# Cichlid rescue



## darkfalz (May 7, 2006)

I took this guy home from work. Some idiot (who has now left) thought it'd be a good idea to throw in a bunch of random cichlids (including an oscar, who grew very fast) into the tank at work (previously nice planted tank with livebearers, now a near disaster but I am trying my best to restore it) and other tropicals - tropicals are now all dead except for some tiger barbs, along with half the other cichlids -thankfully we found a home for the oscar, now there's one ultra aggressive purple/white cichlid and two smaller yellow/purple (jack dempsey's maybe) and this poor guy, who was getting the crap kicked out of him and about to become dinner. There's also a gourami and some unknown fish, could be some other kind of barb... that guy was a real idiot.

Anyway I took him home because it's that or the freezer, and apart from his wounds, may not actually be sick and I can't bring myself to kill an animal who may live with some care. So I'm doing my best to rescue him and any advice would be much appreciated.

Can anyone ID this cichlid and let me know if they have any special requirements. I'll change 1/4 of his water every day as it's the biggest tank I have for a hospital tank (just over 6 gallons) and after a few days, hoping that he survives that, I'll put in some melafix to help him heal. If I can get him healthy then I'll probably donate him to the (good) pet store rather than putting him back in the tank at work - unless there's a possibility he's a non aggressive type and can live with my tropicals? Probably doubtful.

Wish me luck and please any help is appreciated.


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

Some sort of Peac o ck. From Lake Malawi. How bigs the work tank? They are aggressive mostly toward other males of the same kind, but he'll want a territory about the size of 55 gallon tank, so the tropicals will be driven out or bashed. Also he'll eat anything that fits in his mouth (which is larger than it looks). The eat plants (even duckweed) and snails and are opportunistic fry eaters. Ideal pH 7.5-8.0 and TDS ~200 ppm. But they are fairly adaptable. Also salt tolerant. The fins will grow back, but the wound on the side looks nasty.


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## darkfalz (May 7, 2006)

There's no side wound, that's just some dried salt or something on the tank. Just all his fins are in tatters. Should I put some salt in the water?

Fairly sure the other is a peaco ck, different colouration (mainly purple and white). After the oscar left he became the obvious alpha fish, all the fish are so predatory, just waiting for the weak to kill so they can eat them.


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

He should be ok. Only add salt if your water is very soft. Not really predatory, those have big mouths and are peaceful until they eat a fish. Mbuna defend a feeding territory, they only allow females in it. They beat up other fish until they flee. But if the tank is too small, they kill them.


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## Laura Ann (May 3, 2006)

darkfalz said:


> There's no side wound, that's just some dried salt or something on the tank. Just all his fins are in tatters. Should I put some salt in the water?
> 
> Fairly sure the other is a peaco ck, different colouration (mainly purple and white). After the oscar left he became the obvious alpha fish, all the fish are so predatory, just waiting for the weak to kill so they can eat them.


That's a cichlid for ya! It's common for them to kill hurt/sick fish. KI have it happen alot... hell just last week I found one of my breeder females (who was holding before this incident) torn into shreads... literally. 

Your little guy will pull through. He doesn't have anyone picking on him now so he won't be stressed, and getting his ass kicked.


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## darkfalz (May 7, 2006)

They're such bullies. Horrible. I hope he pulls through, then just have to figure out what to do with him. They've now moved onto the gourami at work, I will have to move it to the livebearer tank or take it home.


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

> They're such bullies


true, in a large group they spread out the agression and work out a hierarchy (think high school sports), but a gourami won't know the signal for surrender.


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## darkfalz (May 7, 2006)

Gourami is in with the livebearers now and doing okay, least he ate something at feeding time, was funny to see his big lips come out and suck the flakes off the surface.

This guy hasn't changed much seems to stay at the bottom, no idea how long it's been since he has eaten something.


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## Laura Ann (May 3, 2006)

Hummm... does he have injuries to his mouth? 

And a little hint: Get some frozen brine shrimp, melt the cube in a cup with some warm water. Then take a turkey baster and put it just in fromt of this face... it may entice him to eat for ya.

