A. iniridae bloated

[Jacobus]

Male succumbed after 3 weeks of slowly increased swelling of abdomen.
pH 6.5, total hardness <1, temp hardness <2, conductivity 75
Food Daphnia, Cyclops, black and white mosquito larvae, occasionally dry food
It was not a wild fish but a Fx generation captivity bred
Will start looking for another spouse for my lonely female now
See picture

 

[MacZ]

Under the known water conditions the fish should have been safe from bacterial infection (dropsy is only a symptom).

You have the choice of the following causes for that infection, none will be possible to proof:
- external stress (social stress, too boisterous other fish, lights, sound, action in front of the tank. Stress is the number one killer of dwarf cichlids in captivity)
- unnoticed internal parasites
- burned-out either from permanent breeding or fast ageing due to too high temperatures
- actual old age
- it was simply its time, no matter what

All these things can cause the obvious "non-specific bacterial infection". Non-specific means we have only general symptoms and no way of telling it was a certain bacterium. Most often it's just an opportunistic strain of bacteria present in the tank, taking the opportunity of a damaged and weak immune response.

 

[Jacobus]

Under the known water conditions the fish should have been safe from bacterial infection (dropsy is only a symptom).

You have the choice of the following causes for that infection, none will be possible to proof:
- external stress (social stress, too boisterous other fish, lights, sound, action in front of the tank. Stress is the number one killer of dwarf cichlids in captivity)
- unnoticed internal parasites
- burned-out either from permanent breeding or fast ageing due to too high temperatures
- actual old age
- it was simply its time, no matter what

All these things can cause the obvious "non-specific bacterial infection". Non-specific means we have only general symptoms and no way of telling it was a certain bacterium. Most often it's just an opportunistic strain of bacteria present in the tank, taking the opportunity of a damaged and weak immune response.

Thank you for your elaborate reply Mac. As for possible factors you mention that might haven contributed to the fish's demise: The co-inhabitants of the tank (130x50x50, structured with wood, some leaves and lots of plats): a pair of Dicrossus filamentosus, 6 Gnatocharax steindachneri, 6 Moenkhausia bonita (both very busy!!), 6 Hypessobrycon jackrobertsi (medium busy), 6 Curimatopsis evelinae (very quiet). Tank is in a quiet room, lighting is subdued, water temp is 24-25 0C. Age must be less than 1 year. The fish seemed always very relaxed and comfortable, came to the front shield and the water surface when feeding was expected. It is hard to explain but it just started to get a pot-belly which worsened this week with known result.
I hope to be able to get a new male soon. I might have choice between a wild one and a tank bred one like the one before. Any suggestion about this choice?
Thanks again.

 

[MacZ]

Thank you for your elaborate reply Mac. As for possible factors you mention that might haven contributed to the fish's demise: The co-inhabitants of the tank (130x50x50, structured with wood, some leaves and lots of plats): a pair of Dicrossus filamentosus, 6 Gnatocharax steindachneri, 6 Moenkhausia bonita (both very busy!!), 6 Hypessobrycon jackrobertsi (medium busy), 6 Curimatopsis evelinae (very quiet). Tank is in a quiet room, lighting is subdued, water temp is 24-25 0C. Age must be less than 1 year. The fish seemed always very relaxed and comfortable, came to the front shield and the water surface when feeding was expected. It is hard to explain but it just started to get a pot-belly which worsened this week with known result.
I hope to be able to get a new male soon. I might have choice between a wild one and a tank bred one like the one before. Any suggestion about this choice?
Thanks again.

You're welcome!

Besides the Dicrossus I don't think there's much of a stress factor, although I haven't actually seen the tank.

About the choice of the new fish: Wild or low F-Number doesn't matter, the species is always wild form, as there are no domestiv breeds of that species. I'd definitely quarantine and deworm the new one.

 

[Jacobus]

You're welcome!

Besides the Dicrossus I don't think there's much of a stress factor, although I haven't actually seen the tank.

About the choice of the new fish: Wild or low F-Number doesn't matter, the species is always wild form, as there are no domestiv breeds of that species. I'd definitely quarantine and deworm the new one.

The A. iniridae man clearly dominated over the Dicrossus although in general there were few confrontations.
I will surely quarantine the new male, if I can get it.
Thanks for your advice.

 

[Jacobus]

Neither of the two sources, of a new male, I thought existed, has any quality A. iniridae available.
Guess it wil not be simple.

 

[MacZ]

The A. iniridae man clearly dominated over the Dicrossus although in general there were few confrontations.

I was implying the Dicrossus might have been a passive stress factor.

Neither of the two sources, of a new male, I thought existed, has any quality A. iniridae available.
Guess it wil not be simple.

Pretty much expected. And the next season is a few months in the future.