Texas cichlid staying at bottom of tank.

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Johnnyt123

Black Skirt Tetra
MFK Member
Jun 17, 2017
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Hi everyone. I am concerned about my green Texas.
I have had him for 2 years now.
He lived in my outdoor pond until the last month when I decided to put him in my fish tank. He was quite dark at first but now his colours has really brightened up.

I am concerned that he hasn’t eaten since I put him in the tank. His poo is fluffy white and he is always sitting at the bottom of the tank and doesn’t move much unless he wants to nudge his tank mates around. Breathing rate is 64/min noticeable faster than tank mates.
It was just him in the 180 liter tank at first and just 2 days ago I added tankmates but there was no change.

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Well I am gettin desperate.
No responses

I have started treating the whole tank with metronidazole. At a dose of 250mg per 10 galons

I will post what happens so that others may learn from my success or failure....
 
The white poop is probably just from not eating. How did you acclimate him? Was he eating before the move? How long ago was the move?
 
Hi squint. Thanks for the reply.

I have had him in my outdoor cichlid pond for about 2 years. He seemed to be fine in there and he was breading too.

I took him out of the pond and placed him in my fish tank about a month ago.
Acclimation took about an hour gradually to both water and temperature.

He doesn’t seem boyant. He labours to swim off the bottom of the tank and is more comfortable just sitting at the bottom almost all the time. He does look thin and I have never seen him eat in the fish tank. I do see him chasing down the other fish in the tank though. He seems to be the dominant one.
 
Have you tried putting him back into the pond for a week or 2 and see if he changes? What are the water parameters of the pond versus the tank? TDS, PH, GH & KH?
 
At the same time I moved 2 flowerhorns, a red devil and a green terror to the same fish tank and they are all doing just fine.

The only parameter that is high in the fish tank is the nitrate. And the pond had a higher PH.
 
I was just watching him swim and he really labors to stay afloat. As soon as he stops flapping his fins he drops like a rock. Now I am suspecting swim bladder problem.
 
Johnnyt123 said:
At the same time I moved 2 flowerhorns, a red devil and a green terror to the same fish tank and they are all doing just fine.

The only parameter that is high in the fish tank is the nitrate. And the pond had a higher PH.
Click to expand...


Did both red devil and green terror come from the same pond? Not all species of fish have the same tolerance levels for differing water parameters.

He might have sustained an injury when you caught him. You should get methylene blue, and put him in a 27 gallon tough storage tote (home depot has. atoug storage tote for like $13) and put him in there. You will also need a heater and airstone for the tote. MB will help by providing oxygen. Also dissolve 1 teaspoon of epsom salt per gallon to reduce swellingnear the swimming bladder. Keep him in the tote for 2 weeks, changing 5 gallons a day, and redosing with epsom salt and methylene blue for the water changed. I would use water from your tank since water conditioners will destroy methylene blue treated water.
 
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Hey rocksor.

I appreciate the advice you have provided.
I am happy to report though that I saw him eating for the first time since I placed him almost a month ago.
He still isn’t boyant though. But it’s a step forward. Seems the metronidazole seems to be working.

But I will keep close watch and follow your instructions if he doesn’t continue to improve.

And yes. All the fish including the red devil and green terror and flowerhorn came from the same pond.

Thanks.
 
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