Midas dies of... depression?

[Kaliedoscope]

Hi,
I had a tank (20H) in which I was growing out a few baby cichlids: one midas, 2 small female con's and 1 JD. Yesterday, I moved the other three (JD and COn's) into my 60 gallon cichlid river tank, which was newly set up. The tank, though, already had one red devil, also an apparent male (like my midas), so I figured that trying to mix them would be a bad idea. Ergo, I moved all the other fish to the 60 gallon, leaving the one small midas in the 20. I assumed he would be okay, as nothing else changed except me removing the other fish.

So, all day today, the midas appeared to be sleeping on the bottom. I figured he would be bored or just hanging out, because now that all the territorial boundaries were now nonexistant, but tonight, after only about a day since all the fish were moved out of the tank, I found him lying dead on the bottom!
So my question is this: WHY?!?!

I tested the water, and everything was fine, not changed at all. There were no chemicals that I know of that got into the water (I don't use aresols or anything in my house), so I'm stumped.. why could this have happened?
The only possibilities that I can think of is that he thought the other fish were killed by me and that he was next, or that he died of depresssion... but both of these seem like far fetched ways for him to die in such a short time. Any other ideas?

Please help!

Thanks

 

[Madding]

I think it was random dead fish syndrome and the timing was coincidental, or the stress of you messing in the tank to catch fish finished him off.

 

[Gatorxxx420]

People have said their fish got depressed and stopped eating and eventually did pass on, but this would take much longer than a couple days. There could have been something preexisting that when you netted the other fish out, that this one was severely stressed and never recovered. I'd keep an eye on your other fish.

 

[Anubisscott]

I agree with the others, this sounds pretty random.


On a side note, a 60g is to small for all those fish. Your RD and Midas were pretty much destined to fight in it so the Midas dying saved you from that. However, your RD is going to most likely kill your JD and cons as they all grow in the 60g. You need something like a 125g or larger but even a 125g might not work depending on your RD'd temperment. If your Midas did survive, it would be a slim to none chance for your Midas and RD to coexist in a tank that size being the same size. If one turned out to be female though and the other male you might have a chance for them. All other fish in the tank however would be destroyed. Might want to rethink your set up and watch craigslist for a larger tank.

 

[Sarah88]

when you say you tested the water and everything was "fine" what were the exact numbers? and how big was he? a 20g is definitely to small to grow out all those fish for very long, it very well could have been a water quality issue without you realizing it, also what was you water change schedule like?

and yeah +1 with 60g being to small, the RD probably isnt going to tolerate tank mates for much longer

 

[Anubisscott]

Just saw on your info your from Oklahoma. hard place for cichlid enthusiasts to be. I used to be there and even tried checking out the local club. Unfortunantly they were and still are mostly into beginner fish. Mainly Guppies and Goldfish. Nothing really wrong with it, but I have always had more advanced taste in fish. There are a few cichlid enthusiasts, but your going to have to really look.

 

[Kaliedoscope]

Just saw on your info your from Oklahoma. hard place for cichlid enthusiasts to be. I used to be there and even tried checking out the local club. Unfortunantly they were and still are mostly into beginner fish. Mainly Guppies and Goldfish. Nothing really wrong with it, but I have always had more advanced taste in fish. There are a few cichlid enthusiasts, but your going to have to really look.

Oh believe me I know, I've lived here for a long time. Nice to hear someone else say it though. Where do you think is best?

I'd have to look up the exact values again, I tested yesterday, but it was a walstad method tank w karbonate buffers (instead of phosphate), KH and GH hovering just above the ideal minimums. Ph of about 7.8 Nitrites 0 ppm and nitrates 1-2 ppm 0 ppm ammonia

And I realize about the size Issue, I'm stepping up my volume as the little fishes grow, Started with fry (>1 in) now theyre 1.5 to 2 in each, when they get larger I will have saved up enough money to get my big system going. So I don't think waste buildup was an issue, particularly with the el natural thing going on with all the plants.
By the way, agression is a sliding scale. You'd be surprised how many terrirorial boundaries you can make in a 60 with rocks and pvc pipe. But I'm not trying to come off as pompous

RDFSyndrome sounds likley, but http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/images/smilies/cry.gif

He was my spunkiest and most golden midas. He didn't seem stressed at all.
The only wierd behaviour I noticed was that after the other fish were moved out, He spent most of his time sleeping on the ground. Wierd.


?????

 

[Pyramid_Party]

Agree with the people, maybe stressed out. Also your midas could of had weak genes and died, coincidentally, at the time you moved all the fish. I had 2 firemouths die just like this several months apart. I accepted that they had weak genes and were meant to be short lived.

 

[hairdog]

I had a pair of severums and one died. The other one appeared to be mourning its dead mate and would not leave its side.

 

[thedarkone]

I had a pair of severums and one died. The other one appeared to be mourning its dead mate and would not leave its side.

Wow, that's pretty sad. I would have had a hard time removing the dead fish.