Bp Eating Very Little

[CaptainAquatics]

Hi! I have had my blood parrot cichlid (Captain) for about 3/4 a year now. He is living with a oscar (Delta) and 3 lace catfish. First off captain is in a 29 gallon aquarium. Before you freak out he is just a baby. Captian is around 5 inches, Delta is like 3, and all the laces are like 1 inch. I have never had any problems with him eating. I usually feed him some small cichlid pellets and 3-4 krill a day. Delta getting the same amount just smaller pieces of krill. Both of them usually take krill as soon as it hits the water. I even trained them to jump for it, lol. Thing is, the last few day they BOTH have become less exited about food (Only eating the pellets). The oscar will take the krill but later spit it out. Captain has been hanging around the surface and really isn't taking krill. If he does he will eat it but only if it is a very small piece. Before you ask I did water testing and these are the results:
AMMONIA: 0
NITRITE: 0
NITRATE: 1-3
PH: around 7-9

I know it isn't a parasite as I know how to look (I don't see anything on the fish or glass). I have noticed one of there poops are red. I don't know which one exactly but I THINK it is Captain. Other then not eating they are active. Sometimes I notice captain sitting at the top of the water with his fin slightly sticking out of the water. He is somewhat vertical but not like up and down more like a tilt. I REALLY don't want to lose Captain OR Delta as they are my favorite fish. All I could think or is swim bladder problems or constipation, but I think it is weird both of them have it at the SAME time. I am planning to upgrade them to a 75 gallon aquarium ASAP. Please help, I don't want to lose them. Thanks in advance (BTW PLEASE don't say my tank is to small UNLESS you think that is why they aren't eating. I know it is a bit small but they are both small and are fine in that until I upgrade them. THAT TANK IS NOT THERE FOREVER HOME!)

Also sorry for the long post

Hi! I also would like to state that Delta and Captain are like best friends! They are very kind to each other so it is not aggression or stress.

 

[Fashooga]

You have any pictures? Usually spitting is a sign of something. Either they don’t like the food or there is some wrong.

I’m sure you know what to look for outside but what about inside. Internal parasites are tough to look for. It’s easy for us to tell others that our stomachs don’t feel good but hard for fish to tell us since we obviously don’t talk to fish.

How often do you change the water? The pH of 7-9 is a wide range, did you mean 7.9? Or is 7-9 the actual range. If the pH is way off that could be the reason your fish is acting so crummy.

What are the results before the water change.?

 

[CaptainAquatics]

I checked his gills, they are normal. As far as water changes I do a 25% water change every 1-2 weeks.

I think the PH is 8.3

 

[finnipper59]

Hi! I also would like to state that Delta and Captain are like best friends! They are very kind to each other so it is not aggression or stress.

If they're still eating the pellets, at least they're eating. I hate trying to diagnose this as a disease or paracite, when it just may be a period of finicky eating. As long as they don't show any other symptoms like white poop, fungus, white spots, deteriorating fins, or lesions, there is really nothing to diagnosis. Swim bladder problems are always a secondary symptom of another problem, it's never a condition by itself. Just keep a very close watch on them for any other symptoms. Columnaris bacteria usually start infecting fish internally. By the time we see the white blotches on them, it has become somewhat advanced. I'm suggesting columnaris. I'm just letting you know it starts without you knowing, so watch for the white blotches so you can start treatment immediately if you did see anything like that. Otherwise, just picky fish. Try some freeze dried blood worms.

 

[Fashooga]

You should look to increase your WC to 50% weekly. Oscars have a high bio-load and a 29 is just too small for that fish. It may look small now but they still produce a lot of waste.

It just might be a poor water quality issue. A 0,0,10-15 reading is great but it doesn’t account for the foul smell and taste of the water to the fish.

Try increasing the water change to 50% weekly and see if this helps.

