what do you guys think? starved cichla?

[cichlid savage]

The only neglect from me is having it in a 75 gallon tank. As for maintaining them they all will be perfectly fine when I get my 180 set up this weekend or next week. The only way it could have caught any parasites is from live Nightcrawlers that it ate. Although he probably did have a couple feeder minnows left over from fishing one time this year since he got treated last time.

You are setting up a 180 this weekend. How do you intend to cycle the tank?

 

[bOOsteN aUdI]

The fish isn't sick. If you guys think you are so good then how about one of you buy it and show everyone here how its done?

FIRST OFF! i can vouch for EVERY SINGLE PERSON that posted in this thread that they are good cichla keepers from what I see and what is spoken about! SECOND OFF! don't try to push this on other people. if i had a QT tank i might just consider your offer, but my cichla are prized to me and if it is an internal parasite it is not worth risking my cichla.

Ok Eric The 75g tank and how big is the Cichla? I wouldn't dare put that fish with my collection I worked to hard and put in to much care to do something like that.

The neglect you admitted to is the problem I fell and all of the other contributing factors. Look I will be the first to admit this is no easy task keeping Cichla anyone can do it but can they do it right? Everyone here would be more then happy to help you if you would just let them.

I think i can speak for all of us when i say that we put love and devotion into keeping and caring for our cichla.. sometimes there is some trouble shooting but most of the time the advise given is taken and the problems are solved.

I'll give you 20 bucks for him you pay the shipping. In a month you won't recognize him.

Eric99 the offers on the table.. i know for a fact your occelaris will be going to a great home.


I DID NOT START THIS THREAD TO CAUSE ARGUMENTS AND PROBLEMS! i just wanted to let you(ERIC99) and everyone else to know this. i simply wanted to see how others feel about what i was thinking about the physical appearance of this cichla. i am a cichla fanatic along with quite a few others on this forum, i have been keeping them for years and i mean years. i have never seen a cichla get that skinny overnight if your feeding him everyday and the amount that you have stated. i feed my cichla everyday and they will still show a straight smooth round stomach( kind of hard to explain), they do not have any concaved look at all with my tanks tempature at 87+ degrees. in conclusion which a few of the other great monster fish keepers on here stated, if you are feeding him like you said then i think your cichla has an internal parasite because obviously there is something not right. possibly you should try to treat him and get him looking a bit better before trying to pawn him off to someone else.

 

[cichlid savage]

My best offer would be $40.00 shipped. All you need to do is find someone to professionally pack him for you. take him to UPS and send him to me. I'll give you half upfront and half after delivery, via paypal. i will have to adjust some fish so let me know soon. He will definitlely have to be in a QT tank until we get a grip on what's wrong.

Otherwise, noone will pay $50.00 for a fish that looks that sickly. Not trying to flame you just being straight and to the point. If you need pics of any of my cichla you can check my Avatar, search here, or i will provide.

 

[Red Devil]

that is sad... once in awhile you see fish with this sucken belly in an LFS ..just sick that they cannot feed their fish...

 

[Eric99]

Im going to try Prazipro for a week when I shut my 30 gallon tank down this coming week. If that doesn't work then oh well. I will try to feed him more too. Maybe he has a stubborn internal parasite that wasn't eliminated before.

 

[cichlid savage]

Im going to try Prazipro for a week when I shut my 30 gallon tank down this coming week. If that doesn't work then oh well. I will try to feed him more too. Maybe he has a stubborn internal parasite that wasn't eliminated before.

