Hi I am a newbie!

[Louxtreme]

Gday well lets see if this works.

I'm Louise and I'm based in Modjadjiskloof South Africa.

I inherited one tank with 22Red jewel cichalids, a pleco (deceased 2 months ago) a leopard fish (deceased he drowned by getting stuck in an ornament).

Just recently over September I've lost 3 fish. 1 I think had swim bladder issues from constipation. One I just found floating at the top of the tank 2hrs after feeding. 2 have clumped fins patches where scales have fallen off or they have been fighting? They were eating well. I put the first one in quarentine and tested with salt and ich treatme t but he lost all his color, turned gray and died.

The 4th one is in quarentine receiving same treatment. Now I see there are a few others with clumped find, no spots!

I'm feeling terrible. All the water parameters are perfect? The tank is 380L.

Any suggestions?

 

[Aiken Drum]

Welcome to the forum.

When you say all the parameters are perfect, what are they?

What sort of condition was everything in when you inherited it all?

Im not a cichlid person, but that seems a lot of fish for that size tank.

Have you changed any routines from what they had before you took charge? Sudden changes to living conditions can be stessful even if the changes are for the better (eg. big water changes when they havent previously had a water change in months).

 

[Louxtreme]

Cichilids

Hi Aikin,
thanks for responding!


I get the water tested at the local fish shop, he said it was perfect, no nitrates, nitrites or ammonia, Ph was normal for Cichalids.



I had 13 when I inherited the tank May 2020, then two months later BABIES. So out of 100 or so fry I was left with 9 babies and the other fish. Now I am down to 18.



The quarantine fish seems to be ok. No turning gray at least.



I do fortnightly to weekly water changes 30%. I have changed their fish food. I actually thought that one of the fish had constipation from the fish food? I also thought the one that was floating 2hours after feeding may have eaten a big chunk (the food is quite large chunks) but now I am giving blood worms.


Im thinking of giving salt treatment to the whole tank..... they dont have white spots just clumped fins. They are all eating well?



Thanks a lot
Louise

 

[Aiken Drum]

Im going to say i dont trust the water parameters you where given. Unless you have no fish in the tank or the test was taken immediately after a 100% water change they are impossible.

If you are cycled, you will see nitrate. Nitrate is the end product of the cycle and can normally only be removed by water changes. 50% water change will remove 50% of your nitrate. So, unless you are doing 100% water changes and essentially testing tap water you wont have 0 nitrate in an cycled tank. Especially when you have a lot of fish producing waste.

If you arent cycled, you should be seeing ammonia and/or nitrite depending on how far progressed you are with your cycle.

Either way you should see something. Everything being 0 is very suspicious. I wouldnt go back to that store for water tests. They are just telling you what you want to hear or dont know how to do the tests. Best thing to do is get your own test kit and do your own testing.

If you have sick fish, the best thing you can do for them is regular water changes to keep the water quality pristine.