why do my pbass always die?

alexx-w

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Mar 26, 2010
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wood dale IL
i just got 3 cichla temensis, i have them in a 10 gallon grow out with a guarami and an angel fish, the guarami and angel leave them alone but the bass stay hidden in the corner and are not eating yet (got the 2 days ago)

ive had 4 peacock bass before (not sure what species because they were just labeled pbass at me lfs. out of that 4 only 1 has stopped hiding and stressing out, he has doubled in size an is eating great and owns his 125gallon tank. the other 3 just stayed in the corner not eating until they died...
 

alexx-w

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Mar 26, 2010
342
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wood dale IL
is there anything i should do so my pbass are not so stressed?

i only turn the lights on when its feeding time
 

gangster

Arapaima
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Apr 17, 2008
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what have you tried feeding them? Whats your temp? Is there airstones?

Often juvi pbass will only eat live. SOmetimes frzn blood worms. And rarely you'll get lucky and they'll already be accepting pellets.

Try some live black/tubifex worms to get them to eat.
 

alexx-w

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Mar 26, 2010
342
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wood dale IL
gangster;4295815; said:
what have you tried feeding them? Whats your temp? Is there airstones?

Often juvi pbass will only eat live. SOmetimes frzn blood worms. And rarely you'll get lucky and they'll already be accepting pellets.

Try some live black/tubifex worms to get them to eat.[/QUOTE
ive tried feeding them only frozen BWs so far, the temp is 80/82f
and i do not have airstones

the black worms or some guppies sound like a plan
 

bassinmike85

Goliath Tigerfish
MFK Member
Jul 10, 2010
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alexx-w;4295769; said:
is there anything i should do so my pbass are not so stressed?

i only turn the lights on when its feeding time
mine use to do the same..i got a new heater keep the heat at 89 n keep atleast 3-4 dozen guppies stocked in the tank..still i feed them frz bloodworms..good luck..
 

fish junkie

Jack Dempsey
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Feb 13, 2009
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research and more research will tell you everything you need to know to keep them alive
pbass arent that difficult keep them at 85 -86 degrees f till they are at least 6 inches and then they are thru the worst of the ich stages feed them as much as they will eat and nothing more (dont want a dirty tank ) a 40 % water change at least once a week and at least 2 air stones going at all times if you feed live quarantine the feeders and keep them in a tank with a uv filter it helps and not in the same tank as the bass
 

hillbilly

Feeder Fish
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Nov 25, 2005
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I don't know what parameters you're keeping them at, but the first thing that comes to mind is stress. If you're putting only 3 or 4 small juvies together (other species don't count) in a 125 gal., no doubt they are being stressed a good bit. Otherwise, they would not hide. Juvie pbass live in groups of thousands in the wild. If you put them in a large open tank, they will instantly head for the nearest cover. A way to counteract this, is to grow your juvies out in a smaller tank. The smaller confines will make them feel much more secure in small numbers. I'm growing mine in a 55 gal. at the moment. When I put them in it after being shipped overnight FedEx, they were acting normal and eating within 30 minutes.
 

alexx-w

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Mar 26, 2010
342
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wood dale IL
hillbilly;4296130; said:
I don't know what parameters you're keeping them at, but the first thing that comes to mind is stress. If you're putting only 3 or 4 small juvies together (other species don't count) in a 125 gal., no doubt they are being stressed a good bit. Otherwise, they would not hide. Juvie pbass live in groups of thousands in the wild. If you put them in a large open tank, they will instantly head for the nearest cover. A way to counteract this, is to grow your juvies out in a smaller tank. The smaller confines will make them feel much more secure in small numbers. I'm growing mine in a 55 gal. at the moment. When I put them in it after being shipped overnight FedEx, they were acting normal and eating within 30 minutes.
please read thread before you post lol
 

krichardson

Bronze Tier VIP
MFK Member
Jun 19, 2006
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Looks like Fish Junkie nailed it but I would just add staying on top of your water quality.Cichla can be very delicate when small and young.
 
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