Rachel0001
Aquarium Advice Regular
I was watching my fish last night and noticed my largest Phenochilus Tanzania (Star Sapphire) flashing more than usual. All my fish have always done it to some extent around certain others but I still try to pay attention when I see it. I noticed he's got three small strange spots on his sides. One, the largest and only one I could see in my phone pictures is halfway down his side and looks to me like a wound, like it could be a couple of scales pulled away. The other two are closer to his head and are much smaller but look similar, like little snags or something. I don't have any rough rock or sharp edges anywhere.
My fish are fairly young, all under 4-5" and only my Tangerine Tigers have been spotted breeding yet. He is just started to get those beautiful blue "sparkles" though, and he is definitely one of my most feisty fish (He's one of only 2 that will chase anyone else).
I have two other Star Sapphires, one I see barely any blue on it at all. The other is also getting to be more blue but doesn't have any of the sparkles yet. He's also got some pretty nipped up fins. He's always been an underdog but he's never looked like it before.
I KNOW I shouldn't have Frontosa in there but they seem to be the happiest fish in the tank; I had no idea they could even grow this fast! I also know they've all only been together less than a year so I can't call that successful and am willing to do what I need to do. I plan on getting correct ratios as soon as I certain I know what I'll stay with. Hopefully in the next 2 months.
The Tangerine Tigers, Peacocks and Frontosa grew faster than everyone else so those are the bigger fish in the tank, aside from Rusty who bothers no one but tends to split anyone up if he sees chasing. I've read several articles about doing "peaceful" Hap or Peacock tanks and have been following that advice as I look at stock. I'm torn between all frontosa or trying to mix Fronts with whoever proves to be most peaceful, hopefully my Sapphires (my other favorites). Advice on that is welcome as I really love both.
So...does this look like a wound, or something else?
If it is a wound, do I need to address my stocking now? Would that mean getting more sapphires? Or should I chalk it up to Cichlids being Cichlids (I tend to err on the side of caution, especially with my mix).
This is in my 100 gallon African Cichlid tank:
3 Phenochilus Tanzania (Blue Sapphires)
2 Cyrtocara moorii (Blue Dolphins)
3 Protomelas Taeniolatus Likoma Island (Tangerine Tiger)
5 Aulonacara (mixes)
8 yellow labs- ill keep some of these guys if they continue to work.
2 Frontosa
1 big old rusty
Am: 0
N02: 0
N03: 20-40 (changing water tomorrow)
pH: 8.2
I use Prime, Cichlid salt and Cichlid Trace when doing water changes.
I feed only NLS pellets, mixing Thera-A with Cichlid Pellets. Everyone eats well, including the Fronts who aren't shy or slow (at ALL).
Thanks everyone
My fish are fairly young, all under 4-5" and only my Tangerine Tigers have been spotted breeding yet. He is just started to get those beautiful blue "sparkles" though, and he is definitely one of my most feisty fish (He's one of only 2 that will chase anyone else).
I have two other Star Sapphires, one I see barely any blue on it at all. The other is also getting to be more blue but doesn't have any of the sparkles yet. He's also got some pretty nipped up fins. He's always been an underdog but he's never looked like it before.
I KNOW I shouldn't have Frontosa in there but they seem to be the happiest fish in the tank; I had no idea they could even grow this fast! I also know they've all only been together less than a year so I can't call that successful and am willing to do what I need to do. I plan on getting correct ratios as soon as I certain I know what I'll stay with. Hopefully in the next 2 months.
The Tangerine Tigers, Peacocks and Frontosa grew faster than everyone else so those are the bigger fish in the tank, aside from Rusty who bothers no one but tends to split anyone up if he sees chasing. I've read several articles about doing "peaceful" Hap or Peacock tanks and have been following that advice as I look at stock. I'm torn between all frontosa or trying to mix Fronts with whoever proves to be most peaceful, hopefully my Sapphires (my other favorites). Advice on that is welcome as I really love both.
So...does this look like a wound, or something else?
If it is a wound, do I need to address my stocking now? Would that mean getting more sapphires? Or should I chalk it up to Cichlids being Cichlids (I tend to err on the side of caution, especially with my mix).
This is in my 100 gallon African Cichlid tank:
3 Phenochilus Tanzania (Blue Sapphires)
2 Cyrtocara moorii (Blue Dolphins)
3 Protomelas Taeniolatus Likoma Island (Tangerine Tiger)
5 Aulonacara (mixes)
8 yellow labs- ill keep some of these guys if they continue to work.
2 Frontosa
1 big old rusty
Am: 0
N02: 0
N03: 20-40 (changing water tomorrow)
pH: 8.2
I use Prime, Cichlid salt and Cichlid Trace when doing water changes.
I feed only NLS pellets, mixing Thera-A with Cichlid Pellets. Everyone eats well, including the Fronts who aren't shy or slow (at ALL).
Thanks everyone