 

[mjuniorc]

hmmmmm interesting........
well im not tryin to flame no one but it may seem like i am...LOL... but i think that POOR CICHLA is STARVED for SURE... internal parasite IMO.. if he had one (parasite) look'n like that, it would be dead before that indention in his/hers abdomen had formed or developed the way it looks now... if you say you feed market shrimp everyday or whatever your feeding your ever so loyal fish... IM SORRY that does not happen and it should not look like that!!! THE FUNNY THING is i FEED my CICHLA market shrimp 2-3x a week and they dont look like that @ all... (if your curious on what my cichla look like LOOK ME UP and COMPARE!!) and if you say you feed them everyday then he would be spoiled and well nurtured, because in the wild a fish dont get to eat everyday... YADDA MEAN....

and yess cichlid savage will take care of your boy!!! the offer is on the table... but its up too you!! watever direction you go pls.... feed the poor guy... and dont over medicate if you choose that road... forget the meds just power feed that sucker!!!

 

[Will Hayward]

that is sad... once in awhile you see fish with this sucken belly in an LFS ..just sick that they cannot feed their fish...

Nah whats sad it that everyone here has just criticised the owner, without offering aid. Even if the owner isn't conceeding that it may be skinny for one of the proposed reasons, doesn't mean that he wont read advice if you offer it. But of course you call BS when he takes your advice... mature right?

Starved:
-Some food items can be digested very quickly and contain little fat & nutrition. Recommend some quality food.
-Recommend a suggested amount that the fish should be approximately consuming per day.

Parasites:
-What broad spectrum medications do you suggest, at regular dosage?
-Is the medication safe for his other fish?
-Should multiple medications be used to cover all possible infections?

Deformation:
-Easily crossed off the list if a photo after feeding is shown.

 

[orljdmh22]

+1 hayward. the guy seems like he's more than willing to take in any suggestions. he says he's feeding his fish. if he's lying, that's his deal. but as far as we know, its being fed. so maybe some suggestions. im no Cichla expert, so i don't want to mislead the poor guy. ive seen fish fed well stay hollow bellied (not cichla). ive seen fish in a tank being fed twice a day, get thinner and thinner. until they were sunken looking. and even when they ate a ton they wouldnt fatten up. if his fattens up when he feeds, that has to mean something odd is going on. but again, i dont want this to be blind leading the blind. maybe help the guy out, could be a learning experience for him.

 

[cichlid savage]

Nah whats sad it that everyone here has just criticised the owner, without offering aid. Even if the owner isn't conceeding that it may be skinny for one of the proposed reasons, doesn't mean that he wont read advice if you offer it. But of course you call BS when he takes your advice... mature right?

Starved:
-Some food items can be digested very quickly and contain little fat & nutrition. Recommend some quality food.
-Recommend a suggested amount that the fish should be approximately consuming per day.

Parasites:
-What broad spectrum medications do you suggest, at regular dosage?
-Is the medication safe for his other fish?
-Should multiple medications be used to cover all possible infections?

Deformation:
-Easily crossed off the list if a photo after feeding is shown.

+1 hayward. the guy seems like he's more than willing to take in any suggestions. he says he's feeding his fish. if he's lying, that's his deal. but as far as we know, its being fed. so maybe some suggestions. im no Cichla expert, so i don't want to mislead the poor guy. ive seen fish fed well stay hollow bellied (not cichla). ive seen fish in a tank being fed twice a day, get thinner and thinner. until they were sunken looking. and even when they ate a ton they wouldnt fatten up. if his fattens up when he feeds, that has to mean something odd is going on. but again, i dont want this to be blind leading the blind. maybe help the guy out, could be a learning experience for him.

I am not going to pass judgement on your comments as you are welcome to your opinions as are we. That being said, I think he would have gotten a much better response from the members here had NOT been trying to sell a fish that looks like this one does, and for a ridiculously high price at that. Anyone can see that the fish needs some type of care, whether it be medicine or food. To offer it for sale as a healthy fish in it's current condition is an insult to the people who keep and dare I say love their cichla. Then in another thread look to buy more cichla online when this one has obviously been in need of some type of help for quite a while (if we are to believe he has had the fish 1.5 yrs).

The fact that he has had the fish for 1.5 yrs and it's only 9", leads me to believe it has been neglected. Finally, I offered to take the fish at a fair price given it's current condition if he can arrange for professional shipping hoping to give the fish the best chance at arriving to me alive.