Problems (?) with new argentea.

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aclockworkorange

Dovii
MFK Member
Jun 24, 2010
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Rose City
I picked up six "vieja" argentea (don't really care about proper genus right now) yesterday. They are about 2" long and appeared very healthy and active in their tank at a very good LFS.
I got them home and acclimated them slowly for an hour. Once they were released, they seemed very active and happy, ate as soon as I offered food, and all was well.
The tank already has 3 large clown loaches (6"+) that I am in the process of getting re-homed. The tank is fully cycled (for the bio-load of three clown loaches). The tank itself is 90 gallons and filtered by an FX5.

So today I turn on the light and go about my day. Checked on the tank in the afternoon, all argentea are hiding and inactive, and breathing slightly heavy. I do an immediate 50% water change with prime. They remained hiding for the rest of the day. The tank itself has a sand substrate, two large PVC pipe sections, and a large piece of wood in the center.

I checked the water just now (after 50% change wc earlier) and it is:
Ammonia: .25 (and likely neutralized with prime)
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 5.0 ppm
Ph: 6.8-7.0
Temp: 80 degrees

I expected a slight bump in ammonia with the new bioload.

My real question is... These are my first CA cichlids, is this normal for them at this size in a new tank to hide?
Should I be concerned? There are no signs of any sort of external parasites or bacterial infections, poop is brown and solid.
Their bellies seem a bit "full," could this be transport stress constipation? Its not extreme. I could throw a bit of epsom salt in.

I might just be stressing, but I am a n00b when it comes to this species. Please help.
 
I think you are worrying too much.

If the heavy breathing persists for more than just a couple days, than you should start looking into a general tonic treatment, and bumping up the temp, while adding an airstone or two.
 
HrHagel;4851045; said:
I think you are worrying too much.

If the heavy breathing persists for more than just a couple days, than you should start looking into a general tonic treatment, and bumping up the temp, while adding an airstone or two.
Click to expand...

I've got a sponge filter running on an air pump, plenty of oxygen in the water.

They really looked like crap this afternoon.
 
Can you possibly throw up some pictures of the pack?

Or a video, that would actually be better
 
I find argentea to be very shy when housed without dithers, such as live bearers or tetras.
The only problem is, they also like to kill the dithers and each other, as they get larger.
Although they may have acclimatized to your water chemistry, in the wild normal average pH may be higher, closer to 8. You may want to do large weekly water changes to keep the alkalinity and pH up. And maybe add a substrate that boost alkalinity.
 
Most Central Americans will tend to hide when placed into a new environment. Give them time and they'll come out of hiding and present themselves for your viewing pleasure.
 
Everyone appears better today. Yes I am upping the ph/kh slowly with crushed coral. I don't want to shock the loaches.

I will post pics later.
 
Chrisplosion;4858607; said:
Did you get those Argentea from Wet Spot? The ones they had the other day were tan and not white so I didn't get any. Do you know if they start off tan and tun white as they age?
Click to expand...

Yea, I got them at wet spot, I used to work there and get almost all my fish there. They're not tan. ;)
 
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