Need Help!

[lbautore]

I am very new to all of this. I am just here because I want to learn. I have a fish that I believe is a cichlid, but I am not sure. The guy who gave him to me said that he was. But I don't think that he knew much about fish. He was moving last fall and was just going to threw "Bob" into the lake. The problem is that I have not seen him eat for the past few days and now it looks as if he is struggling to breath. I can see no signs of ich. He also seems to be a little sluggish. Can someone please give me some advice?

Thanks!

[mooman]

First aid for any problem: 50% water change with dechlorinated tap water that is the same temp as the tank water.

My guess is your tank was not cycled, or you cleaned out all the beneficial bacteria when you cleaned the tank. Read the sticky on "cycling" in the newbie forum first. We'll be glad to answer any addtional Qs you have. :)

[Rbishop]

Also, if you could mention your tank size, filtration, planted or not would help.

Do you have any test kits yet? The liquid style are more accurate than the strips. It would be nice to know what your pH, ammonia, nitrIte and nitrAte levels are.

And if you have the capabilities, a picture would help in the identification which might help in helping you with your issue.

Thanks.... :clap:

(So what size will your next tank be?) :thm:

[lbautore]

I believe that it is about 30 or 40 gallons. It is a octagon shaped one. I have some plastic plants. The filter is on the back. My husband really knows more about it that I do. I do not have any test kits. But would love to know what I should get.

I am very uneducated about what I should be doing for this fish. But like all of my pets I want to do what is best for them.

Yesterday I changed half of the water like I was told. Today Bob is worse. He is still not eating. But now he is just sitting on the bottom. I went to the local "pet store" and the lady gave me some parasite clear fizzing tablets. You have to understand that I live in a very rural area. The nearest Wal-Mart is a hour and a half away. The pet store that I went to is also a gift shop, garden and plant store, yarn shop and is about the size of my bedroom.

The only thing that has changed in the past few weeks is I added some rock's. They are limestone. I boiled them for 20 minutes drained the water, boiled for another 20 minutes and allowed them to cool over night before I put them in the tank. Should I remove the rocks?

Bob's fins on the side near his gills are also sticking out all of the time now.

I will try to get a picture of him. But could some one please tell me how to post it?

I am desperate and any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I also apologize for being so ignorant, but at least I am trying to learn and do the right thing.

Please, Please, Help!!!!

Lynn

[rmcder]

One of the problems is that we don't know what kind of fish this is. You've added limestone to the tank, so your pH (and hardness) is going to be high. That may or may not be good for this particular fish. Some cichlids like high pH and hardness levels and some like just the opposite.

If you could post a photo, that would help a lot. If the problems coincided with adding the rocks, then I'd suspect that you have a fish that prefers a lower pH and softer water. You could try removing the rocks, doing another 50% water change, and then small changes every couple days for a week or so. Beyond that, it's hard to advise you. Good luck!

[ragc]

American cichlids live in softer water of acidic to neutral pH, while Africans, especially Rift Lake varieties, like high alkalinity and hard water. The limestone is suited to the Africans, but not the Americans. Americans, generally, tend to be rounder in profile, from perfectly round like the discus to oval shaped. Many have blue eye "whites". Africans tend to be elongated, with big heads and dorsal fin like a long crest.

This and other websites have a photo gallery where you could try match the fish to at least come close to what it is.

Good luck! (hoping it's not too late)

[mooman]

Unless the fish happens to be an west african or a South American Dwarf (unlikely) then the limestone will not be a problem, and even then the limestone will not shift parameters so much that it causes the fish distress. Most of the Central American cichlids, and all of the african rift lake cichlids will enjoy the harder, higher ph water that the limestone will foster. So lets not worry about that for now. Additionally, the vast majority of "cichlids" sold in small stores are going to be African Rift Lake cichlids.

The tests you will need are for Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate. Ammonia and Nitrite are the really toxic ones that you need to worry about. Untill you can get these test continue to change 25-50% of the water daily. Make sure you dechlorinate the water (unless you are using well water which will not contain chlorine). Also make sure the water is within a couple of degrees of tank temp. No matter what the problem we're dealing with is, this course of action can only help. Good luck, and keep posting.

