Sick Cichlid

[yabadaba]

Hi, I'm pretty new to african cichlids and do realise that keeping these involves dealing with a lot more aggression than with a regular community tank and that injuries will be more common place, but I'm still not sure what to do with one of my three Haplochromis sp. “Thick Skin” that appeared a couple of days ago looking very pale and with one of it's side (pectoral?) fins missing. There doesn't appear to be any other injury, but he/she certainly isn't looking well.

This fish is not at all interested in food and is staying in one corner of the tank, just under the surface of the water. I'm wondering whether to just to let things take their natural course or try netting the fish and putting it in my son's community tank with a pair of Bolivian Rams, a pair of Paradise fish and some Corys. The pH and temp are about the same so I don't think the environment would be an issue, but would it do any good?

 

[yabadaba]

For mine i got a breeding net a put the sick fish in there.

I haven't got one of those, but there is plenty of space for him in my son's community tank. I don't see any of the other fish picking on him as I thought they might do, in fact they're paying him no notice at all. But, I was wondering whether putting him in a more peaceful environment might encourage him to eat.

I'm wondering whether it was one of his own that caused the injury or the crayfish that I put in the tank last weekend. Didn't think the latter would be fast enough to catch any of the fish, but I guess it could have taken a lucky swipe and caught hold of the fin in one of its claws.

 

[dthoffsett]

If you're sure it's just from an injury I would try moving him to the community tank, just watch to make sure he doesn't end up picking on the fish there. Put in a less aggressive set up, he might turn out to be the bully.

If you think there is an underlying illness I would be concerned about moving him and potentially exposing 2 tanks.

 

[yabadaba]

If you're sure it's just from an injury I would try moving him to the community tank, just watch to make sure he doesn't end up picking on the fish there. Put in a less aggressive set up, he might turn out to be the bully.

If you think there is an underlying illness I would be concerned about moving him and potentially exposing 2 tanks.

Well, he was fine one day and then the next one fin is completely missing and all his colour has gone. So I'm guessing it must have been an injury, though it seems odd that there are no other signs of damage. I'll try moving him to a smaller community tank (63 or 110L) and will dose that with some Melafix.