Female Cockatoo Cichlid looking a bit unwell

Hi guys,

I have been watching my female Cockatoo Cichlid the past few days and noticed that her colour has completely faded away. She is constantly hiding to the point that I have to spend 5mins trying to find her in the tank daily.

She is eating sometimes and then ignoring food other times which is odd as she is usually always hungry.

Her fins are not clamped but she is breathing heavily I noticed compared to the male. She is the only one in the tank acting sick. I encouraged her to come out and she swam at the front of the tank but seemed very lethargic. I also noticed as she swam to the bank of the tank she flicked herself on a rock on the way to the back (she could be just itchy). I left for work and added a small amount of Salt to the tank as this is currently all I have on hand if it's an external parasite.

My tank is heavily planted. Water parameters are looking normal as they have been for month on month (I only test monthly now).

Other odd behaviour I have noticed,
- swimming upright at the surface and also doing the same at the bottom of the tank
- Resting on plant leaves in the tank.

At first I thought it was bloat but after more observations I am not sure this is the case. I have a feeling it's bacterial.

 

Gid - day Chewbroccoli
Is there a male apistogramma in the tank?
Are there any other cichlids in the tank?
I guess I am asking for a list of tank mates?

The very first thing I would do is add rooibus tea bags ( African tea not common tea ) at a rate of two per 60litres/15 gallons give or take a few. Indian almond leaf would be an option.
Probably smash out a 45% water change before you begin unless you have done one today?

 

Gid - day Chewbroccoli
Is there a male apistogramma in the tank?
Are there any other cichlids in the tank?
I guess I am asking for a list of tank mates?

The very first thing I would do is add rooibus tea bags ( African tea not common tea ) at a rate of two per 60litres/15 gallons give or take a few. Indian almond leaf would be an option.
Probably smash out a 45% water change before you begin unless you have done one today?

Yeah there is a male in there, a single guppy male and some cherry shrimp.

I did a large tank cleanout on Saturday so maybe she is reacting to a tank and filter clean. I was pretty careful with my process so not sure.

I am about to get home from work and I will see if the salt made much of a difference.

 

Before this is becoming a Q&A, please use the emergency template.

Are you still keeping them in that scaped tank?

 

Do you have another tank you can put the male apistogramma in ?

While we wait for the tank size etc should you choose to fill out the emergency template? I can say today I separated a cac pair that while they were dancing happily a couple of months ago recently the male had for some reason lost interest in the female and just as you describe she was hiding from him ( and me) for a week. I am going to write of fish divorce as that is how we describe this situation in my town. I have her on her own in the old tank and she has eaten in peace tonight for the first time in awhile.


This tank is just for the pair .It’s a 68 litre/18 gallon end on.

 

Before this is becoming a Q&A, please use the emergency template.

Are you still keeping them in that scaped tank?

Hay Mac, yeah mate they are still in the same planted tank. My new setup won't be ready for a while yet.
So she died this morning. I got a quarantine tank and when I got home I noticed she had passed. So I was too late.

 

Hay Mac, yeah mate they are still in the same planted tank. My new setup won't be ready for a while yet.

Dude, then this just went EXACTLY as I predicted. Sorry. Too small tank, permanent harrassment from the male. Keep the male single from now on. Also in the new tank. At least for a while.

 

Dude, then this just went EXACTLY as I predicted. Sorry. Too small tank, permanent harrassment from the male. Keep the male single from now on. Also in the new tank. At least for a while.

Yeah, I have no intention of adding anymore stock to the aquarium until the larger set up is up and running. Kinda annoyed at myself for trying to push the limits of the smaller aquarium. At least the male is looking nice and healthy.

 

I'm in a similar situation, this example makes me realize I have to rehome my fish before this happens.