Multiple Cichlid tanks need help

[Tester]

Hi,
I have been raising several different types of African Cichlids for several years now, and I have encountered a massive problem. I have a 72 gallon bow front, and my daughter has a 55 gallon standard. Some of her cichlids started dying for no apparent reason, other than her young children had dumped a full can of flakes in the aquarium. She changed the water 4-5 times but all of them died except for her two bristle nose plecos. I took them home and washed them off in water from our sink (well water no chemicals and what I use to change my water with). I put them in my 72 gallon, but they died within two or three days. 4 days later all of my cichlids have started dying and I have lost about 20 fish. I may have a half dozen left. I pulled the best looking ones out, rinsed them and put them in a 29 gallon breeding tank. One of them has died but he wasn’t in great shape. Some of my Demason's have fry in their mouths and they are still alive.
There are no outward signs of disease so I am completely lost as to what is happening.

Thanks
Richard

 

[HN1]

I really don't know what to suggest outside of not "rinsing" your fish. Are the tanks cycled? Describe your routine before the problem came up. Die off like that screams toxic ammonia levels to me.

Sorry for your losses.

 

[mattrox]

I agree with HN1. A massive spike in ammonia can do permanent damage to the delicate structures of their gills.

 

[Tester]

Ammonia

I would agree except for one point. I moved a total of two small bristle nose into my tank, which had been stable for over a year. I have only lost fish to old age. As far as rinsing the fish off, I am using the same water that I clean/exchange my tanks with. The two bristle nose plecos died within two days, bringing the tank back to the same count it had for the prior year+. Within 5-6 days the other fish in the tank started dying and I am now down to two cichlids and a couple of plecos. I moved a few of the best shape Demason’s into my fry rearing tank and they are doing okay at the moment. one of my big plecos is staying near the top of the bow front, but it sometimes does that anyway, however MY two bristle nose are also staying near the top which is unusual for them. A couple of the cichlids, before they died were doing the "scrape the side" dance against some of the rocks, but again had no outward sign of disease of any kind. I can’t come up with anything that could be transferring tank to tank like this.

Tester

 

[HUKIT]

How are the fish acting? Lethargic? Hiding? . Is is possible the fish have bloat due to the huge amounts of food they possibly consumed. Bloat will kill fish within seven days unless treated.

Malawi Bloat

They recommend Clout but thats my last resort if it is bloat I've had good luck with Jungles Parasite Clear which is safe for the bactieria count.

 

[HN1]

Water test results? It's easy enough to confirm or rule out.