sick cichlid

[Johnnyti]

Of 5 cichlid ,I noticed lately the smallest ones fins were ragged. I think he was being beat up by the others. he seemed to have a problem swimming. this morning he swinning sporaticly(sp.) he doesn't look good but want to do what i can for him. i'mm limited on space but did put him i a 10gal tank with a couple goldfish
I went to Petsmart to get melafix but they were out so I bought T.C. tetracyline, took out the charcoal filter and added the medicine.
he seems to be strong but he's rolling and swimming upside down. It looks like he can't see from the way he's bumping into things.
I'm hoping that i can help him but don't want him to suffer. Any advice is appreciated.

It's 10:30 and nothing has changed, I don't know if this is good or bad news.

 

[Johnnyti]

we are in to the second day and there isn't alot of change, He seems strong but doesn't have the usage of all his fins. I'm trying to find help on other sites.

 

[happygirl65]

Hi there, how long has the tank been set up, how long have you had the ailing fish? It could have been badly wounded by the others, what else do yo uhave in with him and how big is the tank?

 

[Johnnyti]

When I didn't get any reply I posted on the "cichlid" site and got a reply from Dizzcat. She was very helpful but the fish died that night. I realize how much more I need to learn.
I adopted my fish from my sister and law who's been sick. She's had her 46 gal tank for ten years. Since it was a part Christmas present for my wife I bought a new 26gal. It didn't take long to realize there was more to this than "just add water!" and my sister and law didn't seem to have the right answers.
I have 4 yellow ciclid(4"-5") about 15 gold fish 5 tetras 1 very large pleco. The ciclid seem to require the most education. I had them in the 46 with a couple goldfish but the goldfish grew like crazy so I decided to put them in the 26gal with 4 tetras (tetras are very small).
Dizzcat thinks I should put them back in the 46 and thats fine but I they'll have to share with some goldfish so as not to overload the 26gal. I also have a 10gal.
My observation has been that the different fish don't inter mix or cause trouble out side of their species. In the mean time I been moving thing around when a clean the cichlids tank and it seems to keep the bully in check.
I really do apreciate advice. I wish I'd have bought a 36 in stead of 26 but I didn't.

 

[happygirl65]

Well I am glad you got some help. If you are wishing for more space you could possibly take the goldfish to the LFS or even some of the cichlids. I know it may not be an easy thing to do but if the space it too small it might be best. The goldfish will eventually get very very large and the large pleco is probably already too large for your set ups. They can get to be real tank busters.

It would give you a chance at being able to keep up with the tanks while you learn more and decide on what you ultimately want for your tanks. It is tough to inherit them from someone else, just keep in mind that there are options out there like selling a few to other hobbyists or the LFS.

 

[Johnnyti]

I had thought that fish grew into their inviorment.Meaning the more space the bigger they get. Like what happened to the couple goldfish I had in the 46 with, at the time, 6 cichlids. I could see that they dominated at feeding time also.
I've learned that alot of people make the same mistake in selecting an alge eater. Are they a nessesity? And how big and how old do they get?

You probably know that reading articles on this and other sites that the writers show bias to different fish which can also be confusing in the learning process.
Is mixing them up good or bad? I could take the two largest cichlids and switch them with a few goldfish?
Last question: What and where is the LFS?

 

[happygirl65]

It has been a long perpetuated myth that fish only grow to the size of their tank. If you do routine proper maintenance and water changes certain species can and will outgrow their tank. They will also be deformed and eventually succumb to disease if kept in too small a tank for an extended period of time.

Algae eaters are not so much a necessity as they are a convenience for cleaning up algae, you can certainly clean the glass yourself, and you can select other species that wont grow too large (bristlenose pleco for example are a dwarf pleco that wont exceed 5 in on average) It is an easy mistake with the common pleco as they are sold when they are very small and with no warning as to how large they will get. They can live 10-15 years. My mother in law has had one for seven years. They are far better suited to a pond than a fish tank in my opinion.
Goldfish and cichlids are not usually good tank mates because they require different conditions (goldies like cooler water than cichlids) and the goldfish are considered messy fish in terms of food consumption and waste production so they can require more maintenance.
LFS stands for Local Fish Store and can be anything from petsmart to your local mom and pop aquatic store or pet store that also sells fish. Most of the Mom and Pop type shops will take your fish and often give you store credit so you can get food or other fish that you do want.
You could almost certainly trade in the cichlids for any other fish you so desire.
You might also want to research goldfish if that is your fish preference as I believe there are some that wont grow quite so large and would be quite happy in your tank.

 

[Johnnyti]

I think I've favored the cichlids but they all have my heart so I'm going to do the best I can for them all. I think the pleco is around 7. I make sure he has room to move around and multiple places to hide. I also have little tricks to give him treats that the other fish can't take away. I'm going to see if I can find someone trusting to give a few of the gold fish. A when funds are better get another larger tank. Even though there more work a think larger is easier to keep.

 

[happygirl65]

You are definitely right, large is easier to care for, the bigger the better....as long as you can still reach to the bottom to rearrange or do maintenance anyway. As far as water changes go they are just as easy in my opinion if you have a python or some other hose that can reach from the sink to the tank...it really helps not having to haul buckets.

You can also feed that pleco some cucumber or zucchini and he might be the only one interested in it. Goldfish will also devour lettuce if you want to give them a fresh treat.