Runt of the group?

[Jakepen]

Is it common for there to be one weak fish in the group? I added my stock around a month ago, and right off the bat my demasoni was the weakest, noticeably. The smallest, always hid, never made an effort for food. Eventually he died, now I have a yellow lab showing the same signs, again he is the smallest. But he hides, doesn't move much, and makes no attempt to get food. Actually last night and today I haven't been able to find him, he may be in a cave dying. Is this common?

 

[bmarine]

Is it common for there to be one weak fish in the group? I added my stock around a month ago, and right off the bat my demasoni was the weakest, noticeably. The smallest, always hid, never made an effort for food. Eventually he died, now I have a yellow lab showing the same signs, again he is the smallest. But he hides, doesn't move much, and makes no attempt to get food. Actually last night and today I haven't been able to find him, he may be in a cave dying. Is this common?

I kind of have the same thing...i have some victorians that i bred, and one is a lot smaller than all the others and doesnt seem to be growing! So i have it too, but none have died yet.

 

[nickhendrix007]

Do you have an odd number? I've noticed that there is usually an odd one out when there is an odd number of species

 

[Jakepen]

Do you have an odd number? I've noticed that there is usually an odd one out when there is an odd number of species

No, 8 mbuna. 4 yellow labs, 2 red zebras, and two cobalts

 

[nickhendrix007]

Not sure then. Might be a territory issue with some super dominant fish

 

[Jakepen]

Not sure then. Might be a territory issue with some super dominant fish

I'm not sure, there are a lot of places to hide in my tank, I've only noticed two large male peacocks claiming territory, the rest swim at will wherever they like. I'm gonna go home tonight, watch for him, if I can't find him probably gonna take my scape down, look in all the cichlid stones (15 of them). Really don't want a dead fish in my tank.

 

[bettaowner]

Demasoni are usually aggressive so this is very strange. Size does matter however so if he is smaller than the other fish he will be bullied.

 

[Jakepen]

Demasoni are usually aggressive so this is very strange. Size does matter however so if he is smaller than the other fish he will be bullied.

Well he died two weeks ago, never was bullied, never bothered really. Just wasn't healthy, could kind of tell when I got him home I guess, very light coloring, just way to small. When the demasoni was alive though, the 4 labs would swim around, seemed healthy. After the demasoni died, the smallest lab started hiding, showing the same symptoms of the demasoni.

 

[bettaowner]

Only thing I can think of would be to isolate the small lab and raise him until he gets bigger and healthier.

 

[Jakepen]

Only thing I can think of would be to isolate the small lab and raise him until he gets bigger and healthier.

I live in a appartment, so already having the 70 gallon is a bit of a space issue. So no spare tank for him. I do have a gallon tote, used to dump fish in a bag, I suppose i could house him in that, changing the water with tank water a few times a day. For a week or so, see how he does. It rests on the inside of my tank, so the temperature would be about the same as in my tank. Does that sound logical?

 

[bettaowner]

You could try to buy or build a divider and keep him alone in the 70. My idea is to provide him an environment free from predators and competition for resources.

 

[Haymaker]

I had a similar issue with my yellow lab. Despite being the biggest in the tank at the time he would never come out to eat. Did a major rescape and now he swims freely around. Size rarely seems an issue in my tank since my demosoni is the smallest and rules the roost.

 

[bettaowner]

I read about someone who had an oscar and a jaguar cichlid in the same tank. The jaguar was bullied since it was smaller.