# Texas Cichlid Not eat well!



## diggler81 (Aug 26, 2010)

My Texas Cichlid is not eating well he hides all the time and this morning it seems he is pooping white please help with any ideas to help him.


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## triscuit (May 6, 2005)

First off- can you please tell us more about your fish and aquarium? There's a sticky at the top of the forum that gives a list of the information we need to give you the best advice.

Next- stop feeding and do a 30% water change, adding dissolved Epsom salt (1 TBS for each 10 gallons in your aquarium).


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## diggler81 (Aug 26, 2010)

Sorry that I did not read that:
My tank is a 75 gal I have a Texas Jd and a EBJD 
temp is 76-78 
Nitrate 20 ppm
nitrite between 0-.5
Gh 75
ph 7.4 
water change about every week to a week and a half How long do I stop feed and how many times do i use the salt?


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## triscuit (May 6, 2005)

Well, I'm a bit concerned that your nitrite isn't at absolute zero- did you test for ammonia? Both of those values should always be zero. If you are having a cycling issue it could explain why your fish isn't feeling well.

Otherwise, it sounds like he is under some intestinal distress. I use metronidazole for wasting and for bloat. It works well at killing the bugs causing trouble. Metro works best when the fish's GI tract is empty.

The Epsom salt works as a laxative, and is sometimes enough to get a fish back to health. In this case if your fish isn't looking too bad, I might wait to treat with metro, and instead just use Epsom and fasting with large water changes.

The concentration of Epsom for treatment should be 1 TBS for 5 gallons, added in over time. If you are already at 1 TBS per 10 gallons, do a 50% WC, then add back in enough dissolved salt to be 1 TBS/5g.

I wouldn't feed for at least 4 days, with large water changes after 2 days (replace the salt) and 4 days (no salt). Feed VERY little, and see if your fish go for it.

If there's no sign of improvement or your fish looks worse (bad color, hiding, gasping) use metro (the tablets, not in food). Metronidazole is good to have on hand- I buy FishZole in the 100 tabs size on Amazon.


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## diggler81 (Aug 26, 2010)

Ok 
Thanks yes I did check ammonia it is at zero - this tank has been going for over a year I've only had these guys in for about a month but I had community fish in there before with no problems. So I will go with the salt and let u know thanks I appreciate the info.


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## wermdawg (Apr 20, 2012)

My texas cichlid is doing the same thing right now. I recently bought a texas from my local LFS and it is relatively small. Only about 3 inches. But right when I got him he started hiding at the bottom and for the first couple days he would come up and eat a little bit (not a lot) and then go back down to the bottom. Now he hasn't eaten for the past 48 hours. I also have a red oscar, a jack dempsey, electric yellow cichlid, firemouth cichlid, an RT shark, and a common pleco. They all seem to get along fine, except for the texas and electric yellow. The electric yellow chases the texas all day, but the Texas is still very territorial with the Jack and Firemouth....he just wont eat and it is starting to show I think. He is a bit on the slim side, but he doesn't look sick. Someone please help, is this normal for a young texas to be a wimpy eater or is there something wrong with him? Also my friend told me to buy aquarium salt because he said it tremendously promotes fish health. Let me know soon, I need to know whats wrong with this little guy. I cant post a picture of him but he looks like a normal Texas. Also the pH in my water is at about 7.5 and my temp is around 75-80 degrees. I dont know what the ammonia or nitrates are because I dont have a test kit for that. Also I have a twenty gallon tank (I know its small for all those fish) which I will be upgrading to a 55 gallon in the next couple weeks after my Texas gets use to everyone, if he is still alive[/img][/url]


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