Two ~16" Xingu, four 10"-16" Meta, and one unknown ~1' peacock bass in 4500 gal
- Thread starter thebiggerthebetter
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Unexpected loss of another tem, 26 inches, loss of muscle use, twitch inside, seems like paralysis but by what cause?
Could it be that the first one we lost during the rehoming in July 2025 suffered a similar death? Superficially the symptoms seem very similar. Paralysis.
Could it be that the first one we lost during the rehoming in July 2025 suffered a similar death? Superficially the symptoms seem very similar. Paralysis.
Keep an eye on them when there eating… ive had more dominant/larger bass slam into/attack the stomach of others to make them spit their food so they can eat it. Had this happen specifically with 2 tems also. IMO it looks like a ruptured swim bladder.
Ive had this (ruptured swim bladder) happen once from other bass like i explained and another time during a transport netting the fish too tightly against the glass. IMO alot of bass go down during transport due to swim bladder issues from harsh netting or too shallow water in tubs.
Could have rammed a lid also… IME blunt force trauma is almost an instantaneous death tho. My cases were the same, living for a few days not being able to keep themselves up.
Ive had this (ruptured swim bladder) happen once from other bass like i explained and another time during a transport netting the fish too tightly against the glass. IMO alot of bass go down during transport due to swim bladder issues from harsh netting or too shallow water in tubs.
Could have rammed a lid also… IME blunt force trauma is almost an instantaneous death tho. My cases were the same, living for a few days not being able to keep themselves up.
wednesday13
Thank you so much, Sensei. This is very helpful, interesting, unexpected, and disturbing. Why would a ruptured bladder cause a paralysis of the rear half? Is it the usual consequence or an occasional side effect of an attack? All 4 of our tems seemed to be the same size.
The cover is plastic sheeting. It's soft. There are 2 hard cross braces over the top and the walls of course. Wouldn't a run in leave a bad bruise on the snout?
Interesting thought on the bass netting. Perhaps the tem we lost half a year ago when we moved 5 of them from 1800g to 4500g suffered some bladder damage, although we handled all of them quickly and the same way without any obvious drama or deviations. The differences in the transfer were minor. Which cannot be said for the 4 barra and 3 nile perch - some of these we struggled much more then with others because they ripped and got entangled in nets. I assume we lost the ones, 1 np and 1 barra, with which we struggled the most and the longest.
from YT:
Surfermike513 Vik, He was paralyzed. I remember we’ve discussed my two cases one with tor and another with Barcoo perch. They usually will see one side of head change color do a different shade. They lose use of their caudal fin and if ur lucky they retain muscular control of their pectorals. They usually jerk around as their way of moving as their fins serve no more use. Nothing you can do to prevent stuff like this realistically unless putting them in a lake. I’m sorry. Mike
Fish-Story Good reminder, Mike. Yes. Thank you. I forgot about your cases. I didn't pay attention to the head colors. The change that may be seen in the video is caused by lying on the drain screen and lying upside down with the "forehead" pressed against a wall what not.
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TTTTT-f3t6z I had the same thing happen to one of my Cichlas many years ago. He crashed into a corner when he got spooked suddenly while I was cleaning the tank. It wasn't particularly hard, but I guess the right angle to break his spine. I tried to save him, but there was nothing you could do.
Surfermike513 Vik, He was paralyzed. I remember we’ve discussed my two cases one with tor and another with Barcoo perch. They usually will see one side of head change color do a different shade. They lose use of their caudal fin and if ur lucky they retain muscular control of their pectorals. They usually jerk around as their way of moving as their fins serve no more use. Nothing you can do to prevent stuff like this realistically unless putting them in a lake. I’m sorry. Mike
Fish-Story Good reminder, Mike. Yes. Thank you. I forgot about your cases. I didn't pay attention to the head colors. The change that may be seen in the video is caused by lying on the drain screen and lying upside down with the "forehead" pressed against a wall what not.
