# tough little cichlid



## jamesd (Jul 26, 2006)

I just received a shipment of cichlids on Wednesday and I wanted to share a story about one of the fish. One of the species I ordered was 4 thysochromis ansorgii, a small West African species. Well, when the Fedex guy delivered my box of fish, it was every fishkeepers worse nightmare, the box was soaking wet, never a good sign.  So I ran the box downstairs to my fishroom and cut the box open, and to my dismay, one of the bags was drained of water and the fish was encased in a wet plastic bag, almost like saran wrap. Of course it was one of the females T. ansorgii that I set up a tank exclusively for (a west African biotope tank). I figured she was a goner. Then I looked more closely and her mouth and gills were moving ever so slightly. She was still clinging to life!!!! So I did the first thing that came to mind, I tossed her in the tank (so much for acclimation). She settled down to the sand and just sort of laid there on her belly. I went upstairs to call the wholesaler and he told me to keep an eye on her and not to put the other cichlids with her if she was so weak. So I went downstairs to figure out what tank I was going to put the other 3 fish in when I looked down and she was gone! Then she comes swimming out of one of the caves as if nothing had happened already coloring up!!
It was if she was saying "what"s all the fuss about??" I then added the other 3 cichlids to the tank and all is well 2 days later. =D> I need to call the wholesaler because he very generously gave me credit on her already even though she hadn't died yet (really upstanding guy by the way, i know were not supposed to give kudos in the general forum, but he will get a nice mention in the reviews). I don't feel right taking credit where credit is not deserved. I just thought it was a neat story on a tough little cichlid. I don't know when the leak occurred, but she had one heck of a 2000 mile journey!


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## xxbenjamminxx (Jan 22, 2011)

Awesome! I like to hear the stories like this, and I am sure the vendor will be very appreciative of your honesty. :thumb:

Makes you wonder how long prior to delivery that the bag failed. Either way I am glad to hear that all is well with her.


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## Elijah (Mar 30, 2011)

Great story! I'm so happy to hear it ended on a good note and she is alright!


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