way, you forgot spell-binding ! But seriously, I appreciate the kind words. Thank you. :-)
No problem. I checked out the details of your video gear and was astonished to find that this video was shot on a product that costs less than £400. Amazing!
Hoorah! The latest video from The Dave is here and once again it's superb and well worth the wait. Everything about this series impresses me so much, from the professional quality of the videography and the editing, to the fact that as with all The Dave videos, the emphasis throughout is wholly on informing and educating the viewer(s) regarding the subject species. I live in an area with fairly hard water (pH: 7.3, GH 24, KH 9, out of the tap), so German Blue Rams, while on my list of species-I'd-like-to-keep, are for now a project for the future, if and when R.O. water becomes a practicality. However, I understand that the Bolivian Ram (Mikrogeophagus altispinosus) would perhaps be more adaptable/forgiving ? p.s. There was one tiny issue at 12:30, where "sight" was used onscreen instead of "site", but in a video that lasts almost an hour (which absolutely flew by, btw) that is an almost insignificant quibble. p.p.s. I'm fairly sure that I've asked previously if there was any chance of you doing a species video sometime on the Celestial Pearl Danio and you replied that you were currently working on a GBR (this) video. So, now that it's finished, if you're looking for suggestions...
Hi, thanks for watching the video. I've never kept Bolivian Rams, but yes, it's my understanding that they are a good bit more tolerant. As to the "sight vs. site" error . . . How embarrassing ! Trust me, I know the difference. Silly mistakes like that drive me crazy, but life goes on. Yes, CPDs are on my agenda. They are incredibly beautiful fish! I certainly understand why you're asking. However, I usually have several projects going at once. While I was filming the Rams, I was also working on Angelfish, and Bristlenose Catfish, as well as other odds and ends ! But I'll tell you what, after they're done, CPDs are at the top of my list . . . :-)
Thank You, I look forward to seeing a CPD video from you. Considering the huge impact they made in the hobby, so soon after they were discovered, it's surprising how little reliable information is available on them.
I really appreciate your knowledge and effort to create this video on GBRs. Your commentary is really nice to listen to, very detailed and informative. Thanks for sharing!
You're welcome, and thank you so much for leaving a comment! They're such great fish, and it was a fun film to make. I have a lot more footage, so you can expect another video on these beauties in the near future. . .
Absolutely the best video on youtube in the care of these magnificent fish. I was afraid to try to breed them but this video has given me the courage to try. Thank you!!
As always you make a complete report about the subject that you are showing, with all the details, with a exelente video resolution, thanks for the huge amount of good information about the blue rams.take care, be safe.
I used to breed blue rams years ago and agree that choice of quality stock is paramount to breeding success. The stock available today has been 'interfered with' too much, leading to weak strains which are prone to disease and poor parenting skills. I use rainwater in my tanks but have to store it for weeks before I can use it due to nitrite in the water - always a good policy to test it prior to adding it to your aquarium. I never got rams to live beyond 26-27 months. Thanks for posting a very instructive video. The photography was superb.
Thank you for watching the video, and taking the time to leave comment. All very good advice / information. What's causing the high nitrites in your rainwater ? The collecting equipment or pollution in the rain ?
I live in west Wales where there is little or no air pollution. I have a concrete-tiled roof and a polypropylene water butt. I'm assuming that the nitrogen in the atmosphere dissolves in the rain and falls as nitrous acid, showing up as nitrite ion when I test the water. I decant the water into containers and leave it to stand for a few weeks. There is a tiny amount of sediment in the bottom of these and presumably some nitrifiers, as the NO2 disappears leaving 0-10 mg.L of nitrate.
Hmmm, interesting thank you for replying. I always let it rain for 10-15 minutes before I begin collecting rainwater to help reduce contamination from dust / dirt that collects on the roof. I wonder if putting a sponge filter in the water butt would be helpful ?
@@TheDave333 I'm sure you're right, though an air stone, or anything that gently circulates the water, would improve gaseous exchange and improve oxygen levels. Chuck in some lava rock or alfagrog and the water butt can probably oxidise nitrite almost as quickly as it arrives. I'm not sure if you're aware, but recent studies using DNA libraries, have shown that the micro-organisms responsible for most of the oxidation of N in our tanks are archaea rather than bacteria. This new understanding supercedes the previous theory (accepted as gospel for decades) concerning nitrosomnas and nitrobacter bacteria. There are also comammox bacteria at work. The single most potent limiting factor is always oxygen. Happily archaea are not negatively impacted by low pH, though with low conductivity water pH becomes somewhat meaningless anyway. The point is that archaea survive in some of the harshest environments on earth, making water butts an easy ride, so give them oxygen and they'll do the job. Some folks on the UKAPS forums keep daphnia cultures in their rainwater collectors, not for fish feeding but to indicate that the collected water is fish safe. I thought that was pretty smart, so I thought I'd pass it on :)
Thank you so much for sharing this information. . . It certainly makes sense that the more "primitive" of the prokaryotes would be the one to carry out such an important function for all life on the planet. It also makes sense that oxygen would be the critical limiting factor. Adding an airstone is brilliant ! Simple beautiful. Thank you. :-)
I really enjoyed this, I have my first tank setup in nearly ten years and happened to get a male and two female Blue Ram's. Iv'e never seen, heard of or had them before but I love them already. To me they are placid and sociable, anytime I have to do work on their tank (175 Litres here in Australia or 3 foot) they always follow me around to check out what I'm doing. I've had many set-ups over the years from full planted tanks to pure Chichlid tanks (6-foot plus) and many more but these little guys are awesome! I would like to see them breed but I have a couple Pictus Catfish and 3 x Clown loaches so I might need another tank for them. Thank you for taking the time to record and share this, it is much appreciated and enjoyed!