This is a pic of one of my males not too long ago. As you can tell from the pic, he got his butt kicked something but good. He died a few days later.


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

You could get a piece of PVC pipe for him to hide in. You could try salt. It not necessary,but some think it reduces secondary infections and parasites in the wound.


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## darkfalz (May 7, 2006)

He's got nothing to hide from, but he is just sitting there at the bottom. Has barely moved since I put him in. But his fins are healing as far as I can see. Just wonder what to do with him if/when he gets healthy.


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## darkfalz (May 7, 2006)

Good news! He's more active, swimming in more areas of the tank, showing his fins, and most importantly he's eating. Have been trying to get him to eat by dropping a broken pellet in the water last few days, today soon as he saw it POW zoomed over and ate it, then scoured the tank for the other pieces. Probably hasn't eaten for weeks. But I didn't want to overdid it so waited a few hours and gave him one more broken one until tomorrow. Fins are healing nicely too. Quite impressive watching him power around his little tank. Just have to figure out what to do with the plucky little guy now he's getting better.


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## Laura Ann (May 3, 2006)

Keep him, of course


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## darkfalz (May 7, 2006)

I am thinking of picking up a 70L (18 gallon) tank which has good filter and light hood, then I can make that my livebearer tank. Then I can keep this chap in the 10 gallon by himself. I know they prefer to be with their own kind but after his experience with other fish maybe he'll be happier being alone. It's either that or a trip to the LFS for a donation.


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## Guest (Dec 11, 2007)

I wouldn't keep in the 10g long term........its just too small IMO. I wouldn't keep him in anything less than 30g. But if you could upgrade him in the near future, the 10g could be a nice holding tank.

Glad he's getting better!


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## darkfalz (May 7, 2006)

I can't afford another big tank, and I didn't want cichlids in the first place. Just thought I'd rescue him from the freezer. I think I will have to suck it up and donate him to the LFS once he is fully healed. The only other option is to get the 70L I've had my eye on, move my neons and rasboroas to that, and make a cichlid tank out of my 160L. Which would mean getting 3 or so females for this guy to share the tank with. If I threw him in with my neons and rasboras, I think he'd probably see them as lunch. Like any fish who acts timid after being bashed, once they realise they are king of the tank again, they revert to predator mode.


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

If you got females, you'd have fry. If you don't want to go into raising cichlids, get all males or give him to a LFS. Maybe they will give you some credit to buy food for the livebearers.


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## darkfalz (May 7, 2006)

Don't males just fight? I probably won't keep him. But he sure is cool.


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## Guest (Dec 11, 2007)

Males fight more when there are females around. There may be some nipping for hierarchies in an all male tank, but nothing like males fighting over females.

He looks much better! You've done a wonderful job of taking care of him.


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## darkfalz (May 7, 2006)

Say I got a 20 gallon long for him, what could I keep with him?


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

Maybe a pleco? Not much.


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## darkfalz (May 7, 2006)

I won't keep him. I'll see if I can donate him and all the cichlids at work to the LFS. Then we can start fresh with some less aggressive fish.


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## darkfalz (May 7, 2006)

He's doing well, fins almost completely regrown including his badly damaged pectoral fin. Still timid and not too fond of me although he does recognise feeding time. I will post a photo tomorrow.


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## darkfalz (May 7, 2006)

Here he is. Tail and fins almost completely regrown. He's still shy, in a small tank with no other fish, but he's more confident than he was and comes up to the top when it's time to feed. Not sure about those dots on his dorsal and tail, must be some kind of patterning. Anyway he is off to the LFS soon hopefully to find a good home.


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

Just normal patterning, He looks healthy.


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## darkfalz (May 7, 2006)

Here he is in his temporary new home. Hides behind his fake rock now instead of the filter which is good, but when I'm not around happily swims laps and swims back and forth looking for imaginary prey. Ventures out if I stay close to the tank to say hello, just doesn't like sudden approaches.


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