...
TTTTT-f3t6z I had the same thing happen to one of my Cichlas many years ago. He crashed into a corner when he got spooked suddenly while I was cleaning the tank. It wasn't particularly hard, but I guess the right angle to break his spine. I tried to save him, but there was nothing you could do.
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From our good peer and friend an identical observation on the tem loss:
XX: Hi Viktor i saw the temensis loss video. The same exact thing happened to my Temensis. He was 32 inches 20lbs.
TBTB: So many thanks for sharing. Several other peers said similarly. This is shaping into a known phenomenon. Very heartbreaking but useful knowledge! Any evidence of possible cause have you seen on your tem? Bruise marks? Or witnessed anything? Autopsy? What are your guesses?
XX: Yes was heartbreaking for me too was my favorite fish and only tem. I got the fish when it was already 3-4 years old. I had him for 4 years after that. Previous owner said he only fed him tilapia filets and shrimp. So not best nutrition. I didnt do an autopsy but my guess would be if it wasnt old age. Would be fatty liver disease, or something neurological. Giovanni suhendi in indonesia said on his channel he had alot that died from fatty liver disease. Hard not to overfeed them because they are so aggressive mine wouldnt let other fish eat first. No blockage felt in stomach and treated multiple times for internal parasites so can rule those out.
TBTB: Gotcha. Thank you. Fatty liver can be observed in autopsy. But it doesn't arise from simply feeding too much but from wrong foods with too much terrestrial fats, carbs, etc. if I understand it correctly. Isn't pbass naturall lifespan around 10 years ? Also, was the snout bruised?
XX: Snout was fine. It was exactly like yours in the video. Did all the same things. And yes i believe there lifespan isnt very long.
XX: Hi Viktor i saw the temensis loss video. The same exact thing happened to my Temensis. He was 32 inches 20lbs.
TBTB: So many thanks for sharing. Several other peers said similarly. This is shaping into a known phenomenon. Very heartbreaking but useful knowledge! Any evidence of possible cause have you seen on your tem? Bruise marks? Or witnessed anything? Autopsy? What are your guesses?
XX: Yes was heartbreaking for me too was my favorite fish and only tem. I got the fish when it was already 3-4 years old. I had him for 4 years after that. Previous owner said he only fed him tilapia filets and shrimp. So not best nutrition. I didnt do an autopsy but my guess would be if it wasnt old age. Would be fatty liver disease, or something neurological. Giovanni suhendi in indonesia said on his channel he had alot that died from fatty liver disease. Hard not to overfeed them because they are so aggressive mine wouldnt let other fish eat first. No blockage felt in stomach and treated multiple times for internal parasites so can rule those out.
TBTB: Gotcha. Thank you. Fatty liver can be observed in autopsy. But it doesn't arise from simply feeding too much but from wrong foods with too much terrestrial fats, carbs, etc. if I understand it correctly. Isn't pbass naturall lifespan around 10 years ? Also, was the snout bruised?
XX: Snout was fine. It was exactly like yours in the video. Did all the same things. And yes i believe there lifespan isnt very long.
From YT:
monsterfishmnl810 sorry for u loss vic
such was a nice specimen
Fish-Story I am contacted by numerous peers that describe similar occurrences with temensis but also other bass, perch, predatory carp.
monsterfishmnl810 i often witness and experience this when it comes to transfer of adult size cichlas. While i dont have any scientific proof why, the common practice i do to try and avoid it is no feeding for about 5 days prior to the transfer. But this one already made it months after the transfer
monsterfishmnl810 sorry for u loss vic
such was a nice specimenFish-Story I am contacted by numerous peers that describe similar occurrences with temensis but also other bass, perch, predatory carp.
monsterfishmnl810 i often witness and experience this when it comes to transfer of adult size cichlas. While i dont have any scientific proof why, the common practice i do to try and avoid it is no feeding for about 5 days prior to the transfer. But this one already made it months after the transfer