I have kept fish for over 30 years and read about them extensively, BUT there is so much to learn from this video. I'll definitely be back to watch this one again! Thank you for taking the time and effort to make this fantastic documentary. Subscribing!
Thank you for your subscription. Feel free to watch it as many times as you like!!! It's like a Monty Python movie, each time you watch it, there will be something new to see. :-)
Amazing video. To answer your question, I was able to keep my first pair of German Blue Rams alive for 11 months. I wish I had seen this video before purchasing them. Thank you for such a wonderfully informative video!
Hey Dave! Thank you for this great video, I've watched it more than 5 times already in its entirety and am always learning something new! I finally managed to have my pair spawn and now have little fry wrigglers! I have a question regarding water changes for the fry, how often and how much do you recommend I do it once the fry are free swimming? And do I have to feed them before they start free swimming? Do you recommend I do anything to the light I have for the plants or keep the scheduled lighting as it was before? Thank you so much for the amazing resource as a hobbyist!
Hi ! Thanks for watching the video, and congratulations on the wrigglers!!! How often you have to change the water will depend on a lot of different things like the tank size, number of fish, how heavily you feed, etc. . . In a 10 gallon tank with a pair of Rams, I change one gallon of water everyday. I try to be as stealthy as I can, so I don't disturb the parents and the babies. I put the freshwater back in using airline tubing, and gravity. I put the airline tubing in the top of the sponge filter outflow, so that everything is nice and gradual. If the new water is retuned very slowly it doesn't even have to be the same exact temperature. You can use an airline control valve to adjust how quickly the water is put back into the tank. You can change larger quantities of water, less frequently if you like, but the key is to return the freshwater slowly, so there's no rapid change in temp., pH. etc. . . . Either way the key is to not panic the parents, and to not make large changes to the water chemistry. Slow and steady, minimal stress. Don't feed the babies until they're free-swimming, but keep feeding the parents. As long as you don't have a lot of algae growing, I would keep the lighting schedule the same, and if it's on an automatic timer, it's even better. Best of luck, and let me know how it all works out. :-)
@@TheDave333 Thank you so much!! I will follow accordingly appreciate the amazing information! They started free swimming this morning so I'm preparing some powdered liquid water and egg yolk! Thank you!
Be very careful not to overfeed. Especially with the egg yolk! They need very, very, little. Many people pollute the water by overfeeding egg yolk. Best of luck. It might be a good idea to think about buying a microworm culture too. Great food easy to grow. . . :-) ua-cam.com/video/vV6xYtrZS28/v-deo.html
@@TheDave333 I think I made a terrible mistake of overfeeding the tank :( I can't gauge how much to feed and squirted a good amount of food into the tank. I'm waking up to find less and less fry everyday. I only used it twice and have since tried to feed them powder repashy and am waiting for Hikari first bites and my starter micro worms to come in! In terms of amount of food, how do you determine how much is enough per feeding? Thank you for the video link! EDIT: Update, my pair ate the remaining fry for some reason :( It looked like they were moving them around, but I noticed the female did not release the fry after a while. I don't see any fry anymore in the tank.
@neverLamp Sorry to hear about the babies. It's really hard to gauge how much to feed, especially with prepared foods. One approach is to feed them way less than you think they'll eat, and then use a magnifying glass to look at their bellies to see if they're full. That can be difficult to see. And this is where live foods come in handy, because they can live in the water for quite a while before dying and decomposing. So, the fish have a long time to find them and eat them all. The good news is they'll lay eggs again soon!!! In the mean time, be sure that your water parameters are in check. Things will go better next time . . . :-)
This Saturday 11/30/19 , I will be setting up a “species only” new tank 29 gallons, for my electric blue pair. So far they have spawned twice. But the tank they are currently in is a community tank. There is no way they can protect their eggs where they are. So by the next morning all the eggs are gone. :(. So the new tank is going in just for them. :). I know that nothing goes fast with proper aquarium keeping. .
Thank you. I'm very proud of this one. All together, it took about a year to complete! I have a lot more footage, so there'll be other videos on this species in the near future. Thanks again. :-)
The photography is beautiful! By far the best video on caring for and breeding German Blue Rams that I have seen, very informative. Thank you for the info about starting with a good pair. I have bought 2 pairs now, from my local fish store, and lost them within a couple months both times. Now I know why! I will look for a local breeder. I am dedicating a 12 gallon bowfront to the project.
WoW, WoW, WoW!!!! Wish you had made this video a few years ago. I did breed GBR for a while but found there wasn't a big enough market to sell them on. Educational videos like this will make them a more attractive option for the hobbyist to keep and breakdown the fears of keeping them. Outstanding video mate!!!!!
Hi ! I know just what you mean ! My Rams produce a lot of fry. The general public wants small, easy to keep, colorful fish like guppies. And that's fine too, all fish are amazing. Thanks for watching the video and taking the time to leave a comment.
Wow what a video, well made and very informative. I just posted my version of an in-depth video on breeding Lamprologus Ocellatus, but your video is fantastic and blows mine out of the water! Well done mate!
@@TheDave333 truly mate, amazing footage and information. Your footage of the eggs and fry hatching was remarkable. Really inspired me to give them a go. Just gotta source good stock on Australia.
I was breeding these rams and i noticed that the male started to attack the female the baby fish had already been born and were free swimming. I also noticed that female was in a corner hiding and then one of the baby fry got near her and she ate it. The male was the only parent still protecting the fry could it be possible that she started eating them and the male got defensive. (I have taken them both out the aquarium at this point since the fry are 9 days old and free swimming just as a precaution.)
