# Who knows their Red Kyogas?



## vann59 (Jun 20, 2011)

I just lost a red kyoga flameback. He was a juvenile male, not colored up yet, about 2 to 2 1/4" long. I had him for about 6 1/2 weeks, and had noticed that he wouldn't eat, even algae flakes. And he was rather 'autistic' in his behavior. He was in his own world, hung out at the back wall of the tank, near the surface, or in corners etc. Never seemed to have any interaction with other fish and never watched me or the other fish, he just breathed a bit harder, and occasionally had his eyebar up.

You could tell he was at the bottom of the pecking order, but he had no nipped fins, or any signs of abuse. I even partitioned the tank recently with a piece of egg crate so he wouldn't get as much heat from my more aggressive peacocks. Ultimately, not eating, he couldn't survive.

From the profile on this fish, they are apparently a bit sensitive. So I'm wondering if this is common, or rare for this species? And do you recommend this as a good community fish, or better in a species tank?


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## fulu-1 (Oct 14, 2007)

at that size with peacocks im not suprised he didnt do well. they when young i have found can be a little timid. what you described however sounds more like an illness. i have seen what you described and the fish wast away from mal nutrition. in what i have seen there is a yellowish tumor that grows in the back of the throat preventing them from eating. for a bit they try to but spit it out because it cant be swalloed. eventualy the behaiour is ad you describe. hanging out twards the top and so on. i have had great sucess with metro on this. 
or he was just dominated so badly he couldnt eat. but even with that i have had fish that are brutally being dominated but still find a scrap or two.


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## malawidave (Aug 17, 2011)

I've got about 16 of them... 3 in my main tank with mbuna, haps, peacocks, other vics, and some tangs, the others are still in the fry tank... theyre doing well, the smallest one hides a lot, but other than that, he'll scrap for his food, gets in there with the big boys gets his bite and gets out...

I agree with fulu... sounds like an illness


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