Troph question

[Andrew_B]

Im a couple months into my second attempt at tropheus, everything is great. Lots of color, eating like pigs. I have 1.75-2.5" ikola juvis. My regiment is 3 water changes a week, feed 3 times a day, fast them 1 day a week to clear their systems and make them *hunt* for left over scraps.

My question is: the picture below is one of my bigger males on the left. This was about an hour after the first feeding after the fasting day. Is he just a fatty or is that a possible sign of bloat? He's swimming, eating, no signs of stringy poop, showing the most color still, hes just... big. I haven't been around tropheus enough to know their normal growth pattern. When they reach a certain length, do they start filling out before growing more in length?

Thanks guys!

[jhenry]

IMO he looks a little bloated. But you say he is eating and active. So I might be wrong. Keep a close eye on him if he stars laying around and stops eating try this it's always worked for me


*
Stop feeding, remove carbon, cut lights (it helps calm them down and it relieves some of the stress on the colony) crank the temperature up to 78.
*
1st day, add metro as indicated (1tsp/150gal.) and salt 1tbsp/10gal.
2nd day: no feeding, don't add anything.
3rd day: 50% water change, add metro and salt
4th day: nothing
5th day: 50% water change, add metro and salt
6th day: nothing
7th day: 50% water change, add metro and salt ...by now one should be able to start feeding lightly again

[jhenry]

Also why are you doing the whole fasting thing?

[Andrew_B]

Mainly because I feed them so much - fast them for 24hours, so basically just skip over 2 normal feedings to let their systems clear out a little and pick up scraps their missed earlier. I may drop down to two feedings a day, I'm home for a few more hours, ill keep watch of the big guy

[jhenry]

I would stay away from the fasting. You see how much I feed. And how much and frequently do waterchanges. IMO you can feed as much as you want as long as you change water alot and keep alot of internal waterflow to keep them working out

[Andrew_B]

Yeah, they're working pretty good in the tank. Right now just two old maxijet 1200 powerheads for movement. I just ordered 2 maxijet pros for the circulation pumps. I turn off the powerheads for the 30sec of feeding for the morning and night feeding, then turn them back on right after. When I keep them on during actual feeding, the pellets just get knocked right by them and 3x the food hits the sand. I'm hoping with the new circulation pumps, the 1200gph x2 will be a big improvement over the 295gph my current powerheads have.

[myjohnson]

I say don't even treat the tank.

Just feed them less.

Get auto feeders so you keep it regular for them.

What you are doing will cause bloat sooner then later.

Good luck and report back what happens. :)

[Andrew_B]

Yeah, I really need to start setting up timers. Lights, feeding, more regular water changes. Right now, I mainly just do everything according to my schedule for that day. (I work retail, so when im home varies often) Its also my main tank so I try to keep the lights on when Im home. Is 7am-11pm every day hurting the fish? Or is it only messing with algae growth?

[myjohnson]

That light cycle is ok. I adjust my light cycle during the year to reflect the light cycle we actually have outside.

If I feel like breeding more, I adjust the light cycle to summer time conditions at lake tang.

The feeding is way more important. Do not feed a lot at one time and do not feed late at night before lights out.

[electricblue]

Just make sure your water is good, have a good flow and feed them well. i have 25 moliros ( all around your ikola's size) stuck with other fish in a 55 because i work an internship during the week and may not get paid a cent till the end of the internship.

My water flow comes from an fx5 and a koralia evolution. I have no light for them but they are in living room with plenty of outside light. i was planing on doing two w/c a week but seeing the water paramaters stay good and my buisy schedule i do around 70% w/c weekly. i used to work retail now i only work that on the weekend bc of the internship so their feeding times are kind of screwed up sometimes but i still feed them well once or twice a day. They're all displaying nice colors and are very active.

[rama]

The fish look bloated to me. If you decide to use Justin treatment, the only thing i would suggest is to use Epsom salt instead of aquarium salt.

IMO he looks a little bloated. But you say he is eating and active. So I might be wrong. Keep a close eye on him if he stars laying around and stops eating try this it's always worked for me


*
Stop feeding, remove carbon, cut lights (it helps calm them down and it relieves some of the stress on the colony) crank the temperature up to 78.
*
1st day, add metro as indicated (1tsp/150gal.) and salt 1tbsp/10gal.
2nd day: no feeding, don't add anything.
3rd day: 50% water change, add metro and salt
4th day: nothing
5th day: 50% water change, add metro and salt
6th day: nothing
7th day: 50% water change, add metro and salt ...by now one should be able to start feeding lightly again

[Andrew_B]

Thanks for the replies guys - Just got home from work. I didn't do any treatment other than no feeding, and adding salt. (my tank temp is always 80, should I raise more?) I'm leaning more towards hes just fat - I walked over to the tank as if I was going to feed, and everyone swam up there. The bloated male seemed to slim down a small bit. I'll take another look at them in the morning, but I'll still hold off on feeding for another day or two. If he looks the same, I'll start the metro regiment. Hoping it doesnt get to that though