 

[CaptainAquatics]

I have frozen blood worms. Should I put those in there and see if that helps? Also finnipper59 what do you mean by "it just may be a period of finicky eating". Can fish have times where they are finicky eaters and it will just pass in a week or so?

 

[Fashooga]

It’s quite possible that it is finicky eating. Maybe they’re bored with the same foods? Have you tried mixing it up?

I’m sure a guy who eats steak everyday Kong’s for the occasional salad.

 

[CaptainAquatics]

what should I try. I recently switched Captain from flakes to pellets. They both love the krill, I don't know why they would suddenly not like it. What other food do you recommend. My one rule is no live fish. I'm okay with insects but no fish or lizards.

 

[finnipper59]

what should I try. I recently switched Captain from flakes to pellets. They both love the krill, I don't know why they would suddenly not like it. What other food do you recommend. My one rule is no live fish. I'm okay with insects but no fish or lizards.

You said their poop wasn't white but it does sound like constipation or the beginning signs of columnaris. Without external signs, they can't be properly diagnosed. You don't see any tiny spots or tiny dents on the tops of their heads are there?

 

[CaptainAquatics]

Captain has a tiny dent directly on top of his head. No spots though. He has had this dent on his head every sense he moved into the 29 about 3-4 months ago. Is columnaris a fatal disease. What treatments are there? The oscar does not have any dents or spots.

Hi! Captain does have a dent on his head but he has had it for a few months. I did some recherche and it seems as though this is a very fast killing disease that has to be spread through new fish. I did a 30 day QT on Delta and he is fine. He also has no other signs of it other that looking a bit bloated.

Just went to check on Captain. I saw him pooping white stringy poop with some red in it. White stringy poop is a sign of constipation correct? If so then I hope this is a easy fix! If not please help me know what it is.

 

[finnipper59]

Just went to check on Captain. I saw him pooping white stringy poop with some red in it. White stringy poop is a sign of constipation correct? If so then I hope this is a easy fix! If not please help me know what it is.

White poop is a definite sign of intestinal worms. We finally have a correct diagnosis. You can now treat the whole tank with API General Cure or PraziPro.

 

[CaptainAquatics]

COULD THIS POSSIBLY BE THE START OF HITH (Hole In The Head)!!!!! I just found a website that said common signs of HITH are: white stringy poop, dents/lesions in the head, interest in food but not taking it, and or taking food and spitting it out!
The oscar will take food and often spit it out.
Captain has the dent, white poop, and interest in food but not taking all of it!!!!

Please help I don't want to lose them. Should I start a herbal medication that will improve there slime coat and help the fish. Then if it gets worse move on to more serious medications?

What disease is it?

 

[finnipper59]

COULD THIS POSSIBLY BE THE START OF HITH (Hole In The Head)!!!!! I just found a website that said common signs of HITH are: white stringy poop, dents/lesions in the head, interest in food but not taking it, and or taking food and spitting it out!
The oscar will take food and often spit it out.
Captain has the dent, white poop, and interest in food but not taking all of it!!!!

Please help I don't want to lose them. Should I start a herbal medication that will improve there slime coat and help the fish. Then if it gets worse move on to more serious medications?

Ok...that's why I asked you earlier if you noticed any spots or small dents on their heads. Hole in the head disease is possible. You should start treating them with an antibiotic like API Pimafix that also prevents/cures secondary fungal infections.

Forget that natural herbal stuff. I am a retired Chemist. These medications were developed in laboratories by scientists that know about a fish's biology and physiology. Get the medication...it works.

Ok...that's why I asked you earlier if you noticed any spots or small dents on their heads. Hole in the head disease is possible. You should start treating them with an antibiotic like API Pimafix that also prevents/cures secondary fungal infections.

 

[CaptainAquatics]

thanks

 

[finnipper59]

thanks

You're welcome and good luck.

 

[CaptainAquatics]

HI there!