Please see the description section below the video for the camera make and model. I also used various macro lenses that are not listed in the description.
I love how straightforward and informative this is, it was a joy to watch, even though I'm not a cichlid kind of person, I love the parenting behaviors and the colors!!! The fry are so tiny and cute!! AHHHH
@@TheDave333 I agree, they're just more aggressive than what I'm used to/a bit intimidating, I'm kind of new to this fish community even though I've always loved and respected fish, I wasn't allowed to get a tank until I was 18, now I have 3 different tanks but I only have 5 gallon tanks that are much too small for most fish. I can't wait to further enjoy this hobby, I love your content!
@ Leah Nicholson Thank you! I have a true desire to help people who are genuinely interested in the hobby. And in the spirit of helping, I'd like to offer you some advice. Keep things simple, use sponge filters, use live plants, avoid using chemicals, other then dechlorinator, in your tanks. Feed lightly . . . over-feeding is probably the most common mistake that new hobbyists make. For small aquariums like yours, consider breeding cherry shrimp, Endler livebearers, or the steel blue killifish. All three of these species would be very comfortable in a 5 gallon tank, and they're all pretty simple to breed. I'm here if you ever need more advice that you didn't ask for. lol :-)
@@TheDave333 that's good advice. I've done extensive research, and for now I just have a few betas and 2 empty tanks that I want to put some rice fish in and maybe some pygmy Cory catfish, but I'm not very heavy set in any of my decisions. I'm very open minded. If you think that there's anything better, but I can put besides race fish, or if there is anything wrong with what I want please tell me
Unfortunately, I only sell them locally, and the place where I originally bought mine has stopped breeding them. I have not bought any in a long time, so I have no seller recommendations. I would join a Facebook group or two that focuses on German Blue Rams. . . They might be able to help recommend someone reliable to you. Best of luck.
A biologist who made a video about them said that otocinclus are a much better choice than plecos, as they don’t eat the eggs at all . While bristle nose plecos may , my pair has spawned tonight , the male seems in charge of the eggs , the female seems a bit shocked and the male chases her away .
You inspired me with these breeding videos I have successfully bred them, the kind of detail you give is really helpful, hope you would make similar videos on more and more fishes.
The video was very informative! Absolutely every detail was covered! I learnt a lot and is very grateful to you for taking the time to explain things clearly step by step. On this note I say thanks a million and keep up the good work. Excellent!
I have just got a pair of black rams I’m taking on board all of your info. Which is extremely informative. I tried rams over 20 years ago. They bread in a mixed tank but did not last long. All my water paramiters were wrong.thanks for the excellent documentary. Rob.
I found one of these at my local pet store years ago and had to buy it. These are the best looking fish imo. I'm getting back into the hobby and want more of these but they are hard to find. I really would love to breed them and get these into more local tanks. This video was amazing
Hi I have a couple of blue German Rams since March 2019, today is May 2020. They keep laying eggs so I started a breeding project and this video was excellent. Thank you.
Thank you for this video, after buying my first 2 rams and one passing away the next day, i felt horrible and really trying to find out why it died, i still have no idea, but now i know how to really care for the one i have left thanks to you.
This was absolutely beautiful. Awesome footage, amazing effort. I have only been able to keep them for around a year. I also have a full grown spawn of around 20 or so that I'm gona care for even more just because of this vid. Kudos man.
You're welcome. I initially got mine from a company / breeder that goes by the name YUNITE. They're in California. Their website has been down for a while, but you can find them (yunite) on Aquabid. Excellent fish / very high quality.
Just bought a pair! So far they are skidding but are adjusting nicely! Turns out they are a hybrid between the GBR and EBR but the GBR genes are dominant. They absolutely look spectacular! Thanks to your hard work I will hopefully have some success with them. Thanks so everything you do!
Fantastic Video!! Very well done. After watching this Video I’m looking forward to getting a pair. Thank you for taking the time to show us how to raise them. I for one really appreciate it.
Thanks!
Thank you so much for your support. 😁
Long but worth every minute. By far the best GBR video on youtube, and by a long way. I imagine there was a lot of time & effort put into the amazing videography and editing, and it really shows. So thank you.
You're very welcome. The fish did most of the work. . . :-)
How I appreciate the time you put into your videos some of them like this one I don't appreciate very much because I feel like you put some fish in with other fish that just don't belong together and if people do the research they will not to put them together. I feel you've done it for video purposes only and that's just not cool like I said again I appreciate the time and effort you put into some of your videos but some are more than others on this like this one it's not cool I'm sorry just watching it, it seems it was done on purpose I'm sure you have people watching your videos just for that purpose as well. I'm still subscribed I'm still watched but some of them I'm just, I can't do it I won't do it and I will comment if I don't like them I'm not trying to be an ass Because I know how nature works and know how it's supposed to go But we don't have to force it either. Just my opinion and I know it doesn't mean much but thanks for listening
What a wonderful little documentary!
Thank you!
You all prolly dont give a damn but does any of you know a tool to get back into an instagram account??
I was dumb forgot my password. I would appreciate any tricks you can offer me
@Finn Alberto instablaster ;)
@Gus Lionel i really appreciate your reply. I found the site through google and im in the hacking process atm.
I see it takes quite some time so I will reply here later with my results.
@Gus Lionel It worked and I now got access to my account again. Im so happy:D
Thank you so much you really help me out!
You put so much time and effort into sharing your knowledge and passion about these beautiful fish and I am very grateful for it! Thank you!!
You're welcome! With each new video, I walk away with a greater respect and understanding for the world around me. Thanks for watching the video and taking the time to leave a comment.
