cichlids help please

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lexm

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Jun 25, 2012
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hi im have trouble with my cichlids all of a sudden im losing them left right and center I've lost 14 in two weeks I've Googled the symptoms but can't find any answers.
the fish were altogether in one tank for about 8 months no problems i have now split them up and this is when the problems started in the main tank i changed the gravel for sand and i brought a cheaper food they are also fed peas on a regular basis these are the only changes i have made. the symptoms are very few some have swollen bellys some have sunken in bellys all have had a lacking around the fins and body and all have been fine till about an hour before they die. before they die they sink to the bottom on there side and look like they are finding it hard to breath. i had the water tested and it came back fine. any help would be gratefully received many thanks in advance
 

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Josh Holloway--Be mine!!!
Sep 1, 2003
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Jessica
Water tested fine====What does that mean?? Need Ammonia, Nitrite readings---Maybe even Nitrate and PH. Temp??

What kind of Cichlids?? What size tank??
 

Manafel

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We need actual numbers, plus are they strip tests? if you changed your substrate, you could be going through a mini-cycle. What type of cichlids are these? are you sure that they are herbivores? food is one thing that one shouldn't skimp out on. Diet is very important.
 

lexm

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Jun 25, 2012
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hi sorry the water results were as expected ph 7.4 ammonia 0 ppm nitrate no2 0ppm nitrate no3 0 ppm they are Malawi cichlids the main tank is a 9ft which works lute to be 1129 litres.

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lexm

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Jun 25, 2012
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the test has been done with a api fresh water master test kit i use peas as part of the diet as i was.under the assumption that it help keep them regular in the toilet department and this in turn helped prevent Malawi bloat have i been given wrong information should i stop the peas

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lexm

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forgot to mention the temp of the tank is 28 c

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Josh Holloway--Be mine!!!
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1) IMO--Peas are fine as part of their diet. Are they from frozen, or blanched??
2) The "0" reading on the Nitrate concerns me. It is almost impossible to be zero in any tank with fish. I would re-check Nitrite and Nitrate.
3) Where did you get the sand from?? May have chemicals?? Did you clean the sand?? How??
4) 28 degrees (to me) is a little on the high side. Can you drop to maybe 24/25??
 

lexm

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Jun 25, 2012
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hi thank you for your fast response i will re test te water tonight when i get home and lower the temp the peas are from frozen but blanched before peeled and feed to the fish the sand is from local pet shop as for washing it i just filled the tank and drained it

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lexm

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i was expecting quite a low nitrate levels because the tank has just had a complete water change and new sand thinking about what your saying i should have not.cleaned the filters so that i left a bit of nitrate in the water ill test again tonight and hope i got the first test wrong. to try and control whatever it is killing them i have moved all fish to a hospital tank and have started them on a course of melafix incase im dealing with an internal bacteria

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efors

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Jun 17, 2008
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28C = 82.4F and IME that's OK for Malawi cichlids. The different symptoms are confusing; swollen bellies can make you think about bloat, sunken in bellies can be related with internal parasites (unless they were not eating well) and the "lacking around the fins and body" what is it; a lack of color or a lack of skin tissue?... it can be a bacteria or external parasite. Maybe a pic can help.
IMHO, you changed too many things too fast: their space, tankmates, substrate, diet, a complete water change (100% of water?) means a change in water chemistry and a decrease in the amount of beneficial bacteria available; so, I think the tank is cycling again and that's why the nitrates are back to zero. And I don't know how you cleaned the filters, but probably you killed additional bacteria, affecting the biological filtration. With all these changes, IMO the fishes got stressed and their immune system collapsed. I would not change their temp for a while. I feel sorry for your fish losses and I wish you good luck with the remaining ones.
 
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