Help African Cichlids Dying

[lock jaw]

I have a 75 gal with 30 gal sump/fx6, filled with peacocks and haps. They have been healthy and fine for a while (1 year), till recently. Its been 3 weeks and I've lost 9 fish (more recently). The water tests are good and I have done water changes. I don't see any disease in the tank or aggression to the point of killing each other. So clueless on whats going on. Any treatments you guys can suggest? I'm going on vacation tomorrow for a week and feel that I won't come back to any fish.

 

[Leffler817]

How frequent are your water changes?
How many fish are in the tank? Are the fins on the dead fish nipped?
Any chance that someone sprayed some sort of cleaner in the air near the tank?

Just some initial questions.

 

[DiscusnAfricans]

Treating the tank and leaving for a week isn't ideal either, most medications take multiple doses, but you also don't want to just treat with something random. Basic info such as the answers to SHawn's questions would help narrow down the possibilities, but mystery deaths can be very tough to diagnose.

 

[lock jaw]

How frequent are your water changes?
How many fish are in the tank? Are the fins on the dead fish nipped?
Any chance that someone sprayed some sort of cleaner in the air near the tank?

Just some initial questions.

I do water changes once a week 30-40%. There were about 25-30 fish, from 2 to 5 inches.
Not so much on nipped fins but I did have some fish with body injuries, one that died had a bite mark that looked like a chuck was taken out by the right side fin.
No one has sprayed anything there.

 

[lock jaw]

Treating the tank and leaving for a week isn't ideal either, most medications take multiple doses, but you also don't want to just treat with something random. Basic info such as the answers to SHawn's questions would help narrow down the possibilities, but mystery deaths can be very tough to diagnose.

Yea I figured it was a bit too late to ask, I should of wrote a message earlier. I cleaned the fx6 and topped off the sump. I did see an Iceburg electric blue with some body injury and separated him from the tank, he had been sitting at the bottom and not eating.

 

[DiscusnAfricans]

Best bet in the meantime is to increase the frequency and volume of water changes. Isolate sick fish as you notice them, which you said you're doing. Keeping water clean can go a long way in helping the fish recuperate.

 

[lock jaw]

So came back from my trip found two dead and another died this evening. No idea what's going on.. Here is a pic of the one that died this evening. Maybe someone can see why this is happening. Found the decaying, half eaten one under some rocks.

 

[Jim Anderson]

Bummer, Looks like maybe some bloating of the stomach. Malawi Bloat?

 

[lock jaw]

Bummer, Looks like maybe some bloating of the stomach. Malawi Bloat?

Any suggestions in treating it?

 

[Jim Anderson]

I’m not sure it is Malawi bloat but below is info about bloat.

Malawi Bloat

www.cichlid-forum.com

 

[Freakgecko]

What are you feeding the tank? Not just staples, but even then stuff once in a while?

 

[lock jaw]

I feed a mix of Spectrum pellets, Hikari pellets, and a wafer for loaches and bottom fish but mostly my Africans get to it before they do.

Hikari:
https://www.amazon.com/Hikari-12-Ou...GQM2J5TK7M0&psc=1&refRID=RW45FAM6VGQM2J5TK7M0

Spectrum:
https://www.amazon.com/New-Life-Spe...way&sprefix=spectrum+fish+food,aps,154&sr=8-1

I forgot what the wafer one was, I haven't been feeding anything outside of these.

 

[lock jaw]

So it's been suggested that I increase the temp to 86°F, remove carbon from filters (fx6), add more oxygen, and do a 80% water change. Then dose my tank with this medication for one week before performing another water change. Anyone have an opinion on this?

 

[Rasta Fish]

Looks like bloat on that fish
i never use that specific hikari feed
i have used the hikari bio gold before and it causes bloat so i stop using it
i would stick to one food the NLS see how thing goes
what substrate

 

[lock jaw]

Looks like bloat on that fish
i never use that specific hikari feed
i have used the hikari bio gold before and it causes bloat so i stop using it
i would stick to one food the NLS see how thing goes
what substrate

Pool sand and holey rock. Will stick to spectrum for now.