I wan't to apologize in advance for the long post. I now have reason to believe they are not sick. So the Oscar (Delta) has stopped spitting out food. Captain has also found a interest of food again and I have seen no more white poop. What I have observed though is that all of it may have had to do with stress (In the Oscars case), let me explain.
A day ago I wen't in to give them some food (Softened to help) and they both went CRAZY for it. Neither of them spit out food, but the Oscar only got a little food. As soon as food hit the water Captain suddenly got VERY aggressive and chased the Oscar into hiding. When ever the Oscar came out captain would chase him back into hiding. Now these guys have been together for a long time and they have always been friends. For Captain to suddenly do this surprised me. I also noticed that day that the Oscar was missing some scale, only a few though nothing to bad. Today when I fed them captain did it again. Keep in mind that for a LOOOONGGG time these guys were best friends. Today when I got home it looked like the Oscar had just come out of a war. One of his side had missing scales EVERYWHERE! His other side was fine, so were his fins, no tears in his fins. That one side though was COVERED in marks. I was taken off guard by this and immediately came down to start typing this. They are both babies (Captain being about 5" and the Oscar being 3"). They are in a 29 gallon, and I am saving up for a 75 gallon ASAP. Then they will be move in there. I also noticed captain getting some black marks on his fins, and one on his side. This leads me to believe maybe it is mating season because he also has built some nests. Thing is he is not aggressive toward me or the lace catfish in there. I wan't to stop this aggression. ANY ideas on how. Again he isn't mean to me or the laces, only the Oscar. He also isn't being mean to the Oscar when i'm around. Please help I have nowhere for the Oscar to go and I don't wanna divide the tank. I also AM NOT going to return the Oscar OR Captain to the pet store. Thanks in advance

 

[finnipper59]

If for some reason the aggressive fish developed mating hormones, he will normally develop aggressive or ' territorial pheromones. He may act this way for weeks. I have 5 angelfish. One male became so aggressive that he kept the other 4 cornered for weeks. There were horribly violent fights constantly. I cycled another tank and was able to separate what I know to be a breeding pair. He is no longer aggressive to the other 2 left with him. When it comes to territorial instincts, you're faced with genetic disposition of the fish. Unless the aggressive one calms down on his own, there's not much you can do but divide the tank for awhile to protect the oscar until the other fish can decide that his territory is limited to where the divider was. You'll eventually be able to remove the divider.

HI there!

I wan't to apologize in advance for the long post. I now have reason to believe they are not sick. So the Oscar (Delta) has stopped spitting out food. Captain has also found a interest of food again and I have seen no more white poop. What I have observed though is that all of it may have had to do with stress (In the Oscars case), let me explain.
A day ago I wen't in to give them some food (Softened to help) and they both went CRAZY for it. Neither of them spit out food, but the Oscar only got a little food. As soon as food hit the water Captain suddenly got VERY aggressive and chased the Oscar into hiding. When ever the Oscar came out captain would chase him back into hiding. Now these guys have been together for a long time and they have always been friends. For Captain to suddenly do this surprised me. I also noticed that day that the Oscar was missing some scale, only a few though nothing to bad. Today when I fed them captain did it again. Keep in mind that for a LOOOONGGG time these guys were best friends. Today when I got home it looked like the Oscar had just come out of a war. One of his side had missing scales EVERYWHERE! His other side was fine, so were his fins, no tears in his fins. That one side though was COVERED in marks. I was taken off guard by this and immediately came down to start typing this. They are both babies (Captain being about 5" and the Oscar being 3"). They are in a 29 gallon, and I am saving up for a 75 gallon ASAP. Then they will be move in there. I also noticed captain getting some black marks on his fins, and one on his side. This leads me to believe maybe it is mating season because he also has built some nests. Thing is he is not aggressive toward me or the lace catfish in there. I wan't to stop this aggression. ANY ideas on how. Again he isn't mean to me or the laces, only the Oscar. He also isn't being mean to the Oscar when i'm around. Please help I have nowhere for the Oscar to go and I don't wanna divide the tank. I also AM NOT going to return the Oscar OR Captain to the pet store. Thanks in advance

 

[Fashooga]

BP can be real jerks. I have one that is a bully towards the smaller fish.

