# Malawi Cichlids attack dying fish???



## lilcris (Jul 15, 2011)

Hello,

I'm a fairly new cichlid owner and I'm having some difficulties with some sick Malawi Peacocks. One of my sulphurheads stopped eating about three weeks ago and generally started acting very "quiet" in the tank. I have looked for signs of illness, checked and rechecked water chemistry, no luck. He's either sick or is feeling stressed about the introduction of a much larger, albeit non-aggressive, tank mate (an Otopharynx Lithobates). Yesterday he started to look physically ill for the first time. He is breathing heavily and his coloring has changed from a very light silver to a darker gray. Today I noticed that his fins are shredded (they weren't like that two days ago) and as I watched his tank mates eat, I noticed that a few of them were nibbling on his fins, which explains why they are in such bad shape. He is too weak to swim away. He also seems to have missing scales and his eyes look cloudy. I am horrified and immediately removed the poor guy. He's now swimming in a small bucket, looking very sad.

We purchased two new Auloncara to keep him company in the tank. They seemed to settle in just fine, but they aren't eating now either. Again, no signs of abuse or sickness. Could it be simple stress of living with a bigger fish?

So a few questions:
Is it normal for cichlids to attack others who are clearly sick? If so, why?
When a cichlid is that sick, do you let life take its course, or do you euthanize them?

I am feeling a bit traumatized right now and don't want to see the same thing happen to my other fish. Any suggestions?

-55 gallon Malawi mixed tank, set up for 4 months, mostly juveniles, ph/temp/gh/ammonia/nitrates all look good-


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

lilcris said:


> He's now swimming in a small bucket, looking very sad.


He will need a filter and a heater.



lilcris said:


> Is it normal for cichlids to attack others who are clearly sick? If so, why?-


Yes. Not certain of the reason.



lilcris said:


> When a cichlid is that sick, do you let life take its course, or do you euthanize them?-


I treat the problem with the fish. In this case very clean water may be all he needs.



lilcris said:


> I am feeling a bit traumatized right now and don't want to see the same thing happen to my other fish. Any suggestions?


Check your stock list...I think Hollyfish had some suggestions on another post.

Having sick fish is no fun.


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## lilcris (Jul 15, 2011)

DJRansome: Thank you so much for your replies and your patience with me. It is much appreciated. :thumb:

We don't have a hospital tank yet and I couldn't leave him in the tank with the other fish, so we euthanized him. I never want to have to do that again. I have a feeling we'll be setting a hospital tank up this weekend.

I really wish I could have followed your advice and treated the fish, I just had no idea what the illness was. He may have had bloat, but he wasn't bloated at all after three full weeks of no eating.

Anyway, I've got two fish who are behaving in the same way as the sulphurhead. I'm considering moving the largest fish to the soon-to-be quarantine tank just to see how they respond. I know my stocking list has issues, but right now everyone lives in relative harmony, as most fish as still juveniles.

Anyway, thanks again.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Note that bloat is an intestinal blockage and the fish don't always swell...just as often they look normal or even emaciated.

I'd treat the tank for bloat. Even if you are not seeing it, there much be stress/aggression in your tank for the fish to have gotten sick (stopped eating). If you don't remedy the problem, curing the sick fish will not end your epidemic.

Were you able to observe normal waste elimination in your fish that died and the others that are sick now?

Anyone hiding in caves or especially higher in the tank under the surface or behind intakes and/or heaters?

With an all-male tank you pretty much always want to have a spare tank or two set up because you never know when two males will start fighting and you'll have to remove one.


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## lilcris (Jul 15, 2011)

Okay, I'll treat for bloat, thanks for the advice. I have not been able to observe much waste elimination. How does one "catch" that moment? Just sit for a while and observe?

No fish are hiding in caves or behind filters or anything. The auloncara just kind of float calmly in the same area of the tank together (a sandy area that is not protected). Last night my sulphurhead was swimming near the surface and looked fairly unsteady (another reason I removed him), but I haven't seen any other fish do that.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Sounds good. :thumb:

Yes, you watch each fish for a while. Usually across an entire tank there will be one-two in the process. If you do 30 minutes each night after feeding you should be able to get a good idea.

While the tank is in treatment, continue to think about how you are going to solve the underlying problem. A round of metronidazole will treat the bloat but it will come back unless you make changes in your tank.


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