Need help!

[LoverofCichlids]

I have a snow white albino cichlid that has been picked on ruthlessly today. I don't have a qt tank as I can't afford one right now. But anyway, his pectoral fins are almost gone. Obviously, he can't swim and the other cichlids are picking on him even more. I put him in my community tank and now he is just laying on his side and his breathing has finally slowed down. What else can I do? Stress coat? Melafix? Will he survive on his side until they grow back?

 

[Toirtis]

Probably not...his only real hope is a QT tank.

 

[Meredith]

a ten gallon rubbermaid container will work in a pinch.

 

[mr86mister]

yeah mereidth is right....find something cheap and easy and take some of the water from your larger tank and put it in the 10 gallon container, pop a bubbler in there and put in the meds....good luck!!

 

[Menagerie]

There is an article on QT "tanks" in the Articles section. There are cheap alternatives to a 10 gallon glass tank.

I put him in my community tank and now he is just laying on his side and his breathing has finally slowed down. What else can I do? Stress coat? Melafix? Will he survive on his side until they grow back?

Once a fish becomes this beat up, death will often follow. As a fellow lover and keeper of cichlids, I have witnessed this over and over again. This fish needs to be isolated and treated with Melafix. Bacterial infections can come on quickly to a stressed fish and being in the community tank will only increase the chances. Add Melafix to the entire tank to reduce the likelyhood of that happening and rig up a QT tank ASAP.

 

[PBirdsong]

a ten gallon rubbermaid container will work in a pinch.

GREAT IDEA!!! I just setup a "quickie" QT for my pleco!

Glad I decided to read this thread . . .

 

[LoverofCichlids]

I'm sorry to report that my albino died this morning. I had set up a qt tank, but just minutes after putting him in there he died.

 

[Menagerie]

Sorry to hear that

 

[FMJnaX]

I'm sorry for your loss...

I read somewhere (was it an article here?) that in the cichlid world there is a very important "pecking order". When a member of the group is unable to "hold his/her own", they are dropped off the pecking order and pretty much made an outcast to the group. I don't keep cichlids so I'm not an expert, but perhaps this is what he was being picked on. Was there anything else going on that would cause the group to outcast him? It may be worth while to just keep a keen eye out for any sign of disease.