Advice-Pearsei hurting itself

[DMD123]

I am totally stumped why my Pearsei keeps hurting itself. Every day it has gouges on and around its head. The only sharp item in the tank are two intake tube strainers from FX5's, which Ive found on a number of occasions knocked out of place. (I will most likely make custom intakes with no sharp edges)

Here are the facts:

1. Pearsei is the dominate fish (no one is even close in size to harass it)
2. I thought it might be due to a small pleco actively moving around at night, but this fish has been removed and no other night time feeders exist.
3. The lights are on a timer that simulate a dusk and dawn before turning on and shutting off. I am awake when these cycle and have never seen the fish spooked due to this.
4. This fish is not new to the tank. It has grown up in the tank from a small size and the intakes have always been where they are. Hurting itself very recent.
5. I do multiple water changes a week (very clean water)

Any ideas would be appreciated. Its hard to look at her all beat up looking every morning.

 

[CrazedAce]

Bacteria. Have you tested water?

I've had a gold gourami break an in-tank heater and cut herself up. She died within a few days, getting worse by the hour. Does he appear to be sick at all?

 

[lloyd378]

maybe she just needs some larger fish in the tank with her so that she doesn't spook as often. I noticed recently in one of my grow out tanks that when I removed a bunch of fish, my small dovii began to hide and get spooked every time I came in the room, and even had scratch marks on his head from smacking into the rocks(when the tank was overstalked he was the first one to the glass to greet me and beg for food). I have since added a couple of cichlids that were equal or slightly larger than him (one being a red dragon flowerhorn), and he is back to his usual behavior of begging for food, and swimming out to greet me whenever I come in. His marks have also gone away.

addicted2CA can attest to the peacefulness of my tanks (and I have quite the mix of cichlids in them)...... I don't know if it's luck or something else, but I seem to have good luck with my fish's overall health when my fish are at the brink of overcrowdedness.

 

[Madness]

I have no ideas. It does sound like it is spooked and darting about spastically. But the intake tubes are a small fixture in a large tank, so that is a tough thought. The idea of parasites in and around the head area is possible, and she is scratching really hard on them. (does she ever act like she scratches on objects?)

I take it that the male is still not in with her? I like Lloyds idea. I have had great success getting skiddish fish to not only come out, but also eat, when I add more fish. Its like the new fish show the lame fraidycats how it works. LOL

But as for why or how, I have no idea. I have no issues with fish darting about. Except a while back I was having that spastic slamming around with a fish, and it was because there was current in the tank caused by a bad pump motor. I know you have exhausted this theory, but a lot of what you are experiencing in that tank, really sounds unusual and strange, and stray current has been known to cause these strange issues. Fish darts about when something kicks on, like a heater. Just throwing it out there, I know you are frustrated.

I know you cant afford it, but I would replace all electrical equipment with something new.

 

[Addicted2CAs]

maybe she just needs some larger fish in the tank with her so that she doesn't spook as often. I noticed recently in one of my grow out tanks that when I removed a bunch of fish, my small dovii began to hide and get spooked every time I came in the room, and even had scratch marks on his head from smacking into the rocks(when the tank was overstalked he was the first one to the glass to greet me and beg for food). I have since added a couple of cichlids that were equal or slightly larger than him (one being a red dragon flowerhorn), and he is back to his usual behavior of begging for food, and swimming out to greet me whenever I come in. His marks have also gone away.

addicted2CA can attest to the peacefulness of my tanks (and I have quite the mix of cichlids in them)...... I don't know if it's luck or something else, but I seem to have good luck with my fish's overall health when my fish are at the brink of overcrowdedness.

Yes, no idea how this guy does it but he does! Fish whisperer maybe?!

I can attest to the tank stocking theory as well but I'm the opposite of Lloyd. My tanks are very open (3x 4" Kraussii in a 160gal) making for some very spastic fish at times. As soon as I add more of any kind/amount they are up front all the time and aren't skittish.

Even though that is the largest fish in the tank, could someone be beating/spooking her at night? Night is one of those mysterious time frames in an aquarium when the weird/crazy/unthinkable stuff happens!

