Hello all, I am hoping you guys can give me some good advice. I have a 55 gallon tank with an albino Oscar, who is probably seven or eight years old, a striped Cichlid, two catfish, and a bumblebee Cichlid. They have lived in harmony for a very long time. I guess I actually have two questions. One is: after my pleco died a while back, I tried to introduce new ones into the tank to no avail. That is why I have gone with the catfish, but they do not clean nearly as well. So I would love suggestions. The second and more important question has to do with my bumblebee. Henry is swimming upside down and looks as seen in the picture. Nothing in the tank is off, and I think it might be swimbladder, but he looks very sick. I know he needs to go without eating for a few days if it is swimbladder, but I don’t know how to do that with the other fish. This is the only aquarium I have and I don’t want to put him in a bowl. I would love any suggestions you have. Thanks in advance.
Sick little cichlid
- Thread starter Oscarsmom
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Andy Sager
Aquarium Advice Addict
This is not swim bladder but more a bacterial infection most likely post attack from another fish. The fins are frayed, there is swelling under the scales in areas of the flesh not the organs and there are small blood spots on the ventral fins. The fish appears highly distressed and tbh, will probably not survive. If you were to try and save him, you could do it in a bucket or another container where a decent volume of water can be held. The fish would need an antibiotic ( which one will depend on your water's chemistry) and would need to be isolated for quite some time. Take all this into consideration before moving towards whatever next step you want to take.
On a side note, what kind of catfish did you replace the pleco with? Also, the Bumblebee is an African Cichlid while the Oscar is a S. American cichlid. They require different water parameters and should not have been mixed in the first place. You'd need to supply a picture of the " striped cichlid" to figure out if it too is in danger in the tank with the Oscar.
On a side note, what kind of catfish did you replace the pleco with? Also, the Bumblebee is an African Cichlid while the Oscar is a S. American cichlid. They require different water parameters and should not have been mixed in the first place. You'd need to supply a picture of the " striped cichlid" to figure out if it too is in danger in the tank with the Oscar.
Thank you so much for your insight. The aquarium was my wife's passion, and since she passed away, I have been learning as I go. I've been working with a local aquarium store, so I may have taken advice without knowing the right questions to ask. Oscar (Wilde) has been in the tank roughly 7-8 years, and we introduced him with two other cichlids at the same time. Those two went on to breed, and bumblebee was one of the babies. So, while I knew cichlids were aggressive, the aquarium shop assured us that they were good together when introduced very young. At any rate, I am very grateful for your insight. I couldn't take seeing him so miserable, so I did call the vet who suggested I humanely euthanize. He was a good fish, and I know this group understandss becoming emotionally attached to these little guys.
To answer your question, my catfish are Pictus Catfish. Definitely miss my pleco.
Andy Sager
Aquarium Advice Addict
IMO, the Vet gave you the best/right advice.
As for the catfish, Pictus are great but definitely a different fish than a pleco. Pictus won't eat algae while many species of Plecos do.
Just an FYI, the Oscar is getting large enough that a 55 is going to be too small for him. It very well could have been him that did the bumblebee in. Oscars need space which is why the minimum recommended tank size for a single Oscar is 75 gallons. A typical 75 is the same length as a 55 but 6" wider and those 6 inches make a difference, especially when the fish wants to turn around. You might want to consider trading this one in and getting another to raise if the banded cichlid is not another African Cichlid. Just something to think about.
IMO, the Vet gave you the best/right advice.
As for the catfish, Pictus are great but definitely a different fish than a pleco. Pictus won't eat algae while many species of Plecos do.
Just an FYI, the Oscar is getting large enough that a 55 is going to be too small for him. It very well could have been him that did the bumblebee in. Oscars need space which is why the minimum recommended tank size for a single Oscar is 75 gallons. A typical 75 is the same length as a 55 but 6" wider and those 6 inches make a difference, especially when the fish wants to turn around. You might want to consider trading this one in and getting another to raise if the banded cichlid is not another African Cichlid. Just something to think about.
These are my two big guys. Looks like I need to start
Looking for a larger tank
I appreciate allOf your feedback. I just want to give them to best environment I can but am learning as I go!
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Andy Sager
Aquarium Advice Addict
Just a hint, you want to look into tanks that are longer and wider more than shorter and taller. Fish swim more left to right or right to left more so than up and down.
