# Does this Blue Acara look sick to you?



## atvaholic (Nov 4, 2008)

Hi, I was wondering if this blue acara looked sick to you. I tried to take pictures as best as I could, but he is staying behind that rock.

Background: Tank was established, 40 Gallon with 1 blue acara, and 2 electric yellows. (Long Story why) The acara in the picture below was added two weeks ago. I do not have a quarantine tank, as funds are limited. The other fish seem perfectly fine. The tank has lots of plastic plants, caves and hiding spaces. 
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I noticed last week this fish was very timid and stays in the corner alot. He does eat, but only if the food is very close to him, he wont go out of his way to get it. I also noticed his back fin was a little stubby, and his side fins a little shredded. I tested the water (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate) and found the nitrates high (40 reading). I did an immediate 50% water change and have been doing %15 daily changes as well. I called the petshop. They told me I could try Miracyn (spelling?) but the cost to medicate a 40 Gallon tank is rediculous. They said I could try adding some salt (1 tbsp/5 gallons), but if that didn't help I would need the meds. I did that. The fish is doing better in general, but still hides a lot in that corner, and seems easily spooked. Does it look like he is getting better or do i need to medicate?

Sorry for the terrible pix. I will try again. But this is all I have at the moment.


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## atvaholic (Nov 4, 2008)

As I went to take a picture of this fish again, I noticed the smaller electric yellow has a chunk taken out of its tail. Do I have a bully? how do I deal with him?


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## dwarfpike (Jan 22, 2008)

That's not a blue acara, but rather a malawi tetra ... erm 'cichlid,' same as your yellow labs. Not sure which species though, hopefully one of the mods will move it to the malawi folder for you though so someone can ID it and help out. Malawi interaction dynamics are far differant than south american dynamics. First thought would be you need more fish, malawi's are often overcrowded to help prevent bullying, but I'd rather wait for the mbuna specialists to pipe in to confirm. :thumb:


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## klumsyninja (Aug 14, 2008)

Is that a piece of paper with a barcode in the tank 1st pic?


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## atvaholic (Nov 4, 2008)

klumsyninja said:


> Is that a piece of paper with a barcode in the tank 1st pic?


OOps! Thats the new hiding spot. I moved things around and didnt notice.


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## atvaholic (Nov 4, 2008)

dwarfpike said:


> That's not a blue acara, but rather a malawi tetra ... erm 'cichlid,' same as your yellow labs. Not sure which species though, hopefully one of the mods will move it to the malawi folder for you though so someone can ID it and help out. Malawi interaction dynamics are far differant than south american dynamics. First thought would be you need more fish, malawi's are often overcrowded to help prevent bullying, but I'd rather wait for the mbuna specialists to pipe in to confirm. :thumb:


Is it really? I bought two of them from different stores and they were both Labeled "Blue Acara's".

This is the closest malawi I could find:
http://malawicichlids.com/mw09001h.htm

-OR possibly:

http://malawicichlids.com/mw09001m.htm

I hope someone can confirm...thanks.

Don't really know if I could fit more in the 40 gallon. When these guys grow its gonna be nasty.


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## dwarfpike (Jan 22, 2008)

To give you an idea, many people will fit 20 or so Malawi mbuna into a 40 gallon tank ... where as a pair or maybe 3 differant fish of south or central americans fit in the same space.


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## atvaholic (Nov 4, 2008)

dwarfpike said:


> To give you an idea, many people will fit 20 or so Malawi mbuna into a 40 gallon tank ... where as a pair or maybe 3 differant fish of south or central americans fit in the same space.


WOW! What kind of filtration/maintenance is required to maintain this? It must be massive!


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## dwarfpike (Jan 22, 2008)

I would think so too!! :lol: I guess that's why they have huge canister filters on small tanks versus my small HOB filters for the same size. I do know they tend to do massive water changes too.


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## SinisterKisses (Feb 24, 2004)

NO no no, please don't put 20 Malawis into a 40gal tank unless it's a colony of demasoni only  Which this fish is not. Slightly over exaggerated


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## dwarfpike (Jan 22, 2008)

Well, by two. I was told in the chat by several malawi people that 12 demasoni and 6 yellow labs would be fine in a 40 breeder!!  Along with a few syno's ... !!!  

But my new world stocking sensibilities wouldn't allow me to do so!


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## Super Turtleman (May 21, 2007)

I would feel comfortable with 12 dems and 6 labs in a 40G breeder...


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## SinisterKisses (Feb 24, 2004)

I'd say 12 demasoni and 6 labs are the only combination where you could safely get away with anywhere NEAR that many fish in a 40gal breeder.