 

[DMD123]

I might move some fish around and see if that changes anything. The silver dollars can be skittish which might get the pearsei freaked out. I have a few other fish I can add to the tank, so I will try something different. The Bifa is just fine and so is the Midas. The Pearsei is the only real issue.

 

[lloyd378]

Well, I should have stuck to my own advice.... I removed three fish from my 125( female red texas, larger bifa, and my bleekeri) yesterday, and gave them to my good friend. Woke up this morning to find my lyonsi floating at the top of the tank with only a partial face. Looks like i will need to add some new fish soon

 

[DMD123]

See what happens.... LOL

I really do not want to 'overstock' the tank. My ideal has always been three large cichlids (12" range), my school of silver dollars (qty of 5-7), and maybe a medium pleco/cat (10"-12" range).

I am considering adding more to the silver dollar school, possibly another 2-3 if I can find some more red hooks or wide bars. I want to put the Argentea back in and my rhino pleco from the grow out into the big tank but I feel both are too small to handle themselves.

 

[lloyd378]

See what happens.... LOL

I really do not want to 'overstock' the tank. My ideal has always been three large cichlids (12" range), my school of silver dollars (qty of 5-7), and maybe a medium pleco/cat (10"-12" range).

I am considering adding more to the silver dollar school, possibly another 2-3 if I can find some more red hooks or wide bars. I want to put the Argentea back in and my rhino pleco from the grow out into the big tank but I feel both are too small to handle themselves.

i know, I know...... haha.

As for the three cichlids thing, I think you may be on to something (thinking a dovii, umbee, and a butterkoferi @12" would love a school of silver dollars for dinner !: )

all kidding aside, I hope porky is doing better!

 

[DMD123]

I just got back from A Place for Pets and picked up 4 more Red Hook silver dollars. Now I've got 9 total (7 red hook and 2 spotted). I will see if the increase in fish helps calm Pork Chop down. Looks pretty cool to have the school swimming back and forth in the tank.

 

[lloyd378]

Pictures please. followed by more pictures..... it's been a while

 

[DMD123]

It really has been awhile. Have not been in much of a picture taking mood with Pork Chop all beat on. But it really is time. When you least expect it.....

 

[lloyd378]

It really has been awhile. Have not been in much of a picture taking mood with Pork Chop all beat on. But it really is time. When you least expect it.....

You can do it! I am positive that pork chop looks better than my new pearsi that I got from madness (it had trouble finding out where it belongs in the pecking order) as it was beat down the first night and is now recouping..... time to snap those pics. BTW, i will trade you some of my NLS for yours. I think that would be a win win for both of us!

 

[DMD123]

Cool, the Pearsei is pretty easy going so you might have some issues with it getting picked on by some of the heavy hitters you got. This is the same batch I got Pork Chop from so expect a big, chubby fish! I love how personable they are, reminds me of an Oscar.

The NLS trade will work out good for me too. Pork Chop loves large pellets. She gulps down the 6.5mm garlic ones like nothing.

 

[Anthraxx]

whats with all this text where pictures should be?

 

[lloyd378]

^^^^^^ lus1:

 

[DMD123]

Point taken - will work on pictures.

 

[Anthraxx]

see.. just text and no pics. they must not be working for me

 

[DMD123]

Back to the original subject about Pork Chop hurting herself.

I had my FX5 intakes pretty close to the bottom of the tank and figured she must have been lodging herself in between the gravel and intakes to continually be getting hurt. I simply cut 2" off the tubing and raised the intakes and have not seen any injuries for a bit now.

 

[lloyd378]

Back to the original subject about Pork Chop hurting herself.

I had my FX5 intakes pretty close to the bottom of the tank and figured she must have been lodging herself in between the gravel and intakes to continually be getting hurt. I simply cut 2" off the tubing and raised the intakes and have not seen any injuries for a bit now.

Finally, some good news! Great idea on fixing the tubes to stop her from wedging into things. my pearsi also seems to enjoy wedging herself into spots too small for her. she also enjoys sprinting around the tank banging into rocks and pieces of wood for no reason except to work the rest of my fish into a frenzy.....I will probably be relocating mine pretty soon.