just a little worried

[newb]

well as many of you might have seen, I posted my new tropheus moliro on here a about 5-6days ago. Well since that time I have lost 4 of them. Not at the same time, but I will wake up one day and there will be a dead one. And then maybe nobody dies the next day, but then the next day another goes. The fish look completely fine except for 2 of them were totally beaten up. Is this normal? Might it just be aggression? Should I take any action like moving rocks around or adding epson salt? I figured if its aggression I will just let them figure it out and maybe bring out the dominance in the males. what to do?

[cichlid1409]

what are you feeding them? have you made sure they are all eating?

[newb]

I am feeding them Dainichi Veggie FX baby size. I am feeding them about 5-6 times a day, equalling about 4-5 teaspoons a day. As a group they eat. At first they take it in and then spit it out. I think it is too hard for them cause it will sit for about 45 seconds and then they will eat it completely. There is no way to tell if all 50 somthing fish are eating.

[cichlid1409]

usually, if they are not eating you can see them. they will be less actively trying to get food and those are the ones to watch if you haven't noticed any whiteness coming out their anus' on the dead ones or live ones and you are sure they are eating you don't need to dose anything, most likely aggression....i feed mine veggie fx, veggie deluxe, nls cichlid - mixed. just my 2 cents form my limited experience.

[newb]

well I guess now I gotta go stare at their anus'!!! Hey Nick...you want in on this? )

[cichlid1409]

also how long do you leave lights on and how many times are you feeding them?

[Nickintex]

well I guess now I gotta go stare at their anus'!!! Hey Nick...you want in on this? )

No sir, not a Piscinosexual or Ichthyosexual. or whatever you want to call it. And I don't eat fish sticks!

[newb]

lights are on from about 11am till about 1am at night. I feed about 5-6time a day

[cichlid1409]

that sounds good newb.

No sir, not a Piscinosexual or Ichthyosexual. or whatever you want to call it. And I don't eat fish sticks!

[Zulaab]

lights are on from about 11am till about 1am at night. I feed about 5-6time a day

Newb.

1. What is your filtration ?
2. What are your water parameters... please dont answer "norm", if you dont know then say so.
3. What size tank and how much water change you do and how often ?
4. How many fish you have right now in the tank, please include pleco's and other life living there.
5. What size are your moliro's ?

-- Here is what I would say. Cut feeding to 2 times a day morning and evening, maybe for now just once. Add Epsom salt in case its some sickness. Lights are fine, they will eat any algae that grows in the tank.

[newb]

1. 2x Aquaclear 110, 2x Eheim 2217
2. Normal...JK...I dont know, I have never tested with any of my fish
3. 125gallon tank, 50% WC every 3-4 days, I havent done a WC since I got them cause a wanted them to get comfortable in the tank first.
4. I am at 50 moliros, and about 12-15 nerite snails
5. about 1.5-2"

[myjohnson]

uncycled tank?

[cichlidchic]

with the amount you are feeding, it may be a ammonia problem. also, check your nitrates and nitrites, because a nitrite spike can happen and that would totally do it. If you aren't used to testing, you can get those little strips just to get a ballpark of what you are looking at. they sell them at petsmart. Or better yet, take a sample in, and they test it for free. I'd be willing to guess ammonia here. because think about it, you just added 50 inches of fish essentially...chemistry is probably off.

[wesleydnunder]

with the amount you are feeding, it may be a ammonia problem. also, check your nitrates and nitrites, because a nitrite spike can happen and that would totally do it. If you aren't used to testing, you can get those little strips just to get a ballpark of what you are looking at. they sell them at petsmart. Or better yet, take a sample in, and they test it for free. I'd be willing to guess ammonia here. because think about it, you just added 50 inches of fish essentially...chemistry is probably off.

+1 except for the test strip suggestion; I think test strips are essentially useless. With the number of tanks you have and the fact that you're adding more, I'd invest in a Freshwater Master Test Kit, by AP. I think you may be cycling the tank in which case your ammonia and nitrites are probably high. Read the instructions when doing the tests, especially nitrate, which has different requirements than the other tests.

Mark

[geoff_tropheus]

Couple things...

If Dan brought these fish in for you, then 99% most likely they came from Old World Exotic.

The fish are not used to being fed 5X a day and you have small juvi fish and your feeding a food they were not used to eating already.

Anytime you first get Tropheus you need to take it easy on them for the first week or 2 and it is VERY HIGHLY recommneded that you get the same food the seller had them all eating. This way you know its not your food, and that it is an issue of health.

I would cutback on the feedings to 2X a day, and up your waterchanges for the next week.

If your still having them drop out on you, start treating with CLOUT. Treat the water for 5 days even if all fish are eating, and perform 50% waterchange every 3 days while treating.

Best of luck!

Geoff