I think you have to divide tank. At this point if you want some peace in it you'll have to do look at dividing the tank.

I'm not even sure a 75 gallon might be enough to ease the stress. Short term it might work but long term you might be back at where you started.

 

[CaptainAquatics]

Thanks! So I should be able to divide the tank?

 

[CaptainAquatics]

I now have no reason to believe they are sick, and more reason to believe that Captain has become to aggressive for the Oscar and that is stressing him out. As I stated in my previous post, Captain is only aggressive during feeding time. That is still MOSTLY true, but he is now showing a little aggression outside of feeding time. The Oscar has not gotten worse, but he has stayed the same. I know that this may be a territorial thing, so do you think that rearranging the tank might help. I'm talking about smoothing the gravel, maybe move some decorations. Do you think that will help? Thanks in advance

 

[finnipper59]

I now have no reason to believe they are sick, and more reason to believe that Captain has become to aggressive for the Oscar and that is stressing him out. As I stated in my previous post, Captain is only aggressive during feeding time. That is still MOSTLY true, but he is now showing a little aggression outside of feeding time. The Oscar has not gotten worse, but he has stayed the same. I know that this may be a territorial thing, so do you think that rearranging the tank might help. I'm talking about smoothing the gravel, maybe move some decorations. Do you think that will help? Thanks in advance

It may be helpful in the establishment of terratory. But you mentioned that it happens during feeding time. That's another instinct in territorial fish...to protect their food supply.

 

[CaptainAquatics]

Would it help the Oscar a bit, maybe let him mark some territory of his own? I just want to Oscar to feel like he has a place of his own, and a place he can hide. Ideally I want them to co-exist peacefully but I wouldn't mind if the Oscar fought back at captain. That way maybe Captain will back off a bit. Then again I don't wan't the Oscar to become overly aggressive but you know what I mean. Let the Oscar show some dominance.

 

[finnipper59]

In my overly angelfish tank I mentioned a dominant male that kept the other 4 cornered. Sometimes on of the cornered ones would come out and fight so violently with the dominant one in such a fast swirling motion that made me wonder why they didn't cause a whirlpool in the water. But the dominant fish remained dominant.

Would it help the Oscar a bit, maybe let him mark some territory of his own? I just want to Oscar to feel like he has a place of his own, and a place he can hide. Ideally I want them to co-exist peacefully but I wouldn't mind if the Oscar fought back at captain. That way maybe Captain will back off a bit. Then again I don't wan't the Oscar to become overly aggressive but you know what I mean. Let the Oscar show some dominance.

 

[BichirKeeper84]

I hate to be the bearer of inconvenient news but you have a fish that will likely top out at 7 or 8 inches add one that will likely top out somewhere around 15 inches in a 30 inch tank.

I've kept blood parrots off and on for years. They are all over the place as far as aggression goes. The same can be said of Oscars. They need that 75 gallon tank yesterday and Delta will probably need a larger tank at some point in his life. Your aggression issues stem from the fact you have two fish that don't belong in anything less than 4 feet long in a 30 inch tank. Even as babies

My guess with the short time of not eating is that it was because of stress caused by their territory being restricted. White poop can be a number of things from internal parasites to infection to constipation. If you are truly concerned about that I'd suggest some medicated food that has metro in it. Also a few slices of zucchinI or shelled peas will cure constipation.

I hope you do not take this as a criticism but just a chance to learn. I wouldn't divide the tank unless only for a short time. That restricts their area even more and will induce more stress. If you can't get a 75 gallon now then I'd suggest getting a 20 long at one of the $ per gallon sales and putting Delta in that until you get the 75

Good luck

 

[Fashooga]

I think a 75 gallon is only temp solution. a 125g will curb the aggression as that’s 6 feet long. But realistically nobody usually has the room for a 125g tank.

