Bloodparrotservant
New Member
Hello All,
My blood parrot cichlid has me bamboozled. I've had her for nearly 2 years, got her from a local family owned exotic store along with an angelfish (debatable tank mate, I know) and a baby common plec. She was a surrender from an old people's home as a pair, the other died some time before I took her on. She was an adult of unknown age.
The tank is 85litres, kept at between 26-27°C and parameters were perfect when I took a sample to be dipped a week ago. I use an aquael fan 2 filter and have gravel, driftwood and some small artificial plant decorations.
I clean the substrate and change the water weekly, anywhere from 20-50% depending on the mess, I'd never owned fish before and I was overfeeding to begin with, as many newbies tend to do. I use tap safe of course, a fast filter start bacteria balancing liquid according to manufacturers instructions etc, plus top up with sodium chloride according to the volume I have replaced.
My woe started 3 weeks ago. She was bouncing off hard surfaces of the tank and there was some tiny cotton wool bits in the water and substrate, the angelfish's fins were a little tatty and the weather was warm, though not exceeding 28C in the tank, so I treated with a fin and fungus rot formula for 7 days. Angel fish improved, conditions improved, cichlid went pale and started hiding, out if character for her, she only usually goes pale temporarily on tank cleaning days.
Sought advice from the store I got her from, they recommended a malachite formula, which I dosed correctly for one week. She was eating sparingly, which was unusual, but not alarming at this time. After the dosing period was over, usual water change etc, I sought advice again after she had stopped eating altogether for 3 or 4 days. I was directed to an internal parasite treatment, which seemed to be helping as she ate bloodworms twice over 2 days, then stopped again. That week has gone, water change etc and now an internal antibacterial treatment is in play. She has regained her colour and has been busy for the last 2 days picking up and rearranging the gravel as she would normally and super active, not a blemish or Mark on her, just odd behaviour at feeding time. She outright rejects the Hikari Cichlid Gold and Staple I alternate and then takes a blood worm or two, moves her mouth in an alarmed way and refuses more. When she did that tonight, she was enthusiastic, took a worm and spat it out irritably, and then spat out two small limescale looking pieces, much smaller and different colour to her food, substrate or anything else in the tank. Refusing anything else, she's back to digging and perfectly normal behaviour. I am at my wit's end, as the fish are in my disabled partner's bedroom, he loves them and I want to do all I can to keep these beautiful living creatures happy and healthy. The angelfish and plec have been fine throughout this turmoil and eating/behaving normally, energetic and lively.
Forgive the length of this huge post and thank you for reading. I hope I have included all of the information required and someone can PLEASE, PLEASE help me get this fish what she needs.
Thank you in advance.
My blood parrot cichlid has me bamboozled. I've had her for nearly 2 years, got her from a local family owned exotic store along with an angelfish (debatable tank mate, I know) and a baby common plec. She was a surrender from an old people's home as a pair, the other died some time before I took her on. She was an adult of unknown age.
The tank is 85litres, kept at between 26-27°C and parameters were perfect when I took a sample to be dipped a week ago. I use an aquael fan 2 filter and have gravel, driftwood and some small artificial plant decorations.
I clean the substrate and change the water weekly, anywhere from 20-50% depending on the mess, I'd never owned fish before and I was overfeeding to begin with, as many newbies tend to do. I use tap safe of course, a fast filter start bacteria balancing liquid according to manufacturers instructions etc, plus top up with sodium chloride according to the volume I have replaced.
My woe started 3 weeks ago. She was bouncing off hard surfaces of the tank and there was some tiny cotton wool bits in the water and substrate, the angelfish's fins were a little tatty and the weather was warm, though not exceeding 28C in the tank, so I treated with a fin and fungus rot formula for 7 days. Angel fish improved, conditions improved, cichlid went pale and started hiding, out if character for her, she only usually goes pale temporarily on tank cleaning days.
Sought advice from the store I got her from, they recommended a malachite formula, which I dosed correctly for one week. She was eating sparingly, which was unusual, but not alarming at this time. After the dosing period was over, usual water change etc, I sought advice again after she had stopped eating altogether for 3 or 4 days. I was directed to an internal parasite treatment, which seemed to be helping as she ate bloodworms twice over 2 days, then stopped again. That week has gone, water change etc and now an internal antibacterial treatment is in play. She has regained her colour and has been busy for the last 2 days picking up and rearranging the gravel as she would normally and super active, not a blemish or Mark on her, just odd behaviour at feeding time. She outright rejects the Hikari Cichlid Gold and Staple I alternate and then takes a blood worm or two, moves her mouth in an alarmed way and refuses more. When she did that tonight, she was enthusiastic, took a worm and spat it out irritably, and then spat out two small limescale looking pieces, much smaller and different colour to her food, substrate or anything else in the tank. Refusing anything else, she's back to digging and perfectly normal behaviour. I am at my wit's end, as the fish are in my disabled partner's bedroom, he loves them and I want to do all I can to keep these beautiful living creatures happy and healthy. The angelfish and plec have been fine throughout this turmoil and eating/behaving normally, energetic and lively.
Forgive the length of this huge post and thank you for reading. I hope I have included all of the information required and someone can PLEASE, PLEASE help me get this fish what she needs.
Thank you in advance.