My god, what an incredible expert you are. Your voice, tone and speed is actually National Discovery worthy. Thanks for helping us out. I hope to find a local Ram breeder asap instead of a shop 🤞. I subscribe, you deserve all the credit!
Wow, thank you! 😁
I swear to all things holy I’ve been watching for a new video from you.
I also swear this video could not have come at a better time. I just got 2 pairs of GBRs. One female is black.
You are my favorite UA-cam channel. Your work by far surpasses all other channels. This video is going to be of a huge help to me and my new fish. Previous videos of yours have helped me learn quite a bit. The mystery snails video, kribs, you’ve helped my fish room a ton.
I appreciate your work. Thank you so much for the time and effort. It takes an incredible amount of work to do what you do and I once again thank you.
I’ll be watching this video multiple times.
Have you thought about having t-shirts made up? If you do I’m absolutely in on that or a patreon donation.
Thank you and I hope that I have done the GBRs justice with my film.
At some point, I will get a patreon account and some merchandise.
Thanks again for your support. :-D
She looks like she could have the black gene, but I don't think so. Breed my own GBR'S but this guy's are still beautiful 😊
1 hour of GERMAN BLUE RAM documentary omg hahaha LIKED!
First rate content.
If every aquarium species had a video like this, the fish-keeping hobby would be transformed.
I'm working on it . . . :-)
the effort you put in your hobby sir, is worth a lot of views. I'm so glad i found you on youtube !! I'm a hobby breeder myself, but man this kind of uploads are extremely special and informative. Nothing on youtube is compairable with what you do, so i hope i can enjoy a lot of future uploads from you.
Thank you very much! Your words of encouragement really help to push me forward with my work. Have a spectacular day :-D
Very impressive presentation.
Beautiful documentary 🍻
My heart almost jumped out when the pleco landed on the eggs. Hahaha
Thank you for watching the video, and taking the time to leave a comment. This documentary too nearly a year to make !!!
The best video on UA-cam , no crazy annoying music just good information
Glad you liked it!
You have done a spectacular service for the "aquarium world" here with your splendid fish documentary! Single handedly, you may have elevated this Blue Ram species to "pop star" status!
Wow, thank you! The fish did most of the work. :-)
Best content ever, just like a very professional documentary. Thank you very much.
You're very welcome. I love making them.
Wow.....this is far and away the best video I have seen regarding the care and breeding of any tropical fish. Rams have always had a special place in my heart. I love everything about them, their beauty, their disposition, their stances. At 74, I am just getting back into keeping tropical fish. I just set up a 37 gallon tank, and I am awaiting plants and some hardscape. In the meantime I am cycling it with some floating plants, bacteria, liquid fert. and water changes. I hope to get some rams within a month or so and can hardly wait. Thank you so much for sharing your valuable information. I subbed and will do some binge-watching for a while. Take care.
Thank you so much for subscribing to my channel, and taking the time to leave comments. Welcome back to a wonderful hobby. :-D
Best video on german blue rams I’ve ever seen, I’d actually say this is a documentary, calling it a video wouldn’t make it justice. My 4 month old pair just started breeding, they’ve laid eggs in the community tank and I had to remove the leaf with the eggs, 20-30 tiny babies hatched, lots of the eggs were white maybe because of improper fertilisation or maybe because of fungus, I’ve added an air stone to the small container for air circulation but still didn’t help much. Next time I’ll give them a tank to breed and raise their fry, the process is amazing and wonderful to watch.
Thank you for the effort of making these videos, new subscriber here!
Thanks fort sharing your experience with me, and for subscribing.
I appreciate the love . . . Best of luck with the GBRs. :-)
BTW...this is by far the best, most comprehensive video about this topic, and I think I've watched them all! Thank you for taking the time. Your camera work is stellar!
Thanks for watching the video and taking the time to leave a nice comment.
Without doubt the best 'how to' fish video I have ever seen. The photography is excellent. I have seen productions from National Geographic which do not come up to this standard.
Thank you for the kind words. It's a labor of love.
I watched it at playback speed: 1.5x because of the length and slow talking but ended up watching it again in regular speed because...Wow! Great footage! Very informative. This video is one of a kind on youtube, not a lot of good GBR vids out there. Thank you for this!
You're welcome! It was a lot of fun to make. It took a year to film and put together, and began at nearly 2 hours in length. So, oddly enough, this is the short version ! :-)
I'm not sure that I have enough adjectives in my vocabulary to adequately describe this video, but I'll try. How about - stunning, exemplary, superb, excellent and breathtaking? OK, you get the idea. I don't know what video equipment Dave uses to capture such close-ups but the detail has to be seen to be believed. I have bred German Blue Rams so I must say a big 'thank you' to Dave for this first-class video presentation.
Thank you for the list of complimentary adjectives! And by the way, you forgot spell-binding ! But seriously, I appreciate the kind words.
Thank you. :-)
No problem. I checked out the details of your video gear and was astonished to find that this video was shot on a product that costs less than £400. Amazing!
this is a documentary. period. 5⭐ After a very long time saw such a complete video.
Thank you. 5 stars is a great compliment.
Thanks for your effort spend to make this documentary. Its outstanding. The best video on UA-cam about the mighty blue rams
Thank you :-)
I love this video! And the voice is so chill and calming. Subbed!
Thanks for the sub ! The fish keep me chill . . .
A very intelligent video, I learned a lot about baby fish. Good filming, a nice calm even voice tone that makes it easier to understand.
Thanks for the kind words. :-)
definitely the best German Blue Ram video out there, well done Sir 🙏🏻
Wow, thanks!
Hes back!!! We missed you
Ahhhh . . . :-)
Probably the most in-depth video I've ever seen on a species of fish. congrats, and thanks.