 

[CaptainAquatics]

Hi! Sorry in advance for the long post. So I actually have a question that is not SUPER based around what this thread is but more of a stocking question. Would a 100 gallon aquarium hold these fish:
1 Oscar
1 Blood Parrot Cichlid
1 kenyI cichlid
1 electric blue cichlid
1 electric yellow cichlid
3 lace catfish
2 four line pictus catfish

I also have all these other cichlids in separate tanks and I just want to have one BIG cichlid tank. I have so many smaller (10-20) gallon tanks and I want to make it just a few big tanks. Would a 100 gallon be suitable or would 150 gallon be better? Thanks

Also yesterday (later) at night I went up to captain and delta and Captain had clearly attacked delta. Delta had a larger chunk of scales missing from his head. It wasn't like he was bleeding and half his head was gone. It was more of like a cut that went deeper than the other marks on him. What should I do about this? Please help.

 

[finnipper59]

Hi! Sorry in advance for the long post. So I actually have a question that is not SUPER based around what this thread is but more of a stocking question. Would a 100 gallon aquarium hold these fish:
1 Oscar
1 Blood Parrot Cichlid
1 kenyI cichlid
1 electric blue cichlid
1 electric yellow cichlid
3 lace catfish
2 four line pictus catfish

I also have all these other cichlids in separate tanks and I just want to have one BIG cichlid tank. I have so many smaller (10-20) gallon tanks and I want to make it just a few big tanks. Would a 100 gallon be suitable or would 150 gallon be better? Thanks

Also yesterday (later) at night I went up to captain and delta and Captain had clearly attacked delta. Delta had a larger chunk of scales missing from his head. It wasn't like he was bleeding and half his head was gone. It was more of like a cut that went deeper than the other marks on him. What should I do about this? Please help.

Missing scales and open wounds are very susceptible to infection and fungus. YOU NEED TO SEPERATE these fish whether it's with a tank divider or otherwise asap to protect the oscar. Don't worry about each ones territory being smaller. Either divide that tank or lose that oscar.

Your idea for the 100 gallon tank is fine, but the 150 gallon with the same livestock would be better if you have the space and money for it. The bigger the tank the better, but you'll use much more energy keeping it heated, lighted, and filtered.

Missing scales and open wounds are very susceptible to infection and fungus. YOU NEED TO SEPERATE these fish whether it's with a tank divider or otherwise asap to protect the oscar. Don't worry about each ones territory being smaller. Either divide that tank or lose that oscar.

 

[BichirKeeper84]

No offense but mixing an Oscar and blood parrot with African cichlids such as mbuna and haps is usually a recipe for disaster. I would not under any circumstances mix these species.

 

[CaptainAquatics]

BichirKeeper84 why not?

finnipper59 I have no where to put the oscar. I could put him with my electric yellow cichlid but he is in a 10 gallon. I feel like there would be some aggression. Or maybe I could move the electric yellow to the 29, so captain can pick on a fish more his size that could fight back.

Actually I will buy another QT tank (5 gallons) Put the Oscar in there for just enough time to let his wounds heal, then I will put him back with captain.

 

[BichirKeeper84]

African cichlids are far more territorial than American cichlids... Mbunas like the yellow and kenyI especially. I do not think the Oscar or bp would fare well.

Actually I will buy another QT tank (5 gallons) Put the Oscar in there for just enough time to let his wounds heal, then I will put him back with captain.

This likely will end terribly. While Delta heals in the 5 gallon.. Captain will claim the 29 and likely reinjure him once reintroduced

 

[Fashooga]

You also got to remember that Africans and American cichlids require different pH. Africans tend to be around the 8.0-8.6 while Americans can range from 6.0-7.6.