# Sunshine peacock hiding not eat should I treat ?



## ozpkchris (May 25, 2021)

I have a cycled tank all inhabitants are new within the month.

The fish in question is a sunshine peacock about 2 -2.5"

Tank mates include 4 other peacocks and 1 blue moori dolphin. 
Two biggest are maybe 4-41/2" 
There are two that are 3/4 "

They are in a 75gal, which I will call it grow out tank. Until i get a 125.

Fish in question has been in for 2 weeks. Didn't eat the first day or two, then ate fine and hasn't been eating for the past four days. 
He mostly hides near the intake and heater behind some plants.

When feeding he shows no interest. I have seen him take in and spit out a few tropical flakes.

I feed mostly cichlids gold.

I have some nls with garlic on order to arrive tomorrow.

I haven't feed yet today and and thinking of fasting the tank.

There is at time minor aggressive, but I do not ever see the sunshine being picked on. His fins are all intact. I'll include pictures.

Test results, last water change 24 hrs ago

All ammonia/ nitrite are 0. Nitrate is around 10, was 20 before last 30% water change 
Ph is about 7.5-7.6 out of the tap, which I do not attempt to adjust. 
Temp is 78

I treat water with api Tap water conditioner and stress Zyme during water changes. 
Tank has been cycled for about 2 months. 
.

I have seen other posts that speak to treating for bloat, I do not see physical signs on the fish and I unfortunately do not have a Quarantine tank.



http://imgur.com/Pw1KeTO


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

You will need extra tanks if you are aiming for an all-male hap and peacock tank, so may as well get one now...a 20G Long would be useful.

You need a dozen fish in the 75G to manage aggression. Your peacock is being harassed (you can tell by the fact that he is hiding near heater and intakes) and needs to be separated from the main tank. He may not need any medical treatment at all.

What are the species of the other peacocks? I assume you are sure all the fish are males?


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## ozpkchris (May 25, 2021)

Thanks for the reply.

My goal was to add about another 6, I just didn't want to add to many too fast and get into situations where the tank couldn't handle the bio load.

I cannot speak to the species names as I am new the African world, although I have kept large South American in the past
I will add a link with some pictures if that is helpful.

II was told they are all male ( small local shop), but again I have included images.

I may stop at the local shop tomorrow and see if they have any compatible tank mates, possible indroduce another 1 or two. And see if they have a 20 gal long



http://imgur.com/x2XZ1sC


.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Ask them the species. With all-male it is likely one or more of the other peacocks is harassing him.

How did you cycle the tank?


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## ozpkchris (May 25, 2021)

http://imgur.com/Pw1KeTO


Tank was a fully cycled (poorly maintained) rescue that picked up. It housed some rainbow sharks and some black tailed terras. I transferred all the bio media to a new canister and dosed with some stress zyme for 3 weeks. Tested every few days. Never had ammonia spikes or nitrites, just nitrates then water changes. started adding the cichlids on week four or five. All tests are still looking good. Weekly water changes at about 30%. 
Running a fluval 407 with eheim substrate pro and some cermac rings.

I have a magnaflow 360 waiting on new oring that will be added for a second canister ( all filled seachem matrix.

I am looking up species names :

1 red empress, Pale Usisya aulonocar

1 blue Morri dolphin

1 sunshine peacock Aulonocara baenschi

1 Electric blue Haplachromis ahli

2 Orange Blotched Peacock Cichlid

1 Dragon Blood Peacock Cichlid (Aulonocara sp.)

I guess there are 7 cichlids in there.

Do you think adding more will help with the issue or should I instead look to pull him out


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

The dragon blood and/or the 2 OB peacocks may be too aggressive for the sunshine, even in a 125G. The Empress and fryeri (electric blue) are haps and not peacocks.

You have to pull him out in any case since he is not eating. You have to get him healthy again.


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## ozpkchris (May 25, 2021)

Thanks for all the advice I'm gonna run and get a quarantine tank today. I'm not 100% sure the blood Dragon is it Species's name but it looks awfully similar when searching Google, anyway I'm going to confirm when I get back to the local fish store. The two aggressors are definitely the electric blue and the dolphi, mostly due to their size in comparison to the others. 
If the sunshine doesn't work out in there I'll just get them rebought back and look for something more appropriate, it's a shame because it's a beautiful fish.

I definitely need to scour the forum and some other resources a bit more to read up on the species. Google these days is nothing but ads and useless information targeted towards products.


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## ozpkchris (May 25, 2021)

I just lost an orange blocked peacock blotched peacock. Dead on the bottom of the tank. 
Upside down. No damage way so ever,

I am running water test now and will post results


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## ozpkchris (May 25, 2021)

I have 0.5 ammonia this am. 
0 nitrites 
20 nitrates


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

The dragon blood is a hybrid, so you won't find it on CF profiles or scientific sites. You rarely see damage on a dead fish, even if it died as a result of aggression. Why do you have 0.5 ammonia?


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## ozpkchris (May 25, 2021)

Tank water test showed 0.5 ppm of ammonia, I would assume it is from the dead fish, but I am not sure. 
I am performing a water change now.


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## ozpkchris (May 25, 2021)

Peacock is I a quarantine tank, I grabbed just a bit of bio media out of the main tank and some plants.

I used about 75% of the main tank water for the quarantine tank.

I will have to watch closely as this tank is not cycled.

I also dosed the qt with some bb ( stress zyme) and prime

If we wasn't stressed before he is now, Jett him out was quite the battle

Gonna start another thread to discuss my chemistry but I'm still ready 0.5 ammonia


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## ozpkchris (May 25, 2021)

Should i attempt to feed the Peacock that is in QT yet. He is still hiding mostly, color is pale, but there is no substrate. water parameters are looking ok, just 0.25 ammonia, no nitrites, will do a water change tomorrow.

Thanks,


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Is there any white/clear thready feces?

I would wait until tomorrow at this point.


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## ozpkchris (May 25, 2021)

I can maybe see some normal looking feces, but not much.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Then feed and see if he eats.


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## ozpkchris (May 25, 2021)

Fish is still showing no interest in food. I attempted with flakes he had eaten in the past and some NLS. 
I would guess it has been a week since I have last see him eat.

Water parameters in the qt are showing 
0.25 ammonia ( looks between that and 0)
0 nitrite 
5 nitrates.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Start counting from the day you put him in quarantine. They are OK for 28 days without food. You have no signs of disease except the lack of eating. Wait three days and try again.


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## ozpkchris (May 25, 2021)

Will do, Thank you.


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## ozpkchris (May 25, 2021)

I have noticed his stomach is sunken in. I will attach a image, I did attempt to feed 1 pellet he did take the food, chewed for a while and spit it out.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Maybe it is the angle, but his stomach looks only slightly concave. Not bad at all. What about the feces?


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## ozpkchris (May 25, 2021)

Feces look light brown I will add another pic


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

With light brown feces, it is not bloat. Still nothing to diagnose so hard to choose a medication. Give him several days to see if he improves without the other fish bothering him.


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## ozpkchris (May 25, 2021)

Quick update: 
about a week ago with still no interest in food, I increased tank temp to 82 and added 1 Tbsp of aquarium salt per 3 gallons.

3 days ago he showed some interest in food and did eat some flakes. Has has eaten Tetra flakes 3 days in a row now, but does not seem to care for the NLS be was eating prior. I will continue to light feed and monitor for next week.


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