neverendingninja

Well, its been a rough week for me now. On Christmas day I lost my female Bolivian ram. I found her on the right side of my tank. She had to of just passed, as I saw her swimming just fine about an hour beforehand. When I found her, both eyes were, for lack of a better word, mangled.

Just now, I found my male Keyhole cichlid, which was my favorite fish, lying in almost the same exact spot. I had hopes he was still clinging to life, as his fins were moving very slightly, but it turned out to be the current from the filter.

I have had both of these fish for 5 or 6 months now, and they were part of my original stock for my 55 gallon tank. They were part of only 5 fish that survived an ick outbreak that wiped out everything else within 48 hours.

I have no idea what could have caused them to pass, as neither of them were frantic or lethargic, or otherwise showing any signs of stress. All other fish(including 7 rasbora heteromorpha, which are rather good indicator fish) are very active, and all fish were eating well just this afternoon. My water parameters are the same as they've ever been. I've been doing water changes, 10-20% daily due to a green water issue I've been battling for over a week now.

This is absolutely baffling. Any ideas? Parasites? Couldn't have been old age, they weren't full grown when I got them.

Thanks guys.

P.S. I didn't think this needed to go in FW Fish Disease, as I'm not sure thats what caused it.

COBettaCouple

It sounds like she was attacked, he may have been too. Parasites almost certainly would show visible signs if they were bad enough to kill. Is that spot near where any of the other fish hang out a lot, including the farlowella?

we're sorry that you lost them. definitely a rough week in that tank.

neverendingninja

Well, I've been meaning to change my signature. Its not actually a Farlowella. It was sold to me as such, but after researching it, its actually a Rineloricaria sp. He is approx. 4.5" long, and the BN is about the same. I also have a pair of Apistogramma Cacatuoides, the male is approx. 2" and the female 1.5".

The only fish that hangs out in that spot much is the BN pleco. He usually never comes out except at feeding time and when the lights go out. Come to think of it, both fish did pass while the lights were out, although it was during the day...I had them out to keep the green water from getting worse.

I'm really baffled, although unfortunately I didn't think to check inside the gills of either of them.

Only my male Bolivian ram remains from that group of fish, and he is a bit of a jerk...but the keyhole cichlid was substantially larger and the male Bolivian ram never really bothered him. In fact, they would swim together quite often. He just doesn't like my male Apisto. Cacatuoides because of his flashy tail.

Oh well, I think I'm going to get a young keyhole pair and some apistogramma borellis if I can find a good home, not just any home, for my Bolivian ram.

susitna-flower

Green Water? What are your test readings?

Do you vacuum your substrate? Could there have been a nitrogen pocket? It seems strange they both died so fast, and in the same spot in the tank.

Sorry for your losses.......