# Cichlid Doctors - Can You Diagnose My Acei from These Pics?



## hipduf (Nov 3, 2008)

I'm new to cichlids, and am about 3 weeks into my new tank. All fish were added at the same time, namely:

4 Yellow Labs
4 Electric Blue Maingano
4 Acei
4 Benga Peacocks

The Acei are the issue right now. Here are some pics of what has happened to all of them, in various degrees of severity. Sorry for the poor quality, but you can see the white spot on the top of the head:


























All 4 of the Acei have this. It doesn't look like a fungus, or growth, but could be scales that have fallen off, been rubbed off, or bitten off. On one of them, the spot may be getting a bit reddish, but mostly they are a shade of white.

I've tried to catch them and put them in a hospital tank, but they are still completely healthy motion-wise  and they hide in the rocks outside of my reach.

All the other fish appear completely healthy, and there are no spots, large or small.

The dominant Acei is still acting tough, and was exhibiting what I thought was mating behaviour, along with some of the others. He has a spot too.

Everyone is eating heartily.

Ideas on what I can do? Treat the water? Try harder to catch and move them? Wait? I'd appreciate any and all ideas, or if there is more info that I can provide, let me know.

caz


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## GaFishMan1181 (Dec 17, 2008)

Have you tested your water latley? You said you are 3 weeks into a neew tank. Did you use anything to get the cycle going or are the fish the ones you are using to cycle the tank?

COuld be from poor water quality. I would say test for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate and let us know what those say. If you are using the fish to cycle the tank your nitrites are probably really high right now.

let us know and someone else will come along with more info for you soon. Dont take my word on this but i have a feeling that the water quality could be an issue and also aquarium salt might help there skin problems. (please do not add aquarium salt until someone else gives this as a recommendation. I am still somewhat of a beginner)

btw your acei's look like they are very beautiful fish aside from the white patches.


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## GaFishMan1181 (Dec 17, 2008)

also this should of been posted in the illness section.


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## hipduf (Nov 3, 2008)

Oops, thanks GaFishMan1181, you're right, I forgot there was an Illness section. I'll post in there instead.

Water quality is as close to perfect as can be. I did fishless cycling, and have been doing weekly 25% changes since the fish went in. Ammonia and Nitrite are zero, and Nitrate at 5ppm or less.

caz


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## bac3492 (Jul 25, 2008)

I would up the water changes, I do a minumum of fifty every time. Sometimes more than once a week.

I look at it as, doesnt take me too long. And it cant hurt. So why not?


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

I had something similar happen to a group of acei once. I never knew what it was, but I can tell you how I treated it.

I isolated them, and treated with sulfa for 7 days. I did a water change prior to each daily treatment. After the week was over, I continued to do daily water changes with Melafix added. It cleared up, but it took about a month to have them looking totally normal again.

I wouldn't add meds to a tank this new...Do you have a hospital tank?


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## Dizzcat (Aug 26, 2008)

I have noticed that dark fish like Acei and my black rainbow shark will really show marks when they have been rubbing on something, or get in tiffs with others. When other fish flash a few times because they get an itch it doesn't show, but on dark fish like Acei it does. When mine show marks I will add about 1 1/2 tables spoons of salt to my tank. I will mix it good with tank water then pour it in where the filter out-take is. It usually clears it up in a day.

I have never seen the spots on the top of the head like that tho. Weird.


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## hipduf (Nov 3, 2008)

An update, in case this happens to anyone else.

I think I've discovered the reason for the white patches on my Acei's heads (and some other parts of their bodies). One of my mainganos is a real bugger, and is doing his best to control the middle of the tank.

Here's the odd thing. The Acei's are mostly hiding, but come out for feeding time and look healthy except for the patches. When the maingano goes after them, they start floating on their side, exposing their head to the maingano's biting, and he's taking some scales off. Perhaps someone this side of Ad K. can explain why they do this, but in any event, that's what is happening.

I've tried to remove the Acei's to a separate tank, but was unable to catch them, and didn't have the opportunity to remove all my rock to better track them down. Perhaps I could have caught the maingano, but even if I did, I figured he'd just get bigger and more ornery by himself. So I'm feeding less, but more often to try and curb the aggression. Any other ideas?

For treatment of the wounds, I treated the whole tank with Maracyn, days 1, 3 and 5. I also added a 50/50 mix of Epsom salt and Kosher salt, to help with healing, and just in case they needed a laxative. A few water changes throughout, and will now monitor.

Water has been fine throughout. Crystal clear, with PH just under 8, ammonia and nitrite at 0, and nitrates below 5.

Everyone looks healthy, even the Acei's if you discount the white patches. For now, I think I will wait things out and see what develops. But if anyone has suggestions, I would love to hear them.

caz


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## GaFishMan1181 (Dec 17, 2008)

Have you thought about getting rid of the mainganos?

Also what are the male female ratio of your peacocks?


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## hipduf (Nov 3, 2008)

Can't say the thought hasn't crossed my mind re: the maingano's, but I'm going to wait as long as I dare and see if things change. In fact, in the last day or so, I've noticed one of the Lab's starting to assert a bit of dominance, including over the maingano's, so maybe their little reign of terror will be short.

Not sure about the male/female ratios of any of the species, since they are all still juveniles. The peacocks haven't colored up yet, but if size is a determinant (it isn't, I know), it is probably 1:3 or maybe 2:2. For the maingano's, I'm thinking more and more that I have at least 2 males of the four, maybe more. That could be a signal for some of them to go to the auction.

caz


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

I'm glad they are doing better...

What size tank is this, by the way?


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## hipduf (Nov 3, 2008)

It's a 72 g bowfront, 4 feet long.

Right now I have 17 fish in there (4 Labs, 4 maingano, 4 acei, 4 peacocks), all about 2 inches, and a 7" pleco. Would you consider that to be understocked, overstocked, or about right? I have dual XP3 canisters going, so filtration shouldn't be an issue.

caz


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

Numbers wise, that sounds okay. The maingano may stress those peacocks out beyond belief, though. :thumb:


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## fleehouse2 (Mar 28, 2006)

Glad I found this post, I have recently added some acei to my tank and quite a few of them have developed exactly the same problem, I was hoping it was from fighting and not a disease and hopefully this thread has confirmed that. I think they are just sorting out their pecking order, they are still small (most under 2") so hoping things will calm down.

Thanks


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## hipduf (Nov 3, 2008)

Yeah, fleehouse, it seemed to be pecking. After I did the salt treatment, and the medicine, they healed up in about 10 days and now, over a month later (gee, maybe 2 months, time flies), everyone is doing fine. One of the Acei's is the Alpha of the tank, and one maingano is #2, but other than one other maingano that mysteriously died, everyone is doing just fine.

If you can catch them and isolate them, though, it might be even better for you. I couldn't catch mine without taking out a couple hundred pounds of rock, and so I went with Plan B. Good luck.

caz


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## fleehouse2 (Mar 28, 2006)

hipduf said:


> If you can catch them and isolate them, though, it might be even better for you. I couldn't catch mine without taking out a couple hundred pounds of rock, and so I went with Plan B. Good luck.


Yeah I have the same problem, tank is full of tufa rock (75KG, dunno what that is in American/Canadian  ) and only stripped it down last weekend so don't really want to disturb everyone again. So am treating the whole tank with melafix.

Thanks


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## fleehouse2 (Mar 28, 2006)

Injuries have cleared up now with the help of melafix, no more injuries occurring so hopefully pecking order established for now.


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