Several weeks ago my Chocolate cichlid began periodically swimming backwards and in a circle backwards. Then he would start swimming normal exploring the tank for food or attacking his reflection in the back of the tank. I ignored it, thinking it was adolescent behavior. Like I said he swims normal, eats normal, explores the tank, and attacks his reflection sometime and then out of the blue he starts swimming backwards for no apparent reason and then he stops and goes back to behaving normal. He does it often throughout the evening when I am home watching him. Does anyone have insight on what may be causing this? I have been reading that it could be whirling disease which is a parasite in the brain? I would appreciate any info at all!
My tank is a 75 gallon nitrite and ammonia is 0, nitrates are around 10, and his tankmates are 2 2" striped raphaels and 1 2" spotted raphael. I do weekly 75% waterchanges. He has been doing this for close to a month, but in the last few weeks I see him doing it more often several times in the evenings when I am paying attention. He is around 5" TL the tank has been up for 8 months.
My tank is a 75 gallon nitrite and ammonia is 0, nitrates are around 10, and his tankmates are 2 2" striped raphaels and 1 2" spotted raphael. I do weekly 75% waterchanges. He has been doing this for close to a month, but in the last few weeks I see him doing it more often several times in the evenings when I am paying attention. He is around 5" TL the tank has been up for 8 months.
