heidigirl99
Aquarium Advice Regular
Hi, I am posting about my albino cichlid Jack, who I’m concerned about. Any advice would be much appreciated.
He is in a 65 gallon tank by himself, and I have had him for 2-3 months. He was kept in a small tank at the fish store for 5 months before I bought him. Originally I had him in a 20 gallon and he was more withdrawn, but since I’ve moved him to the 65 gallon about 4 weeks ago, he has been very social, and eating regularly (swipes up Sinking Gold Cichlid pellets right away) and likes to play in his bubble wall.
Technically, this is a newer tank but I feel it has cycled. I have been very careful to keep his water parameters in the safe zones- particular the ammonia. One day last week though, the Ammonia Alert read close to purple (toxic) which seemed from various family over feeding him. I didn’t let that ammonia spike go for more than a few hours though, and have been doing daily water changes ever since.
When the ammonia spiked, Jack looked really depressed and/or pissed off. He was flipping around the tank when he saw me and/or not come out of his cave. At one point he rubbed up against some rocks (uh oh) but hasn’t done that since.
Anyway, very-long-story-short, through careful waste removal and WC 1-2 times a day, and addition of salt he seems to be doing better. He is coming out of his cave, doing his regular activities (bubble wall, meeting us at top of tank, etc.) but hasn’t been eating. My sister in law mentioned last night after not seeing him for two weeks (she is also a fish lover) that he seems like he is no longer “smiling” not as social and his mouth looks more downturned... we also wondered if he was breathing hard bc his gills were more prominent.
Currently his water parameters are near perfect. A little ammonia (in the Alarm range) but supposedly okay for cycling and he seems to be pretty hardy to higher levels than that.
So, considering he is albino/white... could I be missing Ich or something else insidious that usually appears as white spots? I just don’t want to be neglecting anything, but I also don’t want to jump the gun. He is such a great fish.
He is in a 65 gallon tank by himself, and I have had him for 2-3 months. He was kept in a small tank at the fish store for 5 months before I bought him. Originally I had him in a 20 gallon and he was more withdrawn, but since I’ve moved him to the 65 gallon about 4 weeks ago, he has been very social, and eating regularly (swipes up Sinking Gold Cichlid pellets right away) and likes to play in his bubble wall.
Technically, this is a newer tank but I feel it has cycled. I have been very careful to keep his water parameters in the safe zones- particular the ammonia. One day last week though, the Ammonia Alert read close to purple (toxic) which seemed from various family over feeding him. I didn’t let that ammonia spike go for more than a few hours though, and have been doing daily water changes ever since.
When the ammonia spiked, Jack looked really depressed and/or pissed off. He was flipping around the tank when he saw me and/or not come out of his cave. At one point he rubbed up against some rocks (uh oh) but hasn’t done that since.
Anyway, very-long-story-short, through careful waste removal and WC 1-2 times a day, and addition of salt he seems to be doing better. He is coming out of his cave, doing his regular activities (bubble wall, meeting us at top of tank, etc.) but hasn’t been eating. My sister in law mentioned last night after not seeing him for two weeks (she is also a fish lover) that he seems like he is no longer “smiling” not as social and his mouth looks more downturned... we also wondered if he was breathing hard bc his gills were more prominent.
Currently his water parameters are near perfect. A little ammonia (in the Alarm range) but supposedly okay for cycling and he seems to be pretty hardy to higher levels than that.
So, considering he is albino/white... could I be missing Ich or something else insidious that usually appears as white spots? I just don’t want to be neglecting anything, but I also don’t want to jump the gun. He is such a great fish.