[lbautore]

Last night I was even more worried about him so I went in to the chat room. I e-mailed his picture to someone who told me that he was Severum or Heros efasciatus. They told me to do another 25% water change witch I did. But it didn't help, this morning he was dead.

I can't believe that I feel so bad about this fish dying.

Could someone tell me what kind of test kit that I should get? I don't think that the other fish in the tank are in any kind of distress, but I don't want to loose any of my other fish.

I know that I must sound so stupid but I just want what is best for my animals. I would love to learn as much as possible.

Do you think that the limestone is the reason that Bob died. If not do you have any other ideas why this may have happened? With out test kits I know that it may be hard.

Is limestone bad to be in a aquarium?

Thanks!
Lynn

[Slappy*McFish]

Severums come from South America and typically are found in soft/acidic water.

It's doubtful that the limestone caused his death, but not impossible.
Hard to say for certain without knowing the pH and hardness of the water before adding the limestone compaired to what the readings are now....and in what time frame the changes(if any) occured.

Rapid changes in water chemistry can kill fish.

Get those test kits (you can order them online). Knowing your water's chemistry will help in diagnosing many aquarium related problems you might be having.
It's a good starting point, anyway.

Good to hear you are eager to learn. There's a wealth of info here at AC...and Google will be your friend for awhile, as well.

:cool:

[Slappy*McFish]

Here is a good all around test kit especially for beginers.

http://www.bigalsonline.com/catalog/product.xml?product_id=19383;category_id=3111;pcid 1=3233;pcid2=

You would do well to get a hardness testing kit, as well. (KH and GH)
They are included in this kit here.

http://www.bigalsonline.com/catalog/product.xml?product_id=19617;category_id=3111;pcid 1=3233;pcid2=

Unfortunately, this kit doesn't include a nitrate test which is why I prefer the first kit.

[mooman]

DOH! Severums. the one other commonly available SA cichlid that is not readily identifiable. Well I still HIGHly doubt that the limestone did it. Limestone will raise ph and alkalinity, but no not think it would raise it so fast as to shock a fish. Plus, you said you were out in the country? Are you on well water? Depending on where you live, your water could be harder than limestone would make it anyway.

Sometimes fish do not acclimate well and as a result, they die. This is even more true of older fish. don't beat yourself up. You tried to find help. You did the water changes. There really isn't much more you could have done. what other fish are in the tank btw?

[Rbishop]

Moo brings up another point, when you get that test kit and check your tank for values that you can post, also check your tap water when you draw some and after it has set for 24 hrs. Do you happen to have your well water running through a whole house water softener? Just curious. Hang in there, seems unsurmountable now, but lots of help here! :cool:

[lbautore]

We had the fish for almost a year. He was just the coolest. He would watch me do my house work. When we first got him I hated seeing these big red eyes watching me from across the room. But I got used to him really fast. I didn't think that I could become so attached to a fish, but I did.

The other fish that I have in that tank is a gourami, a angel fish, and a pleco.

Yes, we have well water. But it is not hard at all so we don't need a water softener.

I am so glad that you don't think that the limestone killed him. It takes a huge load off my conscience. Is limestone in a aquarium a big no, no? Or is it okay to have in there? It just looked so cool. But I would rather have healthy fish versus a empty cool looking aquarium.

I have just one more question. In another tank that I have, I have a few mollies, two are male. The one male has been in there for I while, but I just put the other male in. The one that has been in there the longest is "ramming" the other one. Will they kill each other or are they just trying to establish who is dominate?

I want to thank you all. You have been a great help and comfort. I will keep asking questions and hopefully learn, learn, learn!!!

THANKS!!!!

Lynn

[Zeromason577]

Limestone is not bad, depending on the fish.
i keep a "flagstone" type of rock in my 35 gallon convict tank and it has not chaged the water params yet and it has been in their about a week.

Also dont beat yourself up over the loss of a fish, if you did all you could,then that is what matters most.

[mooman]

Since your tank has fish in it that prefer softer more acidic water, then the limestone should probably come out. It's not like it's poisoning the tank or anything. the changes in water chemistry that it causes are usually slow and gradual, and it will not raise the ph or hardness to a point that tank raised angel fish and gouramis will feel uncomfortable.