Help with Dying Cichla

[pwmin]

That’s a tough one. Chances are slim once they start to do the death spiral. It’s very strange that you are losing fish here and there, have you added any new fishy the tank lately? Were they quarantined beforehand? Any bully’s in tank? Any ph swings during water changes? What’s the tap parameters versus the tank parameters? Cichla are a very hardy fish and shouldn’t be dropping like flys.

Yeah, usually when they get like this, they don't come back out of it, at least IME. That video was as bad as it has gotten. Normally it's not that bad. Swimming upright now. I added some aquarium salt and just put in some epsom salts.

The one bully seemed to quit so much after the smallest ones died, but I think he might be big enough to go in the other tank. Maybe I'm just not noticing it. I'm just worried about my black wolf, but it should be fine. Haven't added anything in a month. I need to get some more dithers as they killed the 3 tinfoil barbs I put in there in a couple weeks. I did not quarantine them, but I will for sure next time. Now that I have an open 75, I might more some of them after I see if this guy makes it. At least it has no other fish to mess with it while it's injured.

I will check the parameters after work. Didn't have time this morning.

 

[Tobiassorensen]

Any small rays in there? Ive had an orinofemale act like this after getting stung by an angry ray.

 

[Nove Sedici]

In my experience when it’s due to water parameters cichla will recover soon when water is changed. I had 2 small ones rolling over when they were 3 inch. Due to skipping the water changes for 12 days.
When I did a water change they were doing fine within 30 minutes. I will never skip a water change again...
Both are still happy and doing fine here at a decent 15 inch

What do you feed him and how often? Are you trying to let him grow fast?

 

[pwmin]

I feed every day (probably not enough) and am trying to get them to grow quickly, but I never can accomplish that. Should be twice this size by now. Just did a water change last night, but I don't do enough.


No rays in the tank

 

[Tobiassorensen]

I feed every day (probably not enough) and am trying to get them to grow quickly, but I never can accomplish that. Should be twice this size by now. Just did a water change last night, but I don't do enough.


No rays in the tank

Post your parameters when you can. The usual ammonia nitrite nitrate and ph from both tank and tap.

 

[squint]

How big are the water changes?

 

[Nove Sedici]

I feed every day (probably not enough) and am trying to get them to grow quickly, but I never can accomplish that. Should be twice this size by now. Just did a water change last night, but I don't do enough.


No rays in the tank

Everyday will be enough. Have seen some cichlas being killed due to overfeeding on smelt or silversides. Just because the owner wanted them to grow fast. They will grow fast then. But chances are that internal damage is done because of that.

 

[TheWolfman]

One time I had a friend feeding my fish while I was out of town. He over fed them and one had developed a swim bladder issue because of it. It quickly lead to its demise a few days later.

 

[pwmin]

I don't feed a ton, just a couple cubes of PE Mysis and FD krill. I feed tilapia and cut market shrimp sometimes, too. I don't know why I haven't been feeding pellets.

I do 50% water changes.

Looks like I'm going to need to step it up, though. Somehow, there is some ammonia and nitrates present. I have 2 AC110's, a Penguin 350 and an FX5 on this tank and it is not overcrowded. Could be a little left over from the fish that died over the weekend when I was gone, but that should have cleared up by now.

tank
pH 7.0
ammonia 0.5
nitrate 5
nitrite "0"

tap
pH 7.5
all 0's for the rest

stocklist: 9" spider kel, 6" intermedia, 4,5" kel, 7" azul, 8" ocel?, 9" L. marmoratus, 8" harlequin lancer, 10" P. buettikoferi, 5" oscar, 5" red terror

 

[squint]

Check your filters thoroughly for organic waste build up.