# Texas Cichlid acting weird



## Mainefishguy (Sep 7, 2012)

Hi All. I got a Texas cichlid about 2-3 weeks ago. Ever since I put him in the tank he has what appears to be uncontrollable spasms. He starts irratically smashing off everything in the tank. flailing and banging into everything. these spasms seem to be unprovoked and last about 5-10 seconds.

Has anyone experienced something like this?

Tank is 75g, nitrates are never more than 15. 25% waterchanges every sunday. FX5 and Eheim 2217. No changes in water chemistry. and it is only the Texas that has this behaivor.


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## camelworm (Aug 16, 2011)

check your heater if there is electricity getting into the water and shocking him when heat kicks on it could be very bad only thing i can think of


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## BC in SK (Aug 11, 2012)

camelworm said:


> check your heater if there is electricity getting into the water and shocking him when heat kicks on it could be very bad only thing i can think of


I've had many heaters smashed over the years.....and never noticed fish beahve any differently with a broken heater in the tank. It is quite conceivable that a few times the heater had been broken for a number of days before i noticed.....yet there is no affect on any fish. How is a fish grounded through glass resting on a plastic frame? Even with a broken heater the current should go right back out the ground plug.......or you really think the electricity will take some strange, long route through the water, through the fish, through the glass, through the plactic frame, then down a wooden stand to the ground? Glass and plastic are not very conductive materials. Wood isn't especially so either, unless it is wet.

I did have live current going through my 180 gal. many years ago. I got quite a few shocks :lol: , especially off the left side of the angle iron frame. I wore my runners to work in and around the tank and still got very mild shocks at the very surface of the water! My tank was this way for a few months before I found the short  ; broken exposed bare wire in a wet wooden canopy! The fish were completely unaffected by this live current....though i got my share of shocks! :lol:


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## Mainefishguy (Sep 7, 2012)

I have an inline heater. It's not in the tank and it is quite new. I am not sure that is the problem.

I'm at a loss. I just got back inside from some lawn work and he has really beat himself up. Could there be anything else that could cause this? Lighting. Parasite. All other fish are fine and normal


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## Zombie Cichlid (Jun 26, 2012)

If he was like that from the moment you've putted him on the tank then the problem has already come with him.
I'd say he is sick and he got sick before going into your tank.
You could treat the tank for 3 days with melafix and see the impact on him and at the same time kill the bacterias he might have brought with him.
Other then that, the waves from your microwave oven could be shocking him on the water! :lol: :dancing: (and for those who wonders, YES, i'm joking!!!)
I don't think there isn't anything else you could do apart treating the water or exchange him at your LFS.
Good luck!


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## mrbeadheadful (Oct 24, 2012)

Brain Parasite...


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## CICHLID MASTER7 (Nov 17, 2012)

It may be something wrong with eyesight.


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