# Flashing w new cichlids, Mbuna



## Markye247 (Sep 27, 2018)

Ok, I give up trying to figure out what to do next. I hope someone here can give me some great advice. Will appreciate any and all advices.
I read up on tons and tons of articles on flashing, but still don't know what to do next.
Purchased online a week ago a few different species of mubunas. Small, close to 1.5-2"s each of....
pseudotropheus acei Yellow Tail
Pseudotropheus sp. Elongatus "Ruarwe","Jewel Spot" Mbuna,
Labidochromis perlmutt "higga Reef" Mbuna
I put them all in a 20g long quarantine tank. After a day, I noticed a few of them flashing. Treated w paradise guard, water changed after 48hrs. Noticed flashing still occurring. Treated w paradise guard again. 48 hrs is up again and some are still flashing. Water parameters are fine for the Cichlid species, have not seen any visual diseases, and they have never shown any signs of being sick. They eat fine too. I was planning to introduce them 1 by 1 individually within the next week or so into the main tank w other Cichlids, but w the flashing still going on, I don't know what to do.
I need some expert advice, especially with people that know about Cichlids and flashing on what to do next. Introduce already into the main tank or wait til I have the flashing under control. They are not going crazy on the flashing, but it happens Often. Please submit your advices. Thank you in advance!!


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## Markye247 (Sep 27, 2018)

Sorry, meant to write parasite guard


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Flashing is normal when the fish show off. It's only when it becomes excessive that it may be an indicator of something else.

Does every fish flash every hour? More often?

Fish will flash due to any kind of skin irritation. The meds could cause it. Salt could cause it.

What are your test result for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH?

Have the parameters changed from water change to water change?


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## Markye247 (Sep 27, 2018)

Hi,

Attached are the test results. The flashing is close to excessive to often. Don't think it's normal so something is bothering them, maybe the water is too hard?
Should I just move them slowly into the main tank where no other cichlids are flashing?


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I would not move them. If you could post the results...I need to work on something else right now.

If you can't think of anything else I would change the water enough to get the medications out...they can irritate. Then wait a couple days, just like you would with an itchy child.


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## Markye247 (Sep 27, 2018)

Ok now its excessive flashing. About to do water change and put back the carbon.


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

Any chance you can post a video of how the fish are acting?


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## Markye247 (Sep 27, 2018)

The flashing had definitely slowed down after the water change. Going to wait and see next few days if it picks up again. Will Try to do some video, but of course ever time I want to do it they are not flashing.


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## Markye247 (Sep 27, 2018)

Update: other then the flashing, they now also have clamped fins, and spasms/shaking going on. Need help please what to do next?


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## Markye247 (Sep 27, 2018)

Here is a video, will do another one tomorrow too. Maybe will catch them while they are doing the flashing more often. This video doesn't cover it too much, but you can see the twitching going on.


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## Markye247 (Sep 27, 2018)

Another video with the twitching/shaking, not too much flashing in this video. One looks like he is going down. :-(. Please send all comments and advice. Need help!


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## ken31cay (Oct 9, 2018)

Water parameters look ok I think. What result do you see for Nitrite? Do you have an ammonia test? Which declor do you use for water changes? Is there anything else you can think that may be causing the itching, ex/ was the quarantine tank water & substrate fairly clean, and you are simply using filter media from an established tank for the cycle? Obviously something in there they don't like but the problem is finding out what.

Was the water in the quarantine tank there without any partial water changes a long time, say months without any water changes? Or perhaps sitting for a time with no active filtration?


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## Markye247 (Sep 27, 2018)

Here is one more video with flashing and closed fins. They rarely open up there fins anymore unlike when I first got them


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

Thanks for posting the videos!!

What I'm seeing appears to be rather normal behavior of these fish and it seems that there is a fair amount of water flow in this tank. I do see an Aquaclear filter and an air bubbler of some type. Which model Aquaclear filter are you using on this tank?

It looks like the fish are constantly swimming in the water flow which may be why they are shimmying the way they are.

What percentage of water change did you perform on the tank to remove the medicine that you used? It wouldn't hurt to do another to continue removing any remaining meds since the last water change seemed to improve their behavior.

I also agree that you need to find out the ammonia level in the tank since the test kit you bought doesn't test for ammonia. I like the API Master test kit that tests for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH and uses liquid reagents and test tubes rather than the dip strip type tests.

What water conditioner or chlorine/chloramine remover are you using when you add new water?


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## Markye247 (Sep 27, 2018)

Thank for all the comments/advices/questions so far. Keep it coming.
Here are my answers from above....
Ammonia levels are about .2, other results was posted from my previous post above.
I use API declorinator with the water change and also add API quick start right after the water change.
This is a quarantine tank, established and has been used before as a regular setup w fish.. It was left without fish for a few months, but heater and filter was always running & I did do water changes as well on the tank while it was no fish in it. I vacuum clean the sand each time w the water changes.
The filter is a 20 aquaclear. 
25% water change each time.


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## Markye247 (Sep 27, 2018)

Could be seeing the 1st signs of ick? What does everyone think? Before the Ace would open up his fins, now past few days along w the others it's mostly closed


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## Markye247 (Sep 27, 2018)

any and all suggestions are welcome


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

Thanks again!

I would just continue with water changes every couple days of 25% until the fish seem to act normal and do testing just prior to the water change to see how parameters change. This is just to make sure any meds have been removed from the tank.

Just an FYI, quarantining fish is usually done for a minimum of 30 days to be sure no underlying issues come up that can impact your main tank and to be sure the new fish are eating well.

Yes that does appear to be Ich, so sorry! Increase the water temperature over the next couple days to 84F, maintain vigorous water movement and add salt as per the article in the Library for treating Ich.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

It is hard to read test results on a computer and strips are not the best way to test. From the screen it looks like your nitrates were a little high, and hard to tell on the nitrite.

You have been doing a lot of water changes, so maybe they are down now.

The fish has tattered tail fin...are the fish fighting?


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## Markye247 (Sep 27, 2018)

I have not seen them fighting to the point of there fins being damaged, just some lite chasing.
So what I gather is the closed fins, some damages on the fins, and the possibly of Ich.
I added salt, planning to increase temp slowly to 84 degrees, and to do 25% water changes every 48hrs.
Should I start treatment for the possibility of them having a disease or wait? If you can't see from the pictures of the water test results, everything looks fine.
If treatment is the way to go, planning to use Tetra Lifeguard, or IckGuard, or should I use something else?


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

The heat and the salt IS the treatment.

The damage on the fins is likely from fighting.

I can see the pictures...to me the results don't look fine. When you take the test TODAY after all the additional water changes, what numerical reading do you see in daylight and in person for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate?

Ideally you want nitrate to be about 10ppm.


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## Markye247 (Sep 27, 2018)

Hi,

Here are the test results before my 25% water change today.
Ammonia: 0
Nitrate: 10-20ppm
Nitrites: .5
GH: 300ppm
Chlorine: 0
Alkalinity: 50 ppm
PH: 8.3-8.4
Process of raising temp to 84 degrees

Anything else I should do? Should I try to lower the GH or it's fine? 
All suggestions/comments are welcome.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

GH is not a problem, but nitrites ARE a problem. Change 50%. At that level of nitrites my fish are gasping at the top.


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