Help! nannacara

[steg22]

I got this nannacara and he just stays hidden away all the time, ive barely seen him eat and he also has these grey blotches around his head any ideas on what is wrong? Also any nannacara owners that know what behaviour they shouls be displaying? Thanks!

 

[HN1]

It sounds like it is scared. Is it in with the fish in your signature? What size tank? All of ours have pretty much acted like typical dwarf cichlids. Peaceful as can be until they mate. Then big attitude and very defensive of their chosen territory. I can't see the blotches well enough to speculate on them.

 

[steg22]

He's in with 2 honduran reds and 4 arinoacala Orinoco all are still juveniles, once i have a buyer or take to my lfs next weekend there will just be 2x hondurans him, some corys and some columbian tetras, the nannacara is by far the biggest thing in the tank, do i need to get him a mate?

 

[steg22]

also have you had any experience with hole in the head? if so what methods did you find effective? thanks

 

[HUKIT]

also have you had any experience with hole in the head? if so what methods did you find effective? thanks

Normally in HITH is common in angels/discus where as your fish generally suffer from Head and Lateral Line Errosion(HLLE) which is corrected by feeding a high quality food like New Life Spectrum Thera and large amounts of clean water with nitrate concentrations below 10ppm. I would like to see some pictures of the areas if your concerned. I've rescured dozens of fish suffering from HLLE and was very successful in treating with the above recommnedations concentrating on the water parameters.

Back to your original question the fish looks like someone is beating on it, we have discussed the stocking conditions in a previous thread. I would not recommned adding anymore fish until some others are rehomed.

 

[steg22]

Hey hukit, long time no speak lol! I've got them on New Era flake and frozen bloodworm and brine from Gamma, they also have a weekly treat of live bloodworm. The nitrates are low according to my tests and I have started doing 2x water changes a week since noticing. I will try and get some photos tomorrow if I remember, it does look similar to the HITH pictures on google but I'm anything but an expert. Could it be because the person who I got them from was feeding them wilco's own brand tropical flake?

I think I got the list wrong in a previous thread, after more research and some helpful advice on identifying fish this is what was in the tank when I got it.

2x white convict cichlids (1inch)
2x kribesis cichlids (3inch)
3x handuran red point cichlids (2x 3inch 1x 1inch)
3x thomasi cichlids (3inch)
4x Andinoacara sp. Orinoco (2x 3inch 2x 1inch)
1x Nannacara anomala (4inch)
1x zebra danio
3x Shultzi Cory

I have managed to offload some so what I have now is:

2x white convict cichlids (1inch)
3x handuran red point cichlids (2x 3inch 1x 1inch)
4x Andinoacara sp. Orinoco (2x 3inch 2x 1inch)
1x Nannacara anomala (4inch)
1x zebra danio
3x Shultzi Cory
3x Elegans Cory

The 4 orinocos will be going to my LFS if he'll have them or if someone else wants to come pick them up. I also guess I will have to send the 2x white convicts even though they are adorable at the minute! lol.

 

[HUKIT]

I think your final list would be pretty well stocked once the acara's and convicts are gone. The HRP's will show far better coloration and dramaticlly less aggression and with a smaller foot print tank that will be very important if they spawn.

Back to the HLLE if you get pictures show close up shots of the sensory pits if possible.

 

[steg22]

So could i keep the baby hrp? Also what are the sensory pits?

 

[HUKIT]

So could i keep the baby hrp? Also what are the sensory pits?

As long as it's not being abused, since the chances of you having three males or females is slim so the probability of spawning is higher.

Do you have any pictures so I can sex them, I would doubt your seeing any HLLE issues.

 

[steg22]

Yes i will try get them to you tomorrow man, how do you sex them? Is it a dorsal fin thing? Would it be better to have 3 females or 3 males?

 

[steg22]

 

[steg22]

3x pictures of nanna, 2x pic of hrp no1 and 2x pic of hrp no2

 

[HUKIT]

The Nanna I can't see at all, the 1st HRP looks like a male, but the 3rd I can't tell from the picture.

I also don't see any signs of any health issues like HLLE.

 

[steg22]

sorry my phone camera sucks! the health issues are only on the nanna, also I have only seen him out of his coconut once since i got the tank 3 weeks ago! so taking a picture is difficult. it does look a lot like hith, scales going grey and patchy. got some aquarium salt through the post today so will be dosing that. do you think that'll be ok? How can you tell he's a male? also is that normal for a hrp to not have fully black markings? his seem to fade at the top near the front of his body?

 

[HUKIT]

Here is a decent article on HLLE, while I don't agree with everything he states it will show some shots on the illness. Please send me some pictures of the Nanna if possible. This illness is very cut and dry, from what your describing it sounds different.

Hole in the Head by Adam Dagna of World Cichlids

Looking at the body shape, coloration through the dorsal and caudal fins. While this a good method of sexing with the some strains due to hybridization and over breeding that dillutes the strain of fish. Males have a different head shape, red throughout the finage, longer pointed dorsal fins, and lack the orange coloration on the stomach region(which is somewhat exclusive to females).

 

[HUKIT]

Here is a picture of one of my older pairs where you can clearly see the differences.

 

[steg22]

yes it looks like the 2nd set of oscars, i will try get him out tonight when i do my water change. if they are all male will they be ok in the tank together?

 

[steg22]

do you still have your hondurans? they're gorgeous, how old are they when they display full colours?

 

[HUKIT]

if they are all male will they be ok in the tank together?

Possibly since they are generally more territorial when spawning.

Yes I have 7 different pairs from 3 different regions, the coloration of the fish changes from region to region.

 

[steg22]

Is the frozen and live food ok for them?