HELP Sick Pictus

mostlycichlids

mostlycichlids

Cichlid Specialist
Apr 27, 2006
2,664
3
38
New Mexico USA
www.freshwatermadness.com
Real Name
Paul
I posted a couple days a go about a couple of my pictus with short barbells. Here is the post.http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=83410
I bought one of these guys a while back who had one eye. I was doing a water change today and my wife said to me it looked different so I looked. Come to find out another one of my pictus has a missing eye completley gone so you can see all of the way to the middle of him. I looked closer and noticed it looks like he may loose his other one it has a film like around it. The tank is very healthy and none of the other pictus have problems and are eating normal. I wanted to know what you guys thought this might be and if its treatable? I am worried it may spread to the rest of the tank mates. Could this be from a fight what do you think?
 
what other fish if any are with them?
 
akapaul26 said:
4 pictus total and 2 female cons 1 male firemouth other 2 pictus are extremely healthy.
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well i would definately chalk it up to a fight. the cons, although females, are very territorial, and the firemouth is just plain mean!!! syndontis are recomended for cichlid tanks as they have sharp barbs that other fish will think twice about taking a nip out of. sometimes pictus catfish are fine in aggressive tanks but theres always situations where they do die. they cant really protect themselves from attack so they can only run. try taking the ones out with only one eye, or was it no eyes?? well whatever the case i would take them out and put them in a qt if u have one available. and possibly consider getting another tank for the cichlids or catfish so they will be seperated permanetly
 
The tank has ben set up almost a year with no problems and the same inhabitants I actually bought the one pictus with one eye. 2 of the four recently lost some of their barbells and then the other one lost his eye today as if it just fell out. Like I said it also looks like the other eye is infected. You dont think it is disease? My tank is not very agressive the firemouth gives the cons a chase daily but the pictus seem to be unoticed.
 
akapaul26 said:
The tank has ben set up almost a year with no problems and the same inhabitants I actually bought the one pictus with one eye. 2 of the four recently lost some of their barbells and then the other one lost his eye today as if it just fell out. Like I said it also looks like the other eye is infected. You dont think it is disease? My tank is not very agressive the firemouth gives the cons a chase daily but the pictus seem to be unoticed.
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i still think its one of the cichlids. no fish loses its eye for no reason. how long have you had the cichlids? around about 8 months or so they are alot more aggressive than ever before. you can stick pretty much any fish together when they are young, but as they mature their teeth get bigger and they get more territorial. just like when people starting out mix cichlids from different lakes, they are fine for a while, but then things start going crazy. you could be right though, if its not the cichlids im not really sure of what else would cause them to lose an eye. unless you bought him a red rider bb gun for christmas??? =P
 
do you think it could be the pictus fighting with each other sense over night both of their barbells were damaged? sure does upset me dang cichlids I had to trash my qt tank the bottom cracked so a no go on that I guess will let nature take its course for now.
Thanks for your reply.
 
akapaul26 said:
do you think it could be the pictus fighting with each other sense over night both of their barbells were damaged? sure does upset me dang cichlids I had to trash my qt tank the bottom cracked so a no go on that I guess will let nature take its course for now.
Thanks for your reply.
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id just add some salt and melafix then. ur right though, its hard to say without seeing them actually fight. good luck!!!


oh and im not very familar with pictus catfish so cant say for sure if they would fight amongst eachother. hopefully somebody that has them can give a little more info on that
 
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