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## MbunaMan25 (Nov 21, 2008)

I agree with *SinisterKisses* on this. 40gal breeders that Yellow labs and Dems are the only group that you could do a larger number. Otherwise I like to use 40gal breeders for breeding groups.


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## atvaholic (Nov 4, 2008)

Umm, so can someone tell me what kind of cichlids they are?


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Maybe try a better picture in the Unidentified Cichlid forum? It looks similar to a lot of different fish. But one thing is for sure...if this is a 36" tank the fish is too big for the tank.


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

Odds are you will never identify this fish with 100% accuracy. Unfortunately it could be many different species, including a hybrid.

I'll move this thread to the unidentified folder to see if you get anymore help on it.

You might want to isolate this fish for now.


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## atvaholic (Nov 4, 2008)

Thanks all, im gonna try for a better pic. But can someone assure me that they are not blue acara's


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## MbunaMan25 (Nov 21, 2008)

It is not a blue Acara


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

MbunaMan25 said:


> It is not a blue Acara


Not even close to a blue acara! :thumb:


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## atvaholic (Nov 4, 2008)

Thanks!! At least I know what they are not. The bizzare thing is I bought 1 at one petshop labeled blue acara and I bought this one at a different pet shop and it was also labelled blue acara.

This is a malawi fish, correct? Do we know that much?


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## bernie comeau (Feb 19, 2007)

atvaholic said:


> This is a malawi fish, correct? Do we know that much?


Yes, of course it is a malawi fish ------that was told to you by Dwarfpike in the very first response to your innitial post. Malawi fish (along with lake Victoria and Lake Tanganyika cichlids) are often called rift lake cichlids as well. Your fish is part of a group of Malawi cichlids known as mbuna (ooom ---ba --nah). So are yellow labs. Mbuna all have a somewhat elongated body shape, similar apearance, but come in many, many different colors.


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## atvaholic (Nov 4, 2008)

Oops sorry


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## morningsky (Apr 22, 2008)

When I started keeping fish I had one similiar looking to yours. I was labeled as Kenyi-
Metriaclima lombardoi when I bought it.
I found out it was not, but a hybrid, as mentioned by others. If it was labeled wrongly as a Blue Acara it is probably not a pure fish.

It happens all the time. I read your other posts too. What I think you need to know is:

What can you keep sucessfully in a 40 gallon?

A 65 gallon?

and what kind of mystery fish you have?

Is this right?

40 gallon -more limited as some Malawi grow larger and need more room. I would look at the dwarf species recommended to you. Demasoni

65-more options more room. In a 65 gallon I would go with milder male peacocks(Sunshine) and smaller male haps Otopharynx lithobates ,Placidochromis electra 
or milder mbuna-yellow labs, rusties, acei (I don't much experience with Mbuna besides labs and acei) so I am sure there are other options.

(This is just my opinion for your stocking. I really don't like aggression in my aquariums, I know with African cichids there is always going to be some, but I try to avoid it.)

mystery fish-don't take it personally you might never know :wink: 
Many people on this forum have mystery fish myself included.

I hope this helped you..don't get too discouraged. Everyone is overwhelmed at first.


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## atvaholic (Nov 4, 2008)

Thanks for the reply! Someone told me its possibly one of these:










More Info 
http://images.google.ca/imgres?imgu...lapia&um=1&hl=en&lr=&rlz=1G1GGLQ_ENCA277&sa=X

It looks exactly like the female (I think I have two) except that the tail is slightly different. I think it may have tail rot though.

Would Anyone else agree?


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## CichlidWhisperer (Apr 12, 2008)

I have 17 mbuna in a 46 gallon tank with 4 catfish. It has 3 filters (Fluval 305, Magnum 350, and a Penguin 200) and I do weekly 50% water changes.


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

CichlidWhisperer said:


> I have 17 mbuna in a 46 gallon tank with 4 catfish. It has 3 filters (Fluval 305, Magnum 350, and a Penguin 200) and I do weekly 50% water changes.


I am assuming this is your all male set up, CichlidWhisperer? That's a whole different ballgame, and one that may or may not work out once they are all fully mature and living together for any length of time.

There are species that you would be able to keep in this manner, and species that you can't.

When dealing with smaller tanks, it's all about your stocking choices. :thumb:


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## CichlidWhisperer (Apr 12, 2008)

cichlidaholic said:


> I am assuming this is your all male set up, CichlidWhisperer? That's a whole different ballgame, and one that may or may not work out once they are all fully mature and living together for any length of time.


Yes it is and I totally agree. I was replying to some comment earlier in the post and was not suggesting that this be done with anything but an all male tank. BTW, this tank has been set up for over a year, and with the exception of 4 that I added about 6 months ago, they are all adults. Working great so far. Have only had 2 deaths due to agression and one due to disease, and all those were quite a while ago.


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