# Flashing and Twitching. 1 fish dead.



## cprings (Sep 10, 2003)

I have a 125 - 6' all male mixed Malawi tank with 23 cichlids, 4 synos, 1 Red tail black shark, and a BN pleco. They moved from a 90 to this 125 about 6 weeks ago. The 90 was setup for about 16 months prior to the move to the 125. Filters and substrate were moved with the fish. I have added some fish here and there but the problem started about a week after anyone was added. I do weekly 30-40% water changes and the tank is filtered by a fluval 404, eheim 2215, and an AC500. I use prime with my water changes. Parameters are good.

The past week now almost all of the fish have been flashing and twitching to some degree. Some more than others. Besides this there are no physical signs of stress or illness. They are all still swiming and eating with enthusiasm. I've been keeping fish over 15 years and I thought I would see some signs of ich popping up but I haven't seen one white spot. Yesterday my fire fish stopped eating and was hanging near the top looking lethargic. I found him dead today with no signs of illness besides a small pimple like spot above his lip which he has had for a couple days. I was waiting to see physical signs of ich before starting a raised temp/salt approach. I also do not see any signs of bloat besides the fire fish becoming lethargic and stopping eating yesterday. I performed a 30% water change yesterday. I'm not sure if I should treat for anything yet or just keep an eye on things. I did add some melafix with the water change and today to help prevent any secondary infections caused by the flashing. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!


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## wortel87 (Apr 15, 2014)

it sounds i'm almost in the same boat as you are. i hope you get it solved.


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## Robin (Sep 18, 2002)

Well as you probably already know, it's normal for cichlids to flash and twitch--and it can also be a sign of illness.

What may have happened is that where you've added new fish, and changed the tank, your fish are sparing and competing trying to establish the hierarchy--and perhaps some of the fish are just now reaching sexual maturity which would also add to the flashing and displaying. You didn't list the actual species so we can look for possible trouble makers but really there are so many reasons why a particular group of cichlids would not get along. .. The one that was up at the top one day and dead the next--sure it may have been illness but more likely the fish was being harassed by another fish--very typical for them to hang at the top and die suddenly when it's aggression.

On the illness possibility: are any of them rubbing themselves to the point of losing scales? Do they seem to want to hang out where there is a strong current--like in front of the filter return? There are other parasites to look for besides ich. Try this: take a flashlight and shine it on the fish from different angles. You're looking for any kind of film or coating or coloring that's not natural to the fish. Velvet looks like fine talc like covering and can be gray or rust like.

Robin


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## cprings (Sep 10, 2003)

Thanks for the reply Robin! Here is my stock:

Aulonocara lwanda
Aulonocara (hybrid - lwanda like)
Aulonocara jacobfreibergi Cape Maclear
Aulonocara steveni blue neon
Aulonocara sp. "Stuartgranti Maleri" (Chidunga Rocks)
OB Peacock
Aulonocara hansbaenschi Red Shoulder 
Aulonocara maylandi
Ngara Flametail
Labidochromis caeruleus (yellow lab)
Tramitichromis sp. "Intermedius"
Protomelas taeniolatus Boadzulu red
Protomelas taeniolatus Mazinzi Reef
Protomelas sp. "Steveni Taiwan" (Taiwan Reef)
Otopharynx lithobates (Zimbawe Rock)
Sciaenochromis fryeri (Maleri Is.)
Copadichromis borleyi
Lethrinops sp. "Red Cap" (Itungi)
Placidochromis electra "deep water hap"
Placidochromis miloma VC-10
maingano
acei
moori
4 Syno. petricola
1 bristlenose pleco
1 red tailed black shark

With the new setup of the tank and the additions they did their usual reestablishing of the hierarchy with some showing and increased aggression but this excessive twitching and flashing didn't start until after things calmed down. There is little aggression in the tank. There are the typical chasings but the only real aggression issue I have right now is the hybrid I have showing excessive aggression toward the blue neon. The firefish had been picked on a little by the Stuartgranti Maleri Chidunga Rocks when they were in the 90 but there has been little to no aggression shown towards the fire fish since they've been in the 125. He survived and thrived just fine with the aggression shown his way in the past. Hiding at times but always swimming and eating with energy. Some of the fish are definitely rubbing to the point where they've damaged some scales and it does seem to be concentrated around the head/gills. I'm thinking possibly gill flukes from the last time I added fish? Could almost all of my fish become infected? Do gill flukes infect healthy fish normally? I should have noted that I did see some flashing from the petricola as well. I do have a powerhead and they do occasionally swim with/against the current but doesn't appear to be any more than normal. The flashing is on the sand, glass, wood, rocks, filters, etc. I have looked with a flashlight and couldn't see anything abnormal.


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## cprings (Sep 10, 2003)

Currently treating with Prazi Pro. I'll update as things progress. I dosed tank after a 50% water change.


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## Robin (Sep 18, 2002)

Let us know how that works. Always difficult to treat when you can't be 100% sure of what you're dealing with but I think you made a good choice.

Robin


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## wortel87 (Apr 15, 2014)

i always find that adding new fish, quarantine or not gets the diseases flowing. the next time i will buy my full stock all at once. fight the first disease outbreaks and never touch it again. i think the fish from the stores and my own fish have different critters with them. when those 2 come together it goes totally wrong untill the same bacteria and critters exist on the old and new stock.

discus fish are notorius for this. and i believe all fish are suseptible to this.


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