Thanks! I have more ! Feel free to watch them all. :-)
Holy crap i thought you stopped!! Thank you for returning, i love ur content
Only death can release me from my obsession with fish. :-)
This is the best video on German Rams that I have watched. Very informative!
Wow, thanks! ❤️
Wish you can do this kind of documentary for all kinds of aquarium fish hahaha
I'm working on it !! :-)
Gosh yes
Most informative video I've ever seen in the fishkeeping hobby! Great work! 👍
I'm getting a pair of rams now. 😍
Awesome! Thank you! I have more. 🙂📽
This is the BEST breeding video I've ever seen!!!!! I can't wait to hit the SUBSCRIBE button!!!!
Thank you for the compliment and your subscription. :-)
Hoorah! The latest video from The Dave is here and once again it's superb and well worth the wait.
Everything about this series impresses me so much, from the professional quality of the videography and the editing, to the fact that as with all The Dave videos, the emphasis throughout is wholly on informing and educating the viewer(s) regarding the subject species.
I live in an area with fairly hard water (pH: 7.3, GH 24, KH 9, out of the tap), so German Blue Rams, while on my list of species-I'd-like-to-keep, are for now a project for the future, if and when R.O. water becomes a practicality. However, I understand that the Bolivian Ram (Mikrogeophagus altispinosus) would perhaps be more adaptable/forgiving ?
p.s. There was one tiny issue at 12:30, where "sight" was used onscreen instead of "site", but in a video that lasts almost an hour (which absolutely flew by, btw) that is an almost insignificant quibble.
p.p.s. I'm fairly sure that I've asked previously if there was any chance of you doing a species video sometime on the Celestial Pearl Danio and you replied that you were currently working on a GBR (this) video. So, now that it's finished, if you're looking for suggestions...
Hi, thanks for watching the video. I've never kept Bolivian Rams, but yes, it's my understanding that they are a good bit more tolerant.
As to the "sight vs. site" error . . . How embarrassing !
Trust me, I know the difference. Silly mistakes like that drive me crazy, but life goes on.
Yes, CPDs are on my agenda. They are incredibly beautiful fish! I certainly understand why you're asking. However, I usually have several projects going at once. While I was filming the Rams, I was also working on Angelfish, and Bristlenose Catfish, as well as other odds and ends ! But I'll tell you what, after they're done, CPDs are at the top of my list . . . :-)
Thank You, I look forward to seeing a CPD video from you. Considering the huge impact they made in the hobby, so soon after they were discovered, it's surprising how little reliable information is available on them.
I really appreciate your knowledge and effort to create this video on GBRs. Your commentary is really nice to listen to, very detailed and informative. Thanks for sharing!
You're welcome, and thank you so much for leaving a comment! They're such great fish, and it was a fun film to make. I have a lot more footage, so you can expect another video on these beauties in the near future. . .
@@TheDave333 Thanks, I'll surely be waiting for that!
Just like Planet earth or NGC documentary. Beautiful work! Thank you!
Wow, thank you! That is very high praise. :-)
Your videos are absolutely stunning. This is incredible.
Thank you, and welcome to The Dave!
Absolutely the best video on youtube in the care of these magnificent fish. I was afraid to try to breed them but this video has given me the courage to try. Thank you!!
Wow, thank you! I really love what I do. The natural world is so amazing !!! I just wish more people knew about my channel. lol 😄
This is like a full length documentary dedicated to rams! 🎉
Yes, tell everyone that you know! It's one of the best fish videos ever!
Wow, so glad I discovered your channel! Amazing material!
Awesome, thank you! I'm glad you found this channel as well!
Amazing video , with outstanding detail. My hat goes off to you
Thank you. I only hope that I did these beautiful little fish justice.
As always you make a complete report about the subject that you are showing, with all the details, with a exelente video resolution, thanks for the huge amount of good information about the blue rams.take care, be safe.
Thank you very much!
This was quality content! Bravo !!!
Thank you. That's how I roll . . .
Absolutely the best instructionvideo ive ever seen on youtube. . So professional.
Thank you very much! I work very hard to create the best films that I can, so It's nice to be appreciated. :-)
FINALLY
love ur vids
Wow, just wow.
A magnificent species, and an excellent video. Was worth every second. Thank you.
You're welcome. Glad to have a new fan of The Dave !
I used to breed blue rams years ago and agree that choice of quality stock is paramount to breeding success. The stock available today has been 'interfered with' too much, leading to weak strains which are prone to disease and poor parenting skills. I use rainwater in my tanks but have to store it for weeks before I can use it due to nitrite in the water - always a good policy to test it prior to adding it to your aquarium. I never got rams to live beyond 26-27 months.
Thanks for posting a very instructive video. The photography was superb.
Thank you for watching the video, and taking the time to leave comment. All very good advice / information. What's causing the high nitrites in your rainwater ? The collecting equipment or pollution in the rain ?
I live in west Wales where there is little or no air pollution. I have a concrete-tiled roof and a polypropylene water butt. I'm assuming that the nitrogen in the atmosphere dissolves in the rain and falls as nitrous acid, showing up as nitrite ion when I test the water. I decant the water into containers and leave it to stand for a few weeks. There is a tiny amount of sediment in the bottom of these and presumably some nitrifiers, as the NO2 disappears leaving 0-10 mg.L of nitrate.
Hmmm, interesting thank you for replying. I always let it rain for 10-15 minutes before I begin collecting rainwater to help reduce contamination from dust / dirt that collects on the roof. I wonder if putting a sponge filter in the water butt would be helpful ?
@@TheDave333 I'm sure you're right, though an air stone, or anything that gently circulates the water, would improve gaseous exchange and improve oxygen levels. Chuck in some lava rock or alfagrog and the water butt can probably oxidise nitrite almost as quickly as it arrives.
