The tannin suggestion is a highly valid one.
It's not just keeping water pristine that's important for certain specialized species, but also providing some of the key components rams have evolved to live in, over millions of years, that allow them to thriven that natural habitat (not just get by).
It is a common belief that "in breeding" has promoted weak strains in rams, but....a more reasonable theory is that common off kilter water parameters cause stress, and complications, in allowing normally non-lethal bacteria and viruses the opportunity to become problematic.
In nature rams live in very soft, low pH (5-6 (even lower)), water that is stained brown with tannins.
This type water does not agree with many bacteria, viruses and other phages so rams and other soft water species have not needed to evolve immunity to them.
Although Rams have been in the hobby for almost a century, this is only a blip in evolutionary time, and not long enough to allow generations of rams to evolve out of the skills it took millions of years to develop, Those adaptations they have to successfully fit and negotiate their natural environment.
I don't remember what your water parameters are, but unless they are low mineral content (low hardness), pH below 7, so unless they are in that realm, adding tannins might be give a leg up in helping them thrive.
If it were me.....I'd be using either peat moss, Rooibos Tea, or some commercial additive with every water change.
And mixing tap water with collected rain water.
It's not just keeping water pristine that's important for certain specialized species, but also providing some of the key components rams have evolved to live in, over millions of years, that allow them to thriven that natural habitat (not just get by).
It is a common belief that "in breeding" has promoted weak strains in rams, but....a more reasonable theory is that common off kilter water parameters cause stress, and complications, in allowing normally non-lethal bacteria and viruses the opportunity to become problematic.
In nature rams live in very soft, low pH (5-6 (even lower)), water that is stained brown with tannins.
This type water does not agree with many bacteria, viruses and other phages so rams and other soft water species have not needed to evolve immunity to them.
Although Rams have been in the hobby for almost a century, this is only a blip in evolutionary time, and not long enough to allow generations of rams to evolve out of the skills it took millions of years to develop, Those adaptations they have to successfully fit and negotiate their natural environment.
I don't remember what your water parameters are, but unless they are low mineral content (low hardness), pH below 7, so unless they are in that realm, adding tannins might be give a leg up in helping them thrive.
If it were me.....I'd be using either peat moss, Rooibos Tea, or some commercial additive with every water change.
And mixing tap water with collected rain water.
