Help My Convicts Are Dying

[fishnovice]

Had a mated pair of zebra/convict cichlids. Came back from week holiday last Tue to find 60 newly hatched fry. Fed them on fine fry food in addition to usual Tetramin flakes for parents. All was fine for 3 days and it was fascinating to watch parents constantly guard their fry. Then on Sat afternoon I noticed all the fry had disappeared and parents were swimming at the top of the tank. Assumed fry were old enough to care for themselves and parents were feeding. On Sat night noticed mum was swimming almost vertical and gulping for air from the surface so did a 10% water change. although I had done a 50% water change only 3 days before when I got back
Last night saw several fry dead among the gravel. This morning found mum dead on the tank bottom. Removed dad (sole survivor) to small tank. He's barely alive and mostly lying on his side at the bottom though moves his fins if I tap tank sides. How can I save him? Is it better to keep on waking him up or just let him lie on his side?

 

[chesterscot]

hi
what are the water parameters ?
scot

 

[fishnovice]

hi
what are the water parameters ?
scot

Don't know but the tank had >60% water change (50% on Tue + 10% on Sat) so there shouldn't have been any buildup of toxins. Anyway fish were all fine swimming and eating including fry till Fri. Parents even had the strength to remove gravel fom nest area. on Wed. Problem started on Sat and they died within 24 hrs. Mum fish was standing almost vertical for hours gulping air from surface on Sat =could it have been lack of oxygen and if so what caused it?
Dad now clinging onto life in a bucket with heater. Removed him from tank this morning as a precaution. He;s lying motionless on bucket bottom but at least he's now upright not on his side.

 

[Davo86]

Put the Male back in the tank ASAP, as he will no doubt die from either ammonia poisoning or lack of oxygen if kept in the bucket,
Without any fish in the tank you are also killing the bacteria.

Do an 80% water change on the tank and position the filter outlet so that it is an inch or so above the waterline, so it makes a good splash when it is on.
Also if you have an air pump set that up in the tank. Get the Dad back in as soon as the temp is 22C or above.

It sounds like the female did die from either ammonia poisoning or was suffocated, You really need to get a test kit,
Had the filter been touched at all in the previous days? or if not could it have got clogged or accidentally turned off?

 

[fishnovice]

Put the Male back in the tank ASAP, as he will no doubt die from either ammonia poisoning or lack of oxygen if kept in the bucket,
Without any fish in the tank you are also killing the bacteria.

Do an 80% water change on the tank and position the filter outlet so that it is an inch or so above the waterline, so it makes a good splash when it is on.
Also if you have an air pump set that up in the tank. Get the Dad back in as soon as the temp is 22C or above.

It sounds like the female did die from either ammonia poisoning or was suffocated, You really need to get a test kit,
Had the filter been touched at all in the previous days? or if not could it have got clogged or accidentally turned off?

Friend thinks female died from lack of oxygen though I can't underestand why it happened so suddenly. Maybe because the water I used for water change this time had been stored in bottles for 2 weeks? I normally keep it for a few days before doing weekly water changes.
Thanks for advice. Bucket was filled with fresh clean water so no ammonia etc didin't want to use tank water in case it was contaminated with toxins. Fish is now upright and moving fins. Drained tank this morning, will give it a through clean and fill with clean fresh water before putting him back in. What's the best way to clan/sterilise a tank and gravel? I know you can't use detergent to clean tanks.

 

[Faythee]

I usually boil the gravel in a big pot on stove to kill any bacteria. Rinse well after. I clean tanks with water and vinegar. Scrub it down with a sponge, let dry completely in the sun and give it a good rinsing again. Use a good water conditioner before adding the fish back to the tank, one that helps produce slime coat. Sorry this happened

 

[Bebobb]

To me it sounds like they may have fought. I have no expirence with convicts what-so-ever, so you may want to disregard this information. They can get very agressive during breeding, and to me it sounds like that they might have eaten the fry, and fought over it. When people remove the fry the pair often fights because they blame the other one for removing the fry. Hope this helps, I doubt it though.

 

[fishnovice]

I usually boil the gravel in a big pot on stove to kill any bacteria. Rinse well after. I clean tanks with water and vinegar. Scrub it down with a sponge, let dry completely in the sun and give it a good rinsing again. Use a good water conditioner before adding the fish back to the tank, one that helps produce slime coat. Sorry this happened

Thanks fr the tip. boiled teh gravel for 30 mins to kill any bacteria & fungus. Then washed it several times. Sterilised tank sides with boiling water, cleaned with new sponge and then rinsed with pressure washer. Fish is now back in his clean tank with fresh clean Stresscote treated waterplus a little water from my 2 other tanks for bacteria. He's swimming a little, moving his fins and breathing normally so I hope he's gpoing to be OK now.
Will take advice of raising filter to create surface bubbles .

 

[chesterscot]

ideally you need to be testing your water so you know when to change it
scot

 

[fishnovice]

ideally you need to be testing your water so you know when to change it
scot

THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO OFFERED HELP...MUCH APPRECIATED

Good news, male back in (cleaned and sterilised)tank, swimming actively and has even shifted some gravel !
Will get test kit and check regularly. Also keep filter up to aeratre tank.
How soon can I get him another mate -he seems lonely. I got them asa mated pair
Would he attack a strange female? Please advise me as I don't want ant more tragedies.