Dwarf Cichlids are still cichlids ...
- Thread starter dwarfpike
- Start date
BallardFishGuy
New Member
Re: Dwarf Cichlids are still cichlids ...
Congrats, and looking good!
Congrats, and looking good!
dwarfpike
Well-Known Member
Re: Dwarf Cichlids are still cichlids ...
Well, a sad update. I was gone for the past week out of town, and came back to the tank at 68F and the male laying on his side panting hard and slightly curled up ... classic nitrate poisoning signs. The female was no where in sight. A quick test showed nitrites somewhere between 80-160ppm, which given the tank had a water change two days before leaving meant only one thing.
Sure enough, after pulling the male and doing a massive water change change, I found the female behind the driftwood. I could not tell what killed her, as she was in a fungus cocoon which meant she must have died not long after I left. After doing an almost complete water change including salt at 1 teaspoon/5 gallons, I acclimated the male back to the tank and hoped for the best but usually once nitrate poisoning gets to the point where they are curled, they rarely came back.
The male hung on come Monday morning which was a surprised, and all day through actually able to right himself at times which is a good sign. His dorsal did have a wicked split all the way down to the base which he did not have prior to leaving. My only guess was that the pair had a wicked fight.
But sadly I awoke today to find he passed on. Given this species was always on my dream wish list, I'm more than a little upset about it. :swear:
Well, a sad update. I was gone for the past week out of town, and came back to the tank at 68F and the male laying on his side panting hard and slightly curled up ... classic nitrate poisoning signs. The female was no where in sight. A quick test showed nitrites somewhere between 80-160ppm, which given the tank had a water change two days before leaving meant only one thing.
Sure enough, after pulling the male and doing a massive water change change, I found the female behind the driftwood. I could not tell what killed her, as she was in a fungus cocoon which meant she must have died not long after I left. After doing an almost complete water change including salt at 1 teaspoon/5 gallons, I acclimated the male back to the tank and hoped for the best but usually once nitrate poisoning gets to the point where they are curled, they rarely came back.
The male hung on come Monday morning which was a surprised, and all day through actually able to right himself at times which is a good sign. His dorsal did have a wicked split all the way down to the base which he did not have prior to leaving. My only guess was that the pair had a wicked fight.
But sadly I awoke today to find he passed on. Given this species was always on my dream wish list, I'm more than a little upset about it. :swear:
Re: Dwarf Cichlids are still cichlids ...
That sucks
I myself have toyed with the idea of a planted dwarf cichlid tank. I was going to try that after I was sucessful with my planted puffer tank. Sorry for your loss. :/ Hopefully you can find some more dwarf cichlids and try it again. I lost a large amount of juvy angels when I left on vacation for a week to horrible gel vacation feeders. They caused fungus on all of them. Mouth, eye and fins. I will never use those gel vacation feeders again!
That sucks
I myself have toyed with the idea of a planted dwarf cichlid tank. I was going to try that after I was sucessful with my planted puffer tank. Sorry for your loss. :/ Hopefully you can find some more dwarf cichlids and try it again. I lost a large amount of juvy angels when I left on vacation for a week to horrible gel vacation feeders. They caused fungus on all of them. Mouth, eye and fins. I will never use those gel vacation feeders again!
Re: Dwarf Cichlids are still cichlids ...
I've nly found it with the gel ones. I use the hard shell ones with no problems. I just tried these because they seemed more natural. Gel disolves over time releasing food. However, clearly not the case!
I've nly found it with the gel ones. I use the hard shell ones with no problems. I just tried these because they seemed more natural. Gel disolves over time releasing food. However, clearly not the case!
A
Anonymous
Guest
Re: Dwarf Cichlids are still cichlids ...
- That sucks...
Sorry to hear dwarfpike. So do you think they just got into a big fight and stressed each other to the point to die? How would the nitrates spike like that?!
- That sucks... Sorry to hear dwarfpike. So do you think they just got into a big fight and stressed each other to the point to die? How would the nitrates spike like that?!
dwarfpike
Well-Known Member
Re: Dwarf Cichlids are still cichlids ...
My guess is, given the condition of the female, that she died either the day before I left or the day of. The nitrates were a bit higher than normal before the water change I did, though I did not test them after the water change. The only thing I can think of is the water change triggered a breeding fight (they would usually breed a day or two after a wc) in which the female lost.
Given the low temp and the new motor sound from the HOB, I asked roomies if we lost power during one of the windstorms and indeed we did for a little over 6 hours. So am guessing no filtration with the dead female is what spiked them.
My guess is, given the condition of the female, that she died either the day before I left or the day of. The nitrates were a bit higher than normal before the water change I did, though I did not test them after the water change. The only thing I can think of is the water change triggered a breeding fight (they would usually breed a day or two after a wc) in which the female lost.
Given the low temp and the new motor sound from the HOB, I asked roomies if we lost power during one of the windstorms and indeed we did for a little over 6 hours. So am guessing no filtration with the dead female is what spiked them.
Re: Dwarf Cichlids are still cichlids ...
Usually a spike in nitrates will not due this, now the dead body will cause a serious spike in nitrites, which is most likely the culprit.
Either way that really sucks. Hope that you are able to replace them. I so hate leaving on vacations, even just a 2 dayer. I will be in Reno in May for 5 days, I will be stressing the whole time. lol
Usually a spike in nitrates will not due this, now the dead body will cause a serious spike in nitrites, which is most likely the culprit.
Either way that really sucks. Hope that you are able to replace them. I so hate leaving on vacations, even just a 2 dayer. I will be in Reno in May for 5 days, I will be stressing the whole time. lol
dwarfpike
Well-Known Member
Re: Dwarf Cichlids are still cichlids ...
Given the smell of the water, I figured it was going through a mini cycle hence the salt for nitrites to try and help lower the toxicity of it. I didn't test for ammonia or nitrite though, I was more worried about getting clean, fresh water into the tank for to try and save him.
I've left them alone for a week, a week and a half, and even two weeks before with no issues. They only time I had an issue before was when the pair formed and I wasn't home to rescue the other fish from the tank. Sadly, house sitting is my only income at the moment, so I can't pass on it. Also means I can't do much about replacements for now.
Given the smell of the water, I figured it was going through a mini cycle hence the salt for nitrites to try and help lower the toxicity of it. I didn't test for ammonia or nitrite though, I was more worried about getting clean, fresh water into the tank for to try and save him.
I've left them alone for a week, a week and a half, and even two weeks before with no issues. They only time I had an issue before was when the pair formed and I wasn't home to rescue the other fish from the tank. Sadly, house sitting is my only income at the moment, so I can't pass on it. Also means I can't do much about replacements for now.
cichlid-gal
New Member
Re: Dwarf Cichlids are still cichlids ...
Sorry for your loss dwarfpike. I know how special these fish were to you and how hard you worked the keep the pair happy and healthy.
Sorry for your loss dwarfpike. I know how special these fish were to you and how hard you worked the keep the pair happy and healthy.
