Hello everyone. I currently have an electric yellow (yellow lab, if you prefer) Cichlid in a 30 gallon tank. His tankmates are one golden Chinese Algae Eater and one spotted catfish. I recently lost the pleco I had for about 7 years, and went to PetSmart looking for a new algae gobbler. I decided on a CAE, after being told they would be able to stand their own with a bully of a Cichlid. The salesperson did not, however, tell me that they have a tendency to eat the slime coats of other fish so here is my dilemma:
My cichlid is very old, I estimate about 11 years. He's been looking pretty decrepit for quite some time, he has a black film that is covering his body and has been there for about 3 years with no real harm to him, as well as 1 clouded eye that I believe is merely blind (has also been this way for several years without any signs of real disease). Him and the CAE chase one another around the tank, but no real harm done. I bought algae wafers to appease the CAE as I read that this can slow the problem of slime coat sucking. However, yesterday the CAE was chasing my cichlid all day, and I saw him latch on several times. I noticed that the black coating around his dorsal fin has disappeared, and there was what looked like white slime coming off of my cichlid. I immediately removed the CAE and put him in a much smaller container until I can decide what to do with him. However, last night and all day today my cichlid has been just sitting on the bottom of the tank and will not move. He has not been eating well for the past several months, and has little interest in food now, either. Is there anything that I can do for him, or should I just assume that he has had a good life and just let him live out his last days in peace?
Thanks for any help!
Anna
My cichlid is very old, I estimate about 11 years. He's been looking pretty decrepit for quite some time, he has a black film that is covering his body and has been there for about 3 years with no real harm to him, as well as 1 clouded eye that I believe is merely blind (has also been this way for several years without any signs of real disease). Him and the CAE chase one another around the tank, but no real harm done. I bought algae wafers to appease the CAE as I read that this can slow the problem of slime coat sucking. However, yesterday the CAE was chasing my cichlid all day, and I saw him latch on several times. I noticed that the black coating around his dorsal fin has disappeared, and there was what looked like white slime coming off of my cichlid. I immediately removed the CAE and put him in a much smaller container until I can decide what to do with him. However, last night and all day today my cichlid has been just sitting on the bottom of the tank and will not move. He has not been eating well for the past several months, and has little interest in food now, either. Is there anything that I can do for him, or should I just assume that he has had a good life and just let him live out his last days in peace?
Thanks for any help!
Anna
