# Scratching Malawi Cichlids



## pengtsin (Nov 25, 2009)

I've got a 1-month-old 5-foot, 600 liter Malawi Cichlids tank, and all the fishes (~70+; mostly Juveniles + ~10 adults) seem to be scratching themselves -- against the sand substrate or rocks.

I noticed this starting about 10 days ago, so I added a 36-Watt UV lamp (using a pump to circulate tank water thru it at 600 l/hr). This is in addition to my 11-W UV lamp going thru one of my Eheim filters (2028). The other filter is an Eheim 2260.

There are **** running around in the rocks, so I'm assuming the water condition is OK. Also tested 0 nitrites or ammonia; pH is 7.0.

I'm worried because there have been a number of deaths the last 3 days (~1 per day) -- but the deaths could be due to killings -- I can't tell as most of the bodies I recovered were slightly eaten. Just got a Rusty Cichlid body out that didn't seem to have a scratch on it.

No sign of white spots or Ick.

Questions:
1. What is causing my fishes to scratch so much?
2. How do I keep them from having to scratch?

Thanks in advance.


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## kmuda (Nov 27, 2009)

Is "scratching" the only symptom (aside from death). Establishing a correct diagnoses of the causes of "Scratching" (known as Flashing) is dependent upon other symptoms.

Are the fish breathing normal or faster than normal?

Are both gills on the fish working at the same rate or is one working harder than the other?

Do the fish have clamped fins?

Are any fish spending time at the surface of the water, "gasping" for air?

Is there excess Mucus (slime coat).

What color are the gills? (Red/Pink/White)

Can you observe any trailing slime on the fish's fins or gills?

Any obvious signs of external parasites? (White spots, looks like the fish is coated with powder, etc...)

In the absence of other symptoms, wide spread flashing is usually an indicator of a water issue, with that issue ranging from water chemistry not compatible with the biological requirements of the fish (insufficient ph/hardness or excess ph/hardness) to irritant chemicals in the water to poor water quality (ammonia/nitrite). It can also be a result of sudden changes in water chemistry (pH, KH, GH, TDS).


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## pengtsin (Nov 25, 2009)

> Is "scratching" the only symptom (aside from death). Establishing a
> correct diagnoses of the causes of "Scratching" (known as Flashing) is
> dependent upon other symptoms.
>
> Are the fish breathing normal or faster than normal?

Looks about right... the ones that just got out of fights or chases
tend to be breathing harder. 

> Are both gills on the fish working at the same rate or is one working
> harder than the other?

Looks pretty even.

> Do the fish have clamped fins?

The sub-dominant ones do... The "alphas" move around with spread fins.

> Are any fish spending time at the surface of the water, "gasping" for air?

Near the surface, but not gasping. (I think they are waiting for food.)

> Is there excess Mucus (slime coat).

Looks normal to me. The dead Rusty felt pretty normal.

> What color are the gills? (Red/Pink/White)

Pink.

> Can you observe any trailing slime on the fish's fins or gills?

Nope.

> Any obvious signs of external parasites? (White spots, looks like the
> fish is coated with powder, etc...)

Nope.

> In the absence of other symptoms, wide spread flashing is usually an
> indicator of a water issue, with that issue ranging from water
> chemistry not compatible with the biological requirements of the fish
> (insufficient ph/hardness or excess ph/hardness) to irritant chemicals
> in the water to poor water quality (ammonia/nitrite). It can also be a
> result of sudden changes in water chemistry (pH, KH, GH, TDS).

Could it be the fine sand I have instead of gravel?


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## cichlify (Sep 1, 2009)

wooow! your tank looks like a bowl of trix cereal!

if its only been up for a month, maybe the fish are getting used to the water? I notice when I add a new fish to my tank I'll see them flashing a little for a day or two. I have sand in my tank and i dont think that makes a diferance.


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## Robin (Sep 18, 2002)

Hi,

If you set the tank up a month ago and the fish started flashing ten days ago then I would assume that they were reacting to the tank cycling, ie, high levels of ammonia and/or nitrite. 
Or was the tank completely cycled prior to adding any fish? If so, what method did you use to cycle it? 
Are you adding anthing to the water? Salt? Dechlorinator? ?
What kind of test kit have you used to test the water?

The problem with having so many fish is that when something goes wrong, ie, fish start turning up dead, its more difficult to determine the cause of death because it's harder to observe symptoms in a crowded tank. 
If you've got fish that are spending a lot of time at the surface then they are either reacting to poor water quality or they are too afraid to swim around due aggressive fish.

Are all fish eating at every feeding? (This is very important to take note of).

Please post back with more information.

Robin



> wooow! your tank looks like a bowl of trix cereal!


Perhaps being from Singapore you've never seen 'trix cereal' but its just a very colorful cereal here in the states. 
Translation: 
woooow! your tank is beautiful!


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## king uther (Jul 7, 2009)

It could be as simple as high nitrates


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