I'm not sure if you're aware, but recent studies using DNA libraries, have shown that the micro-organisms responsible for most of the oxidation of N in our tanks are archaea rather than bacteria. This new understanding supercedes the previous theory (accepted as gospel for decades) concerning nitrosomnas and nitrobacter bacteria. There are also comammox bacteria at work.
The single most potent limiting factor is always oxygen. Happily archaea are not negatively impacted by low pH, though with low conductivity water pH becomes somewhat meaningless anyway. The point is that archaea survive in some of the harshest environments on earth, making water butts an easy ride, so give them oxygen and they'll do the job. Some folks on the UKAPS forums keep daphnia cultures in their rainwater collectors, not for fish feeding but to indicate that the collected water is fish safe. I thought that was pretty smart, so I thought I'd pass it on :)
Thank you so much for sharing this information. . . It certainly makes sense that the more "primitive" of the prokaryotes would be the one to carry out such an important function for all life on the planet. It also makes sense that oxygen would be the critical limiting factor. Adding an airstone is brilliant ! Simple beautiful. Thank you. :-)
I really enjoyed this, I have my first tank setup in nearly ten years and happened to get a male and two female Blue Ram's. Iv'e never seen, heard of or had them before but I love them already. To me they are placid and sociable, anytime I have to do work on their tank (175 Litres here in Australia or 3 foot) they always follow me around to check out what I'm doing.
I've had many set-ups over the years from full planted tanks to pure Chichlid tanks (6-foot plus) and many more but these little guys are awesome! I would like to see them breed but I have a couple Pictus Catfish and 3 x Clown loaches so I might need another tank for them. Thank you for taking the time to record and share this, it is much appreciated and enjoyed!
You're welcome. I couldn't agree with you more! They really are wonderful fish, intelligent and curious. Best of luck on your new adventure. :-)
Excellent ! Beautifully designed and produced, enjoyed every moment of this film. Thanks.
You're very welcome, it was a fun video to put together.
I have kept fish for over 30 years and read about them extensively, BUT there is so much to learn from this video. I'll definitely be back to watch this one again!
Thank you for taking the time and effort to make this fantastic documentary. Subscribing!
Thank you for your subscription. Feel free to watch it as many times as you like!!! It's like a Monty Python movie, each time you watch it, there will be something new to see. :-)
Amazing video. To answer your question, I was able to keep my first pair of German Blue Rams alive for 11 months. I wish I had seen this video before purchasing them. Thank you for such a wonderfully informative video!
You're very welcome, and thank you for taking the time to leave a comment.
What a awesome course!! Thanks The Dave
No problem!
An excellent documentary, perhaps the best I've ever seen on the subject of tropical fish keeping. Thanks for sharing.
Wow, thank you! Have a beautiful day!
Hey Dave! Thank you for this great video, I've watched it more than 5 times already in its entirety and am always learning something new! I finally managed to have my pair spawn and now have little fry wrigglers! I have a question regarding water changes for the fry, how often and how much do you recommend I do it once the fry are free swimming? And do I have to feed them before they start free swimming? Do you recommend I do anything to the light I have for the plants or keep the scheduled lighting as it was before? Thank you so much for the amazing resource as a hobbyist!
Hi ! Thanks for watching the video, and congratulations on the wrigglers!!! How often you have to change the water will depend on a lot of different things like the tank size, number of fish, how heavily you feed, etc. . . In a 10 gallon tank with a pair of Rams, I change one gallon of water everyday. I try to be as stealthy as I can, so I don't disturb the parents and the babies. I put the freshwater back in using airline tubing, and gravity. I put the airline tubing in the top of the sponge filter outflow, so that everything is nice and gradual.
If the new water is retuned very slowly it doesn't even have to be the same exact temperature. You can use an airline control valve to adjust how quickly the water is put back into the tank.
You can change larger quantities of water, less frequently if you like, but the key is to return the freshwater slowly, so there's no rapid change in temp., pH. etc. . . .
Either way the key is to not panic the parents, and to not make large changes to the water chemistry. Slow and steady, minimal stress.
Don't feed the babies until they're free-swimming, but keep feeding the parents. As long as you don't have a lot of algae growing, I would keep the lighting schedule the same, and if it's on an automatic timer, it's even better.
Best of luck, and let me know how it all works out. :-)
@@TheDave333 Thank you so much!! I will follow accordingly appreciate the amazing information! They started free swimming this morning so I'm preparing some powdered liquid water and egg yolk! Thank you!
Be very careful not to overfeed. Especially with the egg yolk! They need very, very, little. Many people pollute the water by overfeeding egg yolk. Best of luck. It might be a good idea to think about buying a microworm culture too. Great food easy to grow. . . :-)
ua-cam.com/video/vV6xYtrZS28/v-deo.html
@@TheDave333 I think I made a terrible mistake of overfeeding the tank :( I can't gauge how much to feed and squirted a good amount of food into the tank. I'm waking up to find less and less fry everyday. I only used it twice and have since tried to feed them powder repashy and am waiting for Hikari first bites and my starter micro worms to come in! In terms of amount of food, how do you determine how much is enough per feeding? Thank you for the video link!
EDIT: Update, my pair ate the remaining fry for some reason :( It looked like they were moving them around, but I noticed the female did not release the fry after a while. I don't see any fry anymore in the tank.
