# Came home from vacation to 2 dead fish



## jpilone (Sep 18, 2012)

I went away on a 4 1/2 day long weekend, I put two tetra brand paste-style feeder discs that were for tropical fish. I came home, and found my blue kenyi and auratus dead and stuck to my filter inlet. The water tested perfect parameters, so I'm guessing this feeding disc stuff killed them. One was only partially eaten and the other was left untouched. The remaining fish were jumping for joy that I was home and were eager to get food from me (like crazy puppy dogs!).

So now in my 36 gallon tank, I am down to 4 Africans (started with 7, which I know was too much anyways). So I'm guessing I'm at the right level of fish for my tank unfortunately.. The other one (my second bumblebee) died a few weeks ago. It was being very lothargic for a few days and kicked the bucket..

Maybe I'll get one more fish. The pet store had a few decent size eletric blue johanni's there that were similar in size to my current stock, and I love that style fish (already have one).


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## metricliman (Sep 3, 2012)

What are your water parameters? What is the complete stocklist?


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## smitty814 (Sep 27, 2012)

I don't know if anyone has told you before....but 4.5 days without food is nothing for these fish. You should have done a water change and just fed them the day you departed. Crabro are veracious feeders and the fish probably ate too much and died.
opcorn:


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## jpilone (Sep 18, 2012)

metricliman said:


> What are your water parameters? What is the complete stocklist?


I don't remember the exact numbers, but they were good according to the test strips and guide. (I don't write this stuff down! and god help me if I remember something from an hour ago! LOL)


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## jpilone (Sep 18, 2012)

smitty814 said:


> I don't know if anyone has told you before....but 4.5 days without food is nothing for these fish. You should have done a water change and just fed them the day you departed. Crabro are veracious feeders and the fish probably ate too much and died.
> opcorn:


They only ate about 1/3 of one of the discs, so I wonder if those two went to down and then belly up?

I am going to do a partial water change this weekend when I have time (and can get to store to get some water. I don't use all tap/reconditioned water).

I am also going to get an automatic feeder to prevent this from happening again.


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## metricliman (Sep 3, 2012)

You don't need an automatic feeder for a couple of days. Females go for up to a month without food, so I wouldn't bother. Now is a good time to invest in a liquid test kit. The strips are no good and expensive. Again, what is the complete stocklist? If you insist on an automatic feeder, PM me for a cost effective vendor.


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## smitty814 (Sep 27, 2012)

Ditto on the auto feeder. Not needed. If you get more than 4 wks. vacation at one time I would like an application for employment please. If you had a death in the tank you need to do a water change right away. I don't think that there would be any way that your parameters are up to snuff if you had 1) vacation feeders and 2) a death. Stock list really doesn't matter as Crabro are pretty mean in their own right. However you should have at least a 4' tank if you intend to house them.


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## jpilone (Sep 18, 2012)

Stock list:

1 Bumblebee
1 Blue Acei
1 Electric Blue Johanni
1 Mbuna
2 Rainbow cats (tiny buggers, hide behind a rock most the time)

That's it.

I am definitely doing a water change this weekend. I can't do it any sooner. And I like the idea of a liquie water test kit. Maybe I'll get one this weekend (time is a luxury I don't have during the week)


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## metricliman (Sep 3, 2012)

hate to break it to you, but the deaths were probably aggression. Bumblebees are extremely aggressive, as are maingano (electric blue johanni). Acei get very large, as do bumblebees. Those are all mbuna. Do you know what the one unidentified could be?


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## jpilone (Sep 18, 2012)

metricliman said:


> hate to break it to you, but the deaths were probably aggression. Bumblebees are extremely aggressive, as are maingano (electric blue johanni). Acei get very large, as do bumblebees. Those are all mbuna. Do you know what the one unidentified could be?


It's almost solid orange with faint tiger stripes, from looking at photos it looks like possibly a kenyi

The johanni is actually quite peaceful, at least mine is. The only one that seems territorial is the orange one. That one and my acei have little chase/run away sessions now and then, but they have never actually gotten physical with each other (i.e. that lip lock/nipping fighting I've seen on youtube)


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## metricliman (Sep 3, 2012)

Sounds like a male kenyi. I would definitely get rid of the kenyi and bumblebee, and probably the acei.


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## jpilone (Sep 18, 2012)

metricliman said:


> Sounds like a male kenyi. I would definitely get rid of the kenyi and bumblebee, and probably the acei.


What's the normal procedure to "get rid" of a fish like this? I don't want to kill it... Do big box stores take fish like this?


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## metricliman (Sep 3, 2012)

If you have a LFS (non-chain) they usually take fish for store credit, or sometimes big box stores take fish. I've had the most luck with smaller chains, like Petland.


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## jpilone (Sep 18, 2012)

There aren't any small pet stores here. All big box stores (Pet Supermarket, Petsmart, Petco)


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## metricliman (Sep 3, 2012)

I guess you could try. Maybe bag the fish and go and tell them you'll flush them unless they take it.


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## jpilone (Sep 18, 2012)

metricliman said:


> I guess you could try. Maybe bag the fish and go and tell them you'll flush them unless they take it.


Take it off my hands or it dies! LOL


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## ChoxRox (Sep 8, 2011)

You could also try CL for free fish. If you're not sure of the species, mark them as "hybrids". It's almost the same thing as giving them to the pet store.


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## Potus (Dec 11, 2009)

I'd have to agree with the aggression diagnosis but disagree with the hate on the automatic feeder. It sounds like your stock list was fragile and likely to have an aggression issue and what may have kept this at bay was the feeding routine. Once that feeding stopped, even for just 4 days, then all went crazy. Though an automatic feeder isn't necessary I really like using one, even for a weekend, so that the status quo isn't stressed. I have one that sits at the top of the tank and I am able to set the time for the feeding(s) and how much.

I am pretty sure the big box stores will not take back any fish that you have had passed their "warranty" period. I know that some have no question return policies but I think they are only for 30 days and they may require you to actually bring in the fish, even if it is dead or half eaten.

My first cichlid tank I bought 4 fish from a big box for a 29g, 2 kenyi and 2 auratus. They told me it would not be a problem. It was my first big mistake, resulting in a scramble to relocate the 3 fish that survived. Kenyi, Auratus, and bumblebees are all aggressive fish and from my limited research they really need specific male to female ratios to thrive. You may be able to succeed with all males in the tank but that may end like thunder dome, only one fish at the end.

If you haven't already I would suggest looking at the fish profiles and cookie cutters in the library section to find out more about the fish and what would work in your tank size. It really sucks watching your hard work implode.


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## cich2it (Jul 23, 2012)

May I suggest don't just rely on trying to get the LFS to take back your fish..Do some phone calling to your local areas that have tanks, (ie, dentists, hospitals, docs) reason being I encountered same situation but only with 1 bumblebee, 1 kenyi, and was able to call local dentist who had 60 gallon and 220 tank and was able to take my fish, and they are doing fine.. and that was my first time getting cichlids with no knowledge of what I was doing.. I obviously didn't do my homework, a learning lesson, but I read up and with this forum learned what worked.
Good luck.


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## jpilone (Sep 18, 2012)

I appreciate all of the input guys.

I think the comment about the feeding interruption makes sense to me. I am going to invest in an automatic feeder.


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