Baby ?Ocellaris dying off!

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Nick660

Gambusia
MFK Member
Jun 9, 2007
471
1
16
South Wales, UK
I've had 4 ?Ocellaris in a 20g for 18 days in which time they've grown from approx 1.5" to 2.75" (dead one measured today) fed on frozen bloodworm 3-4 x per day.

30% w/c x 2 per week
Ammonia = 0 ; Nitrite = 0 ; Nitrate = 25 ; pH 7.9 (stable)
Temp = 83F

Smallest one stopped eating and died after 8 days - presumed it was a weak one.
Suddenly another died yesterday (day 17) and another is ailing today! No obvious signs of disease, they seemed to just stop eating and breathing becomes very fast/heavy.:confused:

I've added salt and commenced treatment with eSHa 2000 (wide range treatment for multiple diseases and fry safe).

Hoping I can at least stop the remaining healthy one from getting sick and maybe bring back the other from the brink (doubtful:( )

Any advice appreciated.
 
You could also try increasing the number of water changes you do (daily?) and raising the temp.

Good luck!
 
An additional air stone should also help if they have labored breathing at the top.
 
I've had the same problem with every small pbass I ever bought... never figured why they did well and then just died....
 
Pbass do best at high temps around 84-88*, Make sure they have alot of circulation in the water. Try keeping the light off for a day or so and see how they do.
 
JardiniBoy;1016614; said:
You could also try increasing the number of water changes you do (daily?) and raising the temp.
Click to expand...

Ok, i'm thinking of going to 15% daily

JuanTamad;1016837; said:
An additional air stone should also help if they have labored breathing at the top.
Click to expand...

Extra airstone added.
I was already running an air driven sponge filter and an internal power filter anyway.
The healthy fish seems to be breathing fine.

milkman407;1016859; said:
Pbass do best at high temps around 84-88*, Make sure they have alot of circulation in the water. Try keeping the light off for a day or so and see how they do.
Click to expand...

I'll increase the temp too.
No lights in the tank - they've always been skittish so i don't light them up!

Nic;1016850; said:
I've had the same problem with every small pbass I ever bought... never figured why they did well and then just died....
Click to expand...

That's whats so frustrating - they seemed to be doing so well then suddenly gone! They don't turn up for sale here very often either which makes their loss even more painful :cry:

Thanks everyone for your input.
 
I would suggest cutting back on the feedings to no more than twice a day until they get back to being as active as they were before.
 
i'm gonna agree with Juan.. higher temps, high 80's, foam filter with an airstone, and maybe even add more air stones. and 2 feedings a day. even when our tiny guys were real tiny we only fed 3 times a day and that was only because the angels stole about half their food.. now that they are bigger and actually getting in and push the angels out of the way to get to the food we're only feeding them twice a day.

we generally cut down to less than 2 meals a day (sometimes 1 big meal, sometimes 2 small meals) after they are about 4 inches.. and after about 6 inches they get fed on the same schedule as the big fish.. once a day or less.
 
Nick,
i can't say.. but i can tell you that almost no fish die of starvation, the big enemy of home aquaria is overfeeding.. And one thing i know about peacock bass is that they WILL stuff themselves beyond reason.. none of mine have died because of it, but i've been scared a couple times.

One night one of my baby orinos ate a guppy that was about the same size he was. when i came home from work he had the guppy's tail sticking out of his mouth and he was breathing hard. i thought for sure i was gonna lose them both. Next morning he was fine and slightly bigger than the other baby orinos.
 
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