convict help

[PumaWard]

I need some help.

Not too long ago (within the last half hour), I went down and bought a male convict after determining that both my females were females.

We bring him home, put him in the tank and so fourth. Immediatly he began head standing and seemed to have lost equiliberium, flipping over backwards and the like. He wasn't doing this at the store...

He's about 8 inches long, full grown I would say. It looks like he was fighting with the other con in the tank he was in, but other than that, he was fine.

What should I do? Is there anything I can do for him?

[Dangerdoll]

ugh Puma, sounds like a nightmare. I'm assuming you've donewater checks on your tank, have you called the store to see what their parameters are? The may be quite different from your tank, shocking the fish...... of course, this isn't expert advice, but something I'd do because of how quickly the new guy reacted. Do you have another tank to put him in, say like a hospital or quarantine tank?

[PumaWard]

Sadly, I don't have another suitable tank, only a 10g...and he's a big boy... I really wanted to move him out though because the other fish were bothering him. They have stopped now, though.

I did check the store's perameters back the begining of the fall, they didn't seem to drastic from our own. He began headstanding in the bag, anyway, before we let him out, I, at the time, thought it was because the bag was too small for him. We buy all our fish from them, and haven't had problems before.

He seems slightly improved and he's moving around at the top of the tank some. Seems to slowed down on the headstanding thing, (knock on wood). I'll keep you all posted.

Thanks for you're help, Danger.

[NickH]

An 8 inch Convict? Is that a record breaker?

[PumaWard]

I do take that back. He's aobut 7 inches (give or take), (I took a meter stick to him after my last post).

[Dangerdoll]

no prob Puma. ;)
I'm no convict expert but since you say he was doing it in the bag, maybe it's like he was "playing possum". My fingers are crossed for ya Puma. Good luck ;)

[PumaWard]

This morning is showing progress with him. He's only headstanding once in a while. He's eating and picking picking fights with the female cons. I guess that's a good sign.

[ewok]

7" convict?

you sure you didn't buy a midas by accident?

if it's a convict i think you have one for the record books..... or maybe a crossbreed of some sort. i just measured my male and he's only about 4" maximum..... i've had hundreds of them and i can't think of any of mine that got that big either, but i sell most of them as juveniles.......

as far as the headstanding, i would wonder about temperature or ph shock.

[PumaWard]

I thought about him being a midas too, but he's got the head and tail structure of a convict... and the same stripe markings...

He's eating now, has become boss of the tank and everything... Still standing slightly... but seems to have complete control of his movements.

Is there a chance that he's just an ancient con? Our lfs told the wholesaler to send the largest male convict that they could get their hands on... *shrugs* I don't know if they sent a "past his prime" breeder or something.

I'll see if I can get a decent picture of him.