my dying chilids

[ozziecamo]

I have a 29 gallon tank with 6 small chilids in it (today anyway). Every time I turn around I have a dead fish. I feed African Cichlid Attack pellets, Cichlid Color pellets, red worms, & small feeders. I keep my water temp. at 78-80, my PH is usually 7.5 or so, and everything else is normal. I don't have any problems with the fish in my other tanks, it is just the 29. I have 4 different cichlids in my 75 gallon with my oscars, clown knife and pacu. If anyone has some suggestions please!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Somonas]

I think you might have too many fish in that 29. if you have african cichlids stop feeding the cichlid attack, red worms and feeders. for god sakes the worms and feeders at least.

the african cichlid attack is too high in protien and if you were to use it at all, use it once a week as a treat.

then do a couple of waterchanges to bring the nitrates under control.

 

[wayne]

What sort cichlids - any wounds, torn fins, bloating.. or just dead. How big is a small cichlid. How often water changes. Try not to use feeders, they're very messy, not very nutritious and usually diesease bombs.
If you have an oscar, pacu, 4 cichlids... in a 75 I'd say you put a lot of fish in your tank, so watch your water quality.

 

[phgnome]

Also make sure you have some sort of calcium source in there for africans. Africans really need calcium and will be stressed after a long time without it. (I'm assuming you have africans).

For a while, some of my africans were dying one by one until I put a calcified shell in there. I could see the calcium dissolving off the shell (and it turns wood-like underneath). The other shell that was solid calcium is literally disintegrating with large holes forming in it (so they really are using it). I have to replace it about once a year but the colony is happy now.

 

[geKo]

6 cichlids in a 29 gallon is not to many. I have 9 mbuna in a 29gallon and never had 1 problem. All my cichlids get along and are very happy in their home

 

[lightning]

i have had 2 SA cichlids die on me for no reason also, they just stop eating, and slowly wither away, i dont know why

nome.. you are talking about just a regular sea shell ? like one picked up off a beach ?

 

[wayne at home]

Cichlids stopping eating is either stress, or a bacteria, or more likely stress. What else is in with them.
Geko - if you think that will work long term, I think you are very wrong. How big are they yet?

 

[geKo]

2/3"

 

[SoulFish]

what kind of fish are they?

 

[ozziecamo]

I don't think that there is too many in this tank. it is not crowded and the fish don't even have to see each other. Knock on wood none have died in a few weeks and I haven't changed a thing. I still feed the same things, I haven't done a water change, or even run my diatom. So I don't know what was going on before. So Sonomas as far as what you said ( about me having too many fish in the tank) I don't think you really have a clew because I have a friend that has 250 small cichlids in a 120 gallon tank. So if you think that 6 are too many what do you think about that? Your right Knowledge is the key, but ignorance is a pitty!!!!!!! You might think you know everything but you can learn something new every day!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[1979camaro]

holy smokes ozzie...calm down...you asked for help and somonas did his best to give his opinion

first I am inclined to agree with somonas about the feeding and the stocking; in the long run those 6 are gonna get to big (unless they are dwarfs/shell dwellers) for such a setup, regardless of that if you haven't done a water change in "a few weeks" you need to be doing that once a week...especially if you are still feeding the foods you are...just one man's (well two i guess) opinions...

hope you continue to have success...though somehow i think you may not

Kevin

 

[SoulFish]

hmmmm.... calm done, seriously, you never even answered what type of fish they are, but i agree that most likely it is too many unless its a dwarf variety, fish grow up, i also think your friend has too many, why are you getting mad at somonas, he is speaking from his years of experience, 15-30% water changes once a week are also needed and plz tell us what type of fish they are

 

[wayne at home]

I keep hearing the word small here, what about when they get bigger, and temperaments start kicking in? Six 2/3 inch fish (fry!) will work in a twentyninw, but they should grow pretty fast - then what?

 

[redtailed shark]

i totally agree with wat everyones saying u shouldnt get pissed at somonas u asked for help and he gave u some but all u do is neglect it

 

[Jasond]

I have heard that either you stock your tank with alot of cichlids or you stock very lightly. In Lake Malawi the fish are everywhere and are very packed.... not insanely packed but quite a bit. Sometimes the only way to decrease aggression is to put more fish in your tank. BUT if you are going to do this your filtration has to be equal in proportion, meaning you need alot of filtration and water movement to cope with alot of cichlids... I have heard of 55 gallon tanks with as many as 45 fish... Although these were probably not fully grown, but before they all grow up I am sure some will die for whatever reason...

Anyway that's my 2 cents

 

[mike the zealot]

haha

lets get all uppity about FISH!

I have to agree with somonas, camaro and soulfish, sorry buddy. You'll find the same advice on any respectable fish message board.

 

[lightning]

it can be something simple sometimes too, i have noticed when i do a good cleaning on my tank <remove rocks and vacuum underneath> and the rocks are all rearanged it kinda freaks them out, until they get used to the new arangement, also i was using a recepie soulfish gave me for my fish, i was using dr wellfishes fresh water salt, i started using instant ocean in the mix, after about 2 water changes this one fish stopped eating, didnt know what was wrong, i do 20 % water changes every 4 days, well i ran out of instant ocean one day and started using the old salt, instalty he started eating and his suncken spot in his stomach filled out, none of the other fish had this problem, just that one, it could be a new plant in the fishes favorite spot

 

[Conform]

I had given my African Cichlids pellets and they seem to have had the famous 'bloat' soon afterwards, but after I stopped using the Cichlid Pellets, their bloat went away and none of them had died. I was also told that Attack pellets are for South American Cichlid, and also that you should only feed pellets to Cichlids that are atleast 4" long. Plus if you do not pre-soak pellets with the way Cichlids eat, they will expand inside the intenstine.. not good! ;-(

Anyways.. Just my 2 cents, and if I'm wrong, please by all means info me!