# Cichlids sick?



## lovefish77 (Aug 18, 2013)

I have a small 20 g African cichlid tank. The fish have been acting strange lately; flicking and scratching against objects in the tank. Today I noticed a peacock having some white spots. The fish are eating normally though without loss of appetite.
I tried raising temperature to 84 a few hours a day but not working I guess, there are also many bubbles on the surface.

Any ideas would be great, I have no additional tank to quarantine.
Thanks,


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## oyster dog (Jul 2, 2013)

They have ich. You need to raise the temperature to 85 for several days, until the symptoms disappear.

This article is helpful: http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/ich.php


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## lovefish77 (Aug 18, 2013)

Thanks oyster I have started doing that already. Will this cure the white spots as well? I have added like a tea spoon of table salt today as well, will that help?


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## oyster dog (Jul 2, 2013)

It will work, but you need to keep the temperature up all the time, not for a just few hours.

I do not believe the salt is necessary. I cured a mild case of ich without it.


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## lovefish77 (Aug 18, 2013)

Ok, thanks a lot Oyster will keep you posted.


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## lovefish77 (Aug 18, 2013)

Hi,
I have been heating the tank by setting the heater @ 88F for several days now without any visible improvements in the fish. For one of them the white spots have turned into a patch. 
Any ideas about what else i should be doing here?

Thanks all,


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## GTZ (Apr 21, 2010)

Please post a picture. This doesn't sound like ich.


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## lovefish77 (Aug 18, 2013)

Dont have a picture now but will try to get one. But they are itching against gravel/rocks like crazy. And most of them have small white spots, and for one of them this has turned into a white patch.


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## GTZ (Apr 21, 2010)

In the meantime, do a google image search for ich and see if it resembles what you're seeing. It should look like salt grains stuck to the fish.


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## lovefish77 (Aug 18, 2013)

One of the peacocks was swimming upside down and it has just died laying upside down on the gravel. tried to upload the photo but i guess it is a bit tricky to do that on the site


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## GTZ (Apr 21, 2010)

viewtopic.php?f=23&t=255441


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## lovefish77 (Aug 18, 2013)

photo (8) by Rafik Kamel, on Flickr

This is the one that died, not sure if you guys can see this


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## lovefish77 (Aug 18, 2013)

GTZ thanks for the tip on how to post images.


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## GTZ (Apr 21, 2010)

Sorry for your loss. Unfortunately, I can't tell much from the picture. Was this the fish with the patch?
Post a stocklist, water parameters (ammonia, nitrite and nitrate) and regular water change schedule and amounts.
How long have the fish been in the tank?


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## lovefish77 (Aug 18, 2013)

photo (9) by Rafik Kamel, on Flickr

the one on the left is the one with the patch, like someone has scrapped the color of it.

any ideas? overall the fish are getting better i think, thanks for all your help

thx


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## GTZ (Apr 21, 2010)

GTZ said:


> Post a stocklist, water parameters (ammonia, nitrite and nitrate) and regular water change schedule and amounts.
> How long have the fish been in the tank?


Help me help you. Difficult to see anything in the last pic.


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## lovefish77 (Aug 18, 2013)

One more questions guy; the guy at the right bottom corner of the photo; is this a peacock? or redbanded cichlid? totally confused i thought (was sold to me) as a peacock.

all feedback welcome


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## lovefish77 (Aug 18, 2013)

Can someone help on the guy in the right bottom corner of the photo? is this a peacock? just wanted to confirm

thx for all ur feedback


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## lovefish77 (Aug 18, 2013)

GTZ, the tank has been set up for 1.5 months. exact water parameters dont know but i did a few tests in the LFS and things were fine (ammonia 0). Yesterday i did a 50% water change to get rid of any parasites still in the tank, and the fish look happy and they are eating very normally again.

plan on buying a testing kit soon but havent got one yet.


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