Question: New fish owner

tlcraig · November 21st, 2009

Hello, I'm new to this and hope someone out there can help me. We have three tanks, a 40 gallon community tank a 30 gallon tank with African cichlids and catfish and a 1 gallon for sick fish and Quarrantine. My catfish have been calm the last couple of days, the tank was cleaned 6 days ago,my pH is at 6.8 (has been since the start) but one of my catfish (kitty) has a sore on his mouth. They all have been living together since the beginning of September and get along fine. I'm worried about him, I know I can't treat the water with quik cure,I learned that the hard way in my community tank when we got ICH, I lost my catfish and my pleco. I've been looking up answers on the internet but I'm lost! Can anyone help me, I hate losing my fish.

Meenu · November 21st, 2009

welcome to FL! could you possibly test the water and post the results/ A picture would also be helpful, along with information on how often you clean your tank and what conditioners you use.

I noticed you don't know about the nitrogen cycle. I suggest you read up on it here on FL - understanding the cycle is key to a thriving tank.

aquarist48 · November 22nd, 2009

Hello TlCraig and Welcome to Fish Lore. Sorry to hear that your fish isn't feeling quiet up to par. Could it have injured itself on something?

Great link from Mommybaby for the nitrogen cycle. Too, as she stated a photo would be a great help if possible. If not if you can describe the sore spot...is it fuzzy, white patch?

Best of luck and keep us posted.
Ken

tlcraig · November 22nd, 2009

Thank you for the information about the nitrate cycle. This tank has been up for almost three months and I do a 30-40 percent water change every other week. The sore on his mouth is a little red mark, not fuzzy or white. I can't get a picture of him as he's been hiding in the cichlids caves. I have no live plants in this tank as I was told cichlids will destroy them. Also the temp is around 73 would that account for them hiding. Everything I've read said to keep it around 75, is this right? My cichlids don't seem to care at all, but I worry about the catfish. we live in Maine so it's getting colder here and I'm trying to maintain the temp. I just found out my other half fed them guppies yesterday, maybe he did get an injury, hes a little pig. Thank you again for the info!

Shawnie · November 24th, 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by tlcraig

Thank you for the information about the nitrate cycle. This tank has been up for almost three months and I do a 30-40 percent water change every other week. The sore on his mouth is a little red mark, not fuzzy or white. I can't get a picture of him as he's been hiding in the cichlids caves. I have no live plants in this tank as I was told cichlids will destroy them. Also the temp is around 73 would that account for them hiding. Everything I've read said to keep it around 75, is this right? My cichlids don't seem to care at all, but I worry about the catfish. we live in Maine so it's getting colder here and I'm trying to maintain the temp. I just found out my other half fed them guppies yesterday, maybe he did get an injury, hes a little pig. Thank you again for the info!

welcome to fishlore!! another new englander yessssssssss!

LOL

if you have an african tank, you want the temps up to 78 with a ph of 7.8-8.2 ....its what they prefer ...and depending on what kind of catfish, they dont belong in with african cichlids....they just are too mean to be with anything but other africans

....especially the bigger the africans grow, the more mean they get...what kind of catfish are they? they might be better off in your community tank

peacemaker92 · November 24th, 2009

Welcome to Fishlore and the fish hobby!

Hope you enjoy the site and share a few photos of your new tank soon. Good luck!

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