# Geophagus acting stressed!!!



## adam79 (Jun 27, 2007)

I had a slight case of ick over the past few days. I've been treating my tank and doing 20% water changes daily. Today, the ick was gone and I did a 40% water change. After the change i added 2x the amount of flourish excel to combat some algae issues and the regular amount if micro nutrients. My geos are acting really stessed. two are at the surface and the others are at the bottom , not moving much. The rest of the fish are not clinging to the glass when I walk up, like usual. What is happening? I don't want to loose my geos.


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## japes (Jan 10, 2008)

Water change, Water change, Water change.

Flourish excel has been known to cause issues with Eartheaters. Get it out as soon as possible.


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## adam79 (Jun 27, 2007)

How much volume should I start with?


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## adam79 (Jun 27, 2007)

I've been using it daily since I've had them. about 2 weeks


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## adam79 (Jun 27, 2007)

Thankyou! Thankyou! Thankyou! I increased my O2 and did a 25% water change. Things improved immediately. I wonder if I mindlessly added an extra capfull of excel. I've been consistant with my dosing and haven't had any problems. Anyway I will make note that eartheaters and flourish excel do not mix.


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## MonteSS (Dec 8, 2008)

Do another 25% water change Tuesday.

...Bill


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## DeadFishFloating (Oct 9, 2007)

25% water changes daily won't hurt the fish. When I have a sick fish in quarentine or I am treating a whole tank, I'll do daily 40% water changes for as long as needed.


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## grimmjohn (Oct 24, 2012)

Not to necro, but this thread is the first result when you google "geophagus flourish excel" or "eartheaters flourish excel." I'm going to add glutaraldehyde to the list.
I was worried and tried to find an answer. This thread was really about all I could find. 
Anyway: My experience. I have 12 Geophagus Tapajos Red Head / Orange Head that are one inch to two inches, captive bred. 
I was worried so I started with a half dose. No effect.
Full dose. No effect.
1.5 dose. No efffect.
Double dose. No effect.
Double dose in the morning, double dose in the evening. No effect.
Usually dose right before or after I feed them, always still hungry.

Your milage may vary, and other species or F0s instead of F15s might make a differance. This is just for the record. 
I have three rapidly growing swords, three large crypts, and about a 1/5th of the tank carpeted in dwarf sag in a 40g breeder, 80W of HOT5. Growing the Geos out into a trio. Usually only dose once a day but had to see how far I could go.

Cheers


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## CrypticLifeStyle (Dec 14, 2009)

Geos HATE daily excell dosing or any other CO2 additive unless your well oxygenating your tank, but when you well oxygenate your tank your also gasing out the co2 at a much faster rate. Geo's don't do well with Flourish either, if your fert'n half does once a day or every other day, or 1 full does every few days, thats whats working for me, grimmjohn above is having a different experience, but you really need to watch it. I'm starting to think iron, and some other things are some of the factors. Your ich may not be gone, it could of just popped, and now free swimming, and or in your substrate. Dont be too confident yet.

Whats your light, and plants may i ask, you may not even have to dose.


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## JoeE (Jun 11, 2012)

Thanks for posting this. I have a tank of orange heads and I may eventually have used glutaraldehyde on it without this notification!


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## grimmjohn (Oct 24, 2012)

JoeE said:


> I may eventually have used glutaraldehyde on it without this notification!


My experience seem to indicate that it is ok. Why not start with a tiny dose and see what happens?



CrypticLifeStyle said:


> Geos HATE daily excell dosing or any other CO2 additive unless your well oxygenating your tank


My experience seems to indicate that is okay. Do you have any anecdotes about how much yours hate it?



CrypticLifeStyle said:


> I'm starting to think iron, and some other things are some of the factors.


I don't know how much iron/ml is in Amano's Step 3 ( a lot supposedly), but I use a full dose every few days.



CrypticLifeStyle said:


> Dont be too confident yet.


The ick situation in the first 10 posts was resolved 3 years ago. I just posted this for future searches about flourish excel.


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## CrypticLifeStyle (Dec 14, 2009)

Well, i guess my anecdote would be watching their behavior after the dose,,, Imagine being a fish, doing your thing, then hit with a wall of co2, all of a sudden your oxygen supply goes down, a little heavier to breathe. I imagine it can cause stress. They can be hardy fish but over the years i do firmly believe they are also pretty sensitive to environment changes a little more then some other sa species.
I swear to w/e excell killed one of my female Leucostictas a month ago. It was depressing, still pissed. When i was dosing, full dosing definite change in color, stress indication not long after dosing. I stopped entirely in my Geo tanks a week or 2 ago. Going to see how the plants do w/o it.

You might be better off using a real co2 injector or try a DIY co2 via yeast method if your insisting on co2, but like i said before, depending on your lights, and plant species you may not have to even use co2. One of my fav. geo traders has a 75 gal, massive plant growths for years, no co2, no ferts, just CFL lights in domes ontop of his glass lids. He's literally sold 15' worth of anubias from one plant in the last year or 2, and this is a Redhead/Orange head tank with 2 breeding pairs.


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## CrypticLifeStyle (Dec 14, 2009)

This is my King, and Queen pair. If i co2 killed them for some plants i'd hate myself


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

You also want to keep in mind that other than the algae control being a hazard to these fish in particular (although many other species are sensitive to it, as well) the fish in the initial post had just gone through treatment for ich.

It is NEVER a good idea to throw chemicals in your tank right after treating for disease, unless it's dechlorinator.


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