@neverLamp
Sorry to hear about the babies. It's really hard to gauge how much to feed, especially with prepared foods. One approach is to feed them way less than you think they'll eat, and then use a magnifying glass to look at their bellies to see if they're full. That can be difficult to see. And this is where live foods come in handy, because they can live in the water for quite a while before dying and decomposing. So, the fish have a long time to find them and eat them all. The good news is they'll lay eggs again soon!!! In the mean time, be sure that your water parameters are in check. Things will go better next time . . . :-)
Exceptionally done video! The video is top notch coupled with your narration and great macro footage too!
Glad you enjoyed it! More great stuff coming soon !
This Saturday 11/30/19 , I will be setting up a “species only” new tank 29 gallons, for my electric blue pair. So far they have spawned twice. But the tank they are currently in is a community tank. There is no way they can protect their eggs where they are. So by the next morning all the eggs are gone. :(. So the new tank is going in just for them. :). I know that nothing goes fast with proper aquarium keeping. .
I just ordered two, and I swear my tank is everything you just mentioned in the "no" column.
It's not a one size fits all scenario. Just do the best that you can. Clean water and stability in the water parameters are the most important points.
Quality content🔥.. loved it🤩
Thank you, and welcome to The Dave !
Easily one of the best aquarium fish videos!!! Very awesome quality too! Good job
Thank you for the kind words. . . I have more ! :-)
Very nice and informative... :)
Thanks a lot 😊
A wonderful and academically thoughtful documentary on breeding. This is a true gem
Thank you. I'm very proud of this one. All together, it took about a year to complete! I have a lot more footage, so there'll be other videos on this species in the near future. Thanks again. :-)
Can i use decapsulated brine shrimps instead of live baby brine shirmps to condition the fish
because it is more in protein
yes, and it can also be helpful to include other live food items like black worms and white worms.
The photography is beautiful! By far the best video on caring for and breeding German Blue Rams that I have seen, very informative. Thank you for the info about starting with a good pair. I have bought 2 pairs now, from my local fish store, and lost them within a couple months both times. Now I know why! I will look for a local breeder. I am dedicating a 12 gallon bowfront to the project.
I breed my own GBR'S 😊🤗😇
Thank you for checking out the video, and taking the time to leave a comment. I appreciate it. . . Best of luck with the Rams.
this is so helpful, thank you.
You're so welcome!
WoW, WoW, WoW!!!! Wish you had made this video a few years ago. I did breed GBR for a while but found there wasn't a big enough market to sell them on. Educational videos like this will make them a more attractive option for the hobbyist to keep and breakdown the fears of keeping them. Outstanding video mate!!!!!
Hi ! I know just what you mean ! My Rams produce a lot of fry.
The general public wants small, easy to keep, colorful fish like guppies. And that's fine too, all fish are amazing. Thanks for watching the video and taking the time to leave a comment.
Will different types of rams(gold, electric, blue) breed with each other?
Yes, they can interbreed because they are all the same species.
Amazing job with this documentary.
A ton of work. Thank you!
It was a lot of work !!! But very rewarding. . .
can you make a video on Apistograma care and breeding.
Someday I will
Waiting
Wow what a video, well made and very informative. I just posted my version of an in-depth video on breeding Lamprologus Ocellatus, but your video is fantastic and blows mine out of the water! Well done mate!
Thank you. It's a labor of love. :-)
@@TheDave333 truly mate, amazing footage and information. Your footage of the eggs and fry hatching was remarkable. Really inspired me to give them a go. Just gotta source good stock on Australia.
I was breeding these rams and i noticed that the male started to attack the female the baby fish had already been born and were free swimming. I also noticed that female was in a corner hiding and then one of the baby fry got near her and she ate it. The male was the only parent still protecting the fry could it be possible that she started eating them and the male got defensive. (I have taken them both out the aquarium at this point since the fry are 9 days old and free swimming just as a precaution.)
Yes, it is very possible that she was eating the fry and the father drove her away to protect them. She may be young and still learning how to parent.
@@TheDave333 Ok thanks.
The quality of this video is incredible. I love when they cooperatively move the wrigglers.
Thanks for watching the video! Do you keep these fish?
No, I've never seen this fish in nearby fish store. I keep angelfish instead, they are easy to take care.
I love the Angels too. They are easier than Rams. Best of luck.
What kind of camera/ lens did you use to film this?
Please see the description section below the video for the camera make and model. I also used various macro lenses that are not listed in the description.
@@TheDave333 Thanks. Outstanding footage! Planet earth should hire you :)
I love how straightforward and informative this is, it was a joy to watch, even though I'm not a cichlid kind of person, I love the parenting behaviors and the colors!!! The fry are so tiny and cute!! AHHHH
Glad you enjoyed it! All fish, even cichlids, deserve a chance!!! lol :-)
@@TheDave333 I agree, they're just more aggressive than what I'm used to/a bit intimidating, I'm kind of new to this fish community even though I've always loved and respected fish, I wasn't allowed to get a tank until I was 18, now I have 3 different tanks but I only have 5 gallon tanks that are much too small for most fish. I can't wait to further enjoy this hobby, I love your content!
@@TheDave333 you're very on top of the comment section and it's very impressive
@ Leah Nicholson Thank you! I have a true desire to help people who are genuinely interested in the hobby. And in the spirit of helping, I'd like to offer you some advice. Keep things simple, use sponge filters, use live plants, avoid using chemicals, other then dechlorinator, in your tanks. Feed lightly . . . over-feeding is probably the most common mistake that new hobbyists make.
For small aquariums like yours, consider breeding cherry shrimp, Endler livebearers, or the steel blue killifish. All three of these species would be very comfortable in a 5 gallon tank, and they're all pretty simple to breed. I'm here if you ever need more advice that you didn't ask for. lol :-)
@@TheDave333 that's good advice. I've done extensive research, and for now I just have a few betas and 2 empty tanks that I want to put some rice fish in and maybe some pygmy Cory catfish, but I'm not very heavy set in any of my decisions. I'm very open minded. If you think that there's anything better, but I can put besides race fish, or if there is anything wrong with what I want please tell me
Do you ever sell high quality Rams for breeding, or could you recommend a reliable seller?
