Wish me luck!

[love The Jack Dempseys]

Third times the charm hopefully for me vs the pbass! Ive had two pbass in the past and have lost both, one due to an evil lima and second to ich(didnt look like norml ich, thought it was just bubbles) and today i bought another and this time hes by himself in a 29 with 83-87* water to help prevent ich and he's supposedly ln pelets but we'll see about then when he hopefully starts eating ill put up picks when he gets settled in

 

[Houdini89]

Good luck......

 

[love The Jack Dempseys]

Do you have any tips for me? Hes around 1-2"

 

[gangster]

Get that temp at a steady 87...a swing from 83-87 is a big swing for little guys. Try and stay away from live foods. Start w/ bloodworms and brine shrimp.

 

[love The Jack Dempseys]

Yesterday i dropped a blood worm cube in and he didnt touch it and its still pretty much a cube at the bottom lol, im figuring hes just a little scared. He just hides behind the heater or under the filter.

 

[love The Jack Dempseys]

Here he is


Sent from my iPad using MonsterAquariaNetwork app

 

[love The Jack Dempseys]

Also im guessing mono/ocell? The usual?

 

[fish junkie]

temps at 86+ you have added aeration your feeding the right food you have three things wrong though #1 that tank is too small it looks to be a twenty gallon ? the smaller the tank the larger the water levels can swing one way or the other ph ammonia and such add a sponge filter to your airstone that should help .#2 you left the bloodworms in the tank net them out immediately they will spike the ammonia level in your water. With that small of a tank remove uneaten food immediately best rule is the 15 minute rule if its not gone in 15 minutes remove it the fish isn't likely to take it and it will toxify your water#3 cover cichla are alot calmer when they have a floating plant or something to hide by they are an ambush predator adding some cover will do two things #1 calm him down see his head he has what i call stress stripes these arent part of his future coloring hes stressed hes trying to tell you that by hiding behind the heater or under the filter #2 it will coax him into eating he will move out of his hiding spot and eat and then jet back to cover where he feels safe .
i also recommend adding aquarium salt its just a general tonic and helps to combat disease. another thing would be a dither fish even if its a potential food source in the future it will help him to relax knowing hes not alone.

 

[fish junkie]

and i forgot to add good luck

 

[love The Jack Dempseys]

Thanks you so much for that and its a 29 gallon. Would a few rosy reds be ok as dithers and then he can just eat them when he big enough?