Male Red Zebra Flicking

[CheniseMummy]

I set up my tank 1 week ago with a mature sponge in my external filter to colonise my new filter and added my bn plec and 2 new red zebra. I use ocean rock and play sand substrate from homebase. I had 2 days of slight elevated levels ammonia 0.50 and nitrite 0.25 did 90% water change then next day ammonia 0.25 and nitrite 0.50 another 90% water change and now today water stats are 0 and nitrate is within good range

A small amount of sand gets moved near the powered as it moves the poo towards the filter. One of the zebras has slightly red gills under his pale pink body and is flicking on the sand near the powerhead.

Do you think this irritation will go away after few days coz of the big water change and bad water for couple days or could it be gill flukes. The bn and orange red zebra don't do this.

 

[Chad]

Have you been able to examine the fish for parasites?

 

[CheniseMummy]

No I dont want to touch it

 

[eggo]

did you use a dechlorinator

 

[CheniseMummy]

Yes stress coat + maybe it's the aloe? I ran out of prime but have just reordered some.

 

[Chad]

I've never kept a pleco in sand before...could it be that sand grains are irritating it?

 

[snazy]

The flicking is from bad water quality/irritants of some kind or parasites. In your case is probably just the elevated ammonia/nitrIte levels and you need that sorted asap.
I keep my pleco in a sand tank and I've never seen him flicking.

Edit: Stress coat used to irritate the hell out of my corys. They really didn't like it and I keep it simple with a simple dechlorinator.

 

[CheniseMummy]

The plec and the other red zebra are fine no flicking just the really pale one. It seems to have stopped now I've removed power head and turned lights off.

Maybe it's the stress coat. My prime will be here hopefully tomorrow so I will change water.

The levels are good now that was last two days. The bacteria caught up so maybe the flicking will now settle down

 

[markandjanice]

i read the other day that cichlids and a lot of fish brush themselves along the sand and its nothing to worry about, becomes mostly habbit. my parameters in my malawis tank are all spot on and my fish are healthy, no signs of marks, etc and majority of them do this