elusive_fish Posted April 11, 2010 Report Share Posted April 11, 2010 Hi all, I've always had very healthy tanks, where the only deaths are inflicted by other inmates. But not right now things have gone off the rails. Tank details: 4ft/250L with Aquaone cf1200 cannister filter About 15 malawis/africans of different kinds About 6 weeks ago I moved house, but kept all the water in my filter and enough water in the bottom of the tank to keep the substrate wet. I figured I could avoid problems with cycling all over again and the tank seemed to get through the first month with no worries. I have since added a few fish, from two different sources. One about 3 weeks ago, the other 2 weeks ago. They are fine. About a week ago my big electric yellow stopped coming out to feed. It otherwise looks healthy with no physical marks. It occassionally would take a bit of food in its mouth, then spit again. Then a couple of nighs ago I see one of my lionheads looking really off balance and a little damaged looking. Like other fish had been picking at it (why do they have to beat up on sick fish?) It died that night. Today a baby greshakei is dead in the bottom and my other lionhead, who has not been eating for the lats couple of days, is looking lethargic and a little off balance. A couple of electric yellows dont seem to be eating much/anything. The two fish that have been off food the longest (big male yellow and male lionhead) still dont have any physical symptoms. The lionhead looks on his way out, the yellow looks ok, but still not eating. It might be just me, but both look a little plump for being off the food. Anyone got any good advice on how to determine the cause and get this tank back to its healthy state? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwiplymouth Posted April 11, 2010 Report Share Posted April 11, 2010 This may be a silly question but as you haven't mentioned it I thought I would ask. Have you tested your water parameters? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elusive_fish Posted April 11, 2010 Author Report Share Posted April 11, 2010 Oops. The water tests fine... plus wouldnt problems with water chemistry affect all the fish, not just a couple? But thanks checking kiwiplymouth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwiplymouth Posted April 11, 2010 Report Share Posted April 11, 2010 Oops. The water tests fine... plus wouldnt problems with water chemistry affect all the fish, not just a couple? But thanks checking kiwiplymouth Not necessarily. I had a nitrite spike in an african tank a while back, I lost 5 peacocks but all the other species survived and showed no symptoms Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer Posted April 11, 2010 Report Share Posted April 11, 2010 Perhaps it is the protozoa, hexamita (Malawi bloat). Not eating and bloating are some signs of that condition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrienne Posted April 11, 2010 Report Share Posted April 11, 2010 Is your water still from the same source - I'm assuming being Christchurch its still artesian water. You haven't any 'dead' spots in the substrate that may have been stirred up during your move? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elusive_fish Posted April 11, 2010 Author Report Share Posted April 11, 2010 The water source should still be the same... at least I think so. I rearrange the rocks every few months and throughly stir up the gravel every week or so. Its possible that I still could have got some anaerobic dead spots in the substrate, but I moved about 6 weeks ago and the first few weeks were totally problem free. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanjury Posted April 11, 2010 Report Share Posted April 11, 2010 Yep as per the other thread when you asked I would say hex/bloat either way treat with metro.. I treat in a 10L tank and use quarter of a 400mg tablet.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elusive_fish Posted April 11, 2010 Author Report Share Posted April 11, 2010 10L? Thats a bucket I would have thought that I would need to treat the whole tank they live in. After all, if its a protozoa that can go outside the body and infect other fish it could live in the tank water and reinfect the fish when they are reintroduced. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smidey Posted April 11, 2010 Report Share Posted April 11, 2010 i would also be looking at who the dominant fish is & what stress he could be creating. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanjury Posted April 11, 2010 Report Share Posted April 11, 2010 Yep they are pretty handy little tanks to have actually great for fry or hospital tanks and makes drugs go alot further.. If it is bloat then it is a bit misunderstood, it seems to be caused mainly by stress - can be environmental like fish beating them up inappropriate water conditions, wrong food, dirty tank etc.. But usually has to be a few factors before they get it, because it takes a few factors usually a few fish in the tank are affected but as far as I have seen it is not infectious and as long as you find out what is causing it and treat the affected fish they are usually fine. I am currently treating a female blue dolphin for it, after I moved her she went off her food for about 3 days and sits around spitting but looking at food. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elusive_fish Posted April 11, 2010 Author Report Share Posted April 11, 2010 Yep they are pretty handy little tanks to have actually great for fry or hospital tanks and makes drugs go alot further.. If it is bloat then it is a bit misunderstood, it seems to be caused mainly by stress - can be environmental like fish beating them up inappropriate water conditions, wrong food, dirty tank etc.. But usually has to be a few factors before they get it, because it takes a few factors usually a few fish in the tank are affected but as far as I have seen it is not infectious and as long as you find out what is causing it and treat the affected fish they are usually fine. I am currently treating a female blue dolphin for it, after I moved her she went off her food for about 3 days and sits around spitting but looking at food. I'm a little confused. First you are saying its likely a case of bloat caused by hexamata and I should use metro... but now you are saying its caused by stress? Metro aint gonna help that. I can see how stress (diet/chemistry/aggression) would make a fish more susceptable to disease, but you are saying bloat is due to these things? The dominant fish is a big male metricliama greshakei. He gives the fish a bit of a periodic rev up, but hes not overly aggressive by malawi tank standards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaxxnz Posted April 12, 2010 Report Share Posted April 12, 2010 African fish!! man they dropped like fly in my tank.. I could never get them right! some time I just wonder how does Phillip Collis get it right with just an under ground filter, where most of us here uses top gear power filter! :roll: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanjury Posted April 12, 2010 Report Share Posted April 12, 2010 Basically the fish gets stressed or run down by various things and becomes infected with whatever bug is responsible for causing bloat, only certain fish will get stressed in the way so only they should be affected most of the time the fish is healthy enough to keep the infection at bay. Some sites say it is caused by hex others don't either way treat with metro. I am sorry that I put you wrong by saying it was caused by stress, the exact cause is unknown form the research I have done, but it does seem to occur in tanks where there is high stress they are fed the incorrect diet etc. I would have no doubt your male ice blue is contributing to the stress I have kept these on a number of occasions and found them to be exceptionally aggressive. IF he isn't now then he will be soon, my one dominated half a 5 x 2 x 2 and others I have seen have dominated half 6ft tanks so I hope you have a big tank http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/malawi_bloat.php is a good article, although it suggests alot less metro than I have ever found, maybe Jen can clarify this dosage rate furhter.. And I haven't found clout in NZ.. Jaxxna africans are exceptionally easy to keep very hardy and only need the very basic gear (most of my tanks have simple air powered box or sponge filters in them), if you aren't given some simple advice on feeding and you are sold incorrect fish for your tank size then they can become more difficult. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elusive_fish Posted April 12, 2010 Author Report Share Posted April 12, 2010 Thanks for the clarification Ryan. My big ice blue male is the only greshakei I kept after selling the rest. He was just too big and beautiful to part with. He never bothers my biggest male yellow (the sick guy) and just gives occassional chase to others. Ive never seen him hurt anything or even repeatedly harass the same fish. My current tank is a 4ft... but im planning on putting him in a 2.3m tank with a bunch of dems and yellows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer Posted April 12, 2010 Report Share Posted April 12, 2010 http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/malawi_bloat.php is a good article, although it suggests alot less metro than I have ever found, maybe Jen can clarify this dosage rate furhter.. That dosage in the article is half the dose rate which might still be effective but what worries me is the waiting 48 hours between each dose. The medication degrades significantly so after 36 hours I doubt the blood levels would be high enough, although I would need to look it up to be certain of the half life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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