Oh Hi There!

[pmfishforum]

I joined this forum as although I have had a small tank for a few years have now moved up to 175 litre tank. Going reasonably well but am having a few issues with Angelfish. I bought two from the saqme store at the same time. One was a bit bigger than the other but they seemed to get on. After about a week the bigger killed the smaller. I guess having got his bearings the bigger thought he would stake a claim. Went back to the shop (Aquastore in Southport) and they gave me a larger Angel as a replacement. Again these seemed to get on and even showed some sighs of bonding but after a while the bullying started and I had to separate them. Reading up on Angels I learned a group of six or more dont get the same territory problems so went down to Wavertree nook and bought four more Angels. This seemed to do the trick and I thought I had solved it but a week or so later the bully had killed the replacement I had been given. I bagged him up and went back t oAquastore and swapped him for two red gouramis. Now after three weeks or so two of the Angels from Wavertree Nook have formed a pair bond and killed one of the others. The remaining one not in the bonded pair is now being bullied and will be killed soon I think. Strangely an opaline gourami I have seems to be protecting it a bit but it still cowers to one side. I need to take it out before it dies and so am offering it free to anyone who can give it a good home in the Southport Area. Any takers?
 
Incidentally, the last two times a fish has been killed I also found a dead Danio. Cant understand this; coincidence, got in the way or tried to get involved?
 
 
 

 

[RCA]

Welcome ...sorry never heard of this before, maybe someone who has Angels can help. What has the store said? What plants do you have? Can you put up a picture of your tank?

 

[pmfishforum]

The store has said this is typical behaviour for cichlids in general and Angels who have co-habited for years can turn, its just their nature. I have posted a picture of my tank with the ostracised angel at the top right. Quite a bit of reflection on this image so I will need to take one when dark.


This shows the bonded Angels hovering just below where the bullied one is hiding.
 

 

[fishmad135]

Maybe you need some more hiding places/plants perhaps? Good luck with your fish 

 

[pmfishforum]

Ive spoken to a local store and the guy said he would take the bullied angel for his grandchildren, as he couldnt resell it. Bought two opalescent gouramis off him to replace the angel. Hopefully calm will return to the tank.

 

[RCA]

Bless him, I would agree more plants, you can never have enough plants, helps break down barriers and line off sight as well as assisting with the overall balance of the aquarium.
Thanks for the pics, we love pics

 

[pmfishforum]

Calm has returned to the tank but had a couple of strange incidents.
 
Soon after the addition of the new gouramis I found one of my Red/Gold gouramis had got herself stuck in an upright tube from an undergravel filter and died. I must have just missed it as the eyes were still clear, I'm guessing she was just exploring and took a wrong turn. Nothing had bothered it as the new gouramis hid for 24 hours or so and all my other fish get on with nothing more than a chase for a few seconds now and again.
 
The day after I found one of my clown loaches floating around dead with no apparent cause. The barbs under the eyes were extended but I dont know if this is typical of dead clown loaches or if its an indication of a fight. The  tank is well cycled with an eheim filter far bigger than needed and loads of bubbles pumped through from a 6watt pump. Test for nitrite and ammonia is clear and temperature ph etc all good. The loach always had very pale black bands and I wonder if this was an indication of general ill health. Have noticed some of the other loaches flashing against a rock which I read can be an irritation from a parasite although my source said this will pass much like when we get a cough.
 
I plan to get quite a few more plants as Im not too keen on the blue background in my tank. Got a picture without reflections although fish quite elusive.
 
 

 

[pmfishforum]

Ive put a video on You Tube of the loaches flashing, around 1 minute and 5 seconds into the clip;
https/youtu.be/DvqhSB-2MaM

 

[Baccus]

With so much swapping about of fish thanks to the Angels being little horrors, I wonder if you could have introduced Ich into the tank. Ich is usually always present in tanks but tends to rear its nasty head when ever the fish get stressed. The stress can be from the chasing around of other fish as you removed them, water parameters (your water being different to what the new fish where accustomed to) or bullying. I find loaches in general are almost always the first to show signs of Ich. In the video its very hard to see if their is any little tell tale white spots of Ich on the clown loaches but you should be able to see it with the naked eye.

 

[pmfishforum]

Doing some reading yesterday and I started considering ich. On inspection the loaches are showing the tell tale white pinhead spots. Now researching best treatment. Most seem to say raise the temperature but avoid salt as it irritates the scaleless loaches. there is already max air bubbles. Melafix is said to ease their irritation but not much of a cure. I need to check if all my fish can tolerate high temperatures; various gouramis, angels, denisons barbs clown loaches and a couple of large danios. Plants could be moved to the small 10 litre tank currently housing two goldfish.