Unfortunately, I only sell them locally, and the place where I originally bought mine has stopped breeding them. I have not bought any in a long time, so I have no seller recommendations.
I would join a Facebook group or two that focuses on German Blue Rams. . . They might be able to help recommend someone reliable to you. Best of luck.
By far the best video I've found so far!! Very helpful! Thank you!
You're very welcome.
I had a male GBR that recently passed away this February at a ripe old age of 2 years and 11 months old.
That's is a ripe old age for a GBR! NIce work. :-)
Luckily, he was able to successfully breed shortly before he passed away so his genes of longevity are passed on!
Great video! I’ve enjoyed it 3x now.
Awesome ! Thank you. :-)
Mind-blowing informative documentary.
Thanks Dave
You're very welcome. The fish did most of the work. :-)
Great video
Glad you enjoyed it
A very interesting and informative video! Very professionally done too. Ready to go to NATGO!!!
Thank you :-)
THIS is science
love science and nature
Hell of a Job you did with those fishes. Congratulations!!
Thanks.
A biologist who made a video about them said that otocinclus are a much better choice than plecos, as they don’t eat the eggs at all . While bristle nose plecos may , my pair has spawned tonight , the male seems in charge of the eggs , the female seems a bit shocked and the male chases her away .
It's true, nocturnal animals can disturb them at night, so it's probably best to use diurnal tank mates.
You inspired me with these breeding videos I have successfully bred them, the kind of detail you give is really helpful, hope you would make similar videos on more and more fishes.
Thank you I love that my videos have been ale to help you. I will continue making them as long as I can. :-D
I was actually hoping not to see the fry eaten by the green plant , there are still some of us left.
Empathy! That's a great quality . . . :-)
one of THE best vdo .... wish everything could be made so simple and so explained.... gr8 job ...
Thanks a lot 😊
Only 120k views? The UA-cam algorythm is really crap.
The video was very informative! Absolutely every detail was covered! I learnt a lot and is very grateful to you for taking the time to explain things clearly step by step. On this note I say thanks a million and keep up the good work. Excellent!
Thank you and you're welcome ! Have a spectacular day !!!
i dont understand how the f*** you have so little subs
I know right. . . I'd like to have more . . . I guess people will find me eventually.
@The Dave I hope it gets better soon so u can do this full-time job.
Thank you so much! It's getting better all the time. . . 😁
I have just got a pair of black rams I’m taking on board all of your info. Which is extremely informative. I tried rams over 20 years ago. They bread in a mixed tank but did not last long. All my water paramiters were wrong.thanks for the excellent documentary. Rob.
Hi Rob, thanks for checking out the video, and best of luck with the new Rams.
Perfect video . Keep up your good work . Gbr is my favorite dwarf cichlid specie . I love the apistogrammas as well mostly agassizi .
Thank you so much 👍
I found one of these at my local pet store years ago and had to buy it. These are the best looking fish imo. I'm getting back into the hobby and want more of these but they are hard to find. I really would love to breed them and get these into more local tanks. This video was amazing
I agree. . . amazing fish! Thanks for watching the video and taking the time to leave a comment.
Best most informational video on rams I have ever watched, learned so much watchevery minute 👏👍😎🐟
Thank you so much. I love my rams! 🐟😁🐟
Hi I have a couple of blue German Rams since March 2019, today is May 2020. They keep laying eggs so I started a breeding project and this video was excellent. Thank you.
That is awesome! Thanks for watching. I have more videos that you might like . . . :-)
correction....It IS definitely the best video I've watched on GB Rams. Very well made. Thank you !
Wow, thanks! It's a labor of love. 🎥
Awesome information provided 👍🏽 Need more Videos like this on Breeding Rams. Thanks for sharing and look forward to another one 🙏🏽
Thank you! I do love my German Blue Rams ! Look for more videos on this species in the near future. Peacock Gudgeons are also on the list ! :-)
Thank you for this video, after buying my first 2 rams and one passing away the next day, i felt horrible and really trying to find out why it died, i still have no idea, but now i know how to really care for the one i have left thanks to you.
Happy to help.
This was absolutely beautiful. Awesome footage, amazing effort. I have only been able to keep them for around a year. I also have a full grown spawn of around 20 or so that I'm gona care for even more just because of this vid. Kudos man.
Thanks for watching the video and leaving a comment. Best of luck with everything. :-)
The best aquarium hobby video I've ever seen.
Thank you so much!
Thanks for sharing. Your fish are just beautiful. Like this fish so much. I wish I can get a pair with such quality.
You're welcome. I initially got mine from a company / breeder that goes by the name YUNITE. They're in California. Their website has been down for a while, but you can find them (yunite) on Aquabid. Excellent fish / very high quality.
Omg woooow. Absolutely amazing. So much effort and info. Thank you professor 😁
My pleasure! 😁
Just bought a pair! So far they are skidding but are adjusting nicely! Turns out they are a hybrid between the GBR and EBR but the GBR genes are dominant. They absolutely look spectacular! Thanks to your hard work I will hopefully have some success with them. Thanks so everything you do!
That's awesome! I hope that all goes well. Keep me up to date.
Fantastic Video!! Very well done. After watching this Video I’m looking forward to getting a pair. Thank you for taking the time to show us how to raise them. I for one really appreciate it.
You're very welcome. Thanks for watching the video and for taking the time to leave a comment. 🎥🐠🐠