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Apistogramma Cacatuoides resting on bottom

Ringo

New Member
Messages
16
Location
Norfolk, UK
OK so this has me puzzled; I have a pair of Cacatuoides that I introduced to my main tank about two weeks ago (after three clear weeks in my Q-Tank).

They appeared to have settled in OK - the female is active and laid eggs yesterday under a piece of driftwood and is carefully guarding her incubating brood.

I *think* the male is OK - he swims around OK at different levels in the tank, feeds OK (mix of flake + tetra cichlid mini granules), but I've caught him resting on the bottom of the tank or on a leaf a few times - sitting upright, fins *not* clamped. I might correlate this with just after feeding, but I might be wrong. If I lift the top of the tank or observe for any amount of time, he's back up and swimming (probably anticipating food).

Water conditions look OK to me:

Ammonia: 0ppm
Nitrite: 0ppm
Nitrate: 10ppm
PH: 7.4 (pre aeration).
GH: 7
KH: 5

I'm using a canister filter with ceramic + sponge media; it does generate a bit of current on one side of the tank, but its well diffused by plants (tank is very well planted).

Looking at my profile photo (which is of the male when in the Q-Tank), I can see that his fins have been growing (I can see the outline of the next set of patternation now). I would say that he does not display as much now that he's in the larger main tank, but he and the female are not as on-top of each other.

I've introduced some light aeration to the tank today (on the assumption that 02 levels might be a little low).

Is this normal A Cacatuoides behaviour? or am I looking at the start of his demise....

Any help appreciated
 

Ringo

New Member
Messages
16
Location
Norfolk, UK
For comparison - taken today:

resized.jpg

of course as soon as I go near the glass with a camera he's all fins up.
 

Ringo

New Member
Messages
16
Location
Norfolk, UK
Some more observations; I just did second feed of the day (well defrosted frozen bloodworm which all of the tank inhabitants will eat).

Male Cacatuoides has eaten quite a bit; he's now resting on the bottom of the tank, fins up, post eating; some minor aggression over food towards C. Habrosus who are hovering up what's leftover.
 

Mike Wise

Moderator
Staff member
5 Year Member
Messages
11,202
Location
Denver, Colorado, U.S.A.
Has the male rested on the bottom much of the time since you got him, or is it just recently? If this bottom-resting has been consistent, he might have a slightly deformed (too small) swim bladder. It's not uncommon in line-bred species that aren't extensively culled. It probably isn't life threatening. On the other hand, if it is fairly recent then he may have some kind of swim bladder disease (not easy to cure).
 

Ringo

New Member
Messages
16
Location
Norfolk, UK
Hi Mike

First - thanks for the help - much appreciated.

I'm not sure whether this behaviour is new or not; I certainly did notice him spending time near the bottom of the Q-Tank, but nothing that concerned me overly; the current in the main tank is a-lot stronger (Q-Tank is on a sponge filter only), and I'm wondering whether he's just finding it harder going - the female spends a-lot more time foraging out of the main current than he does.

A friend also suggested that maybe the female is giving him a hard time, or he's a bit unsure with all the new fish and new tank (after dominating the Q-Tank); I'm adding some additional bog wood to breakup the lines of sight in the tank to see if that helps.

FWIW he does not appear to be getting any worse - in fact I'd say in the last 24 hours I've noticed him swimming more and resting less. He's still feeding well so I'll keep an eye on him and see how it goes.
 

Ringo

New Member
Messages
16
Location
Norfolk, UK
Bit of an update on this thread; Male appeared to be improving in the following week, however after a week away, he's now spending pretty much all of his time on the bottom of the tank.

I've moved him into a Q-Tank four days ago whilst I get to the bottom of this problem.

He's still eating (but not as much as he did when I first got him) but is alot more nervous, hiding under the bogwood in the tank most of the time; he changes colour quite regularly going from light grey, to dappled dark/light grey to dark grey, and he's lost his distinctive black line:

IMG_3378_resized.JPG

I've also observed him doing a mad frantic swim around the tank a couple of times at the end of which he's generally dropped to the bottom on his side for some time - first time he did this I thought he was dead, but then noticed his gills still moving.

As a general remedy (don't like doing this) I've done a treatment of ESHA 2000, but I don't think that helped in anyway yet.
 

Mike Wise

Moderator
Staff member
5 Year Member
Messages
11,202
Location
Denver, Colorado, U.S.A.
I don't know, but it looks like his body is swollen; internal disease/parasite? As for rapid erratic behavior, this is often seen in fish in which some type of poison has entered the water or there is an electrical short in the tank. These usually affect more than 1 fish, however.
 

Ringo

New Member
Messages
16
Location
Norfolk, UK
I don't know, but it looks like his body is swollen; internal disease/parasite?

Yeah - I tend to agree on his body looking a bit swollen looking back at previous pictures I have taken; I'm actually wondering whether he might be constipated - I've not seen any faeces in the 4 days he's been in the Q-Tank.

I have some ESHA gDex (Prazi based) which I could try on the assumption that he has an internal parasite, but that won't cover all of the bases.

As for rapid erratic behavior, this is often seen in fish in which some type of poison has entered the water or there is an electrical short in the tank. These usually affect more than 1 fish, however.

He's the only fish in the Q-tank but I did see him do it in the main tank prior to being moved; the only electric in the tank is the heater which is working fine.
 

dw1305

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Messages
2,755
Location
Wiltshire UK
Hi all,
I have some ESHA gDex (Prazi based) which I could try on the assumption that he has an internal parasite, but that won't cover all of the bases.
I'd try it, but I think there probably isn't anything you can do to save him.

cheers Darrel
 

gerald

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Messages
1,491
Location
Wake Forest NC, USA
Abdominal swelling means that osmoregulation is failing; the body is absorbing water faster than the organs can excrete it, and/or salt ion uptake isn't working. This is usually from damage to kidneys, gills, or both, and could be bacterial, viral, diet-related, old-age, ... many possible causes. Not "constipation" which I think is way over-diagnosed, if it even happens at all in fish.
 

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