Just lazy? or sick?

[ob_nv]

I have a male agassizii "blue" that has started to become very lethargic, almost complete loss of appetite and stays in dark dress all the time.. I see no visible lesions or fungal growths, nothing abnormal to be exact.. and every other tank inhabitant seems perfectly healthy, so im at a loss.. no clue.. can anyone help? dont want to lose him..( blue agassiziis are probably my favorite apistos)

 

[bigbird]

Morning,

I am sorry to say this, but that is normally not a good sign.
I would suggest to place him in a quarantine tank for worm/parasite treatment. Have you feed any live food that you bought to them lately ? Also how old is he and what other fish are in your tank ? Cheers jk

 

[ob_nv]

good morning to you too..
well i have not fed them any live foods yet... just got them close to a week ago.. not exactly sure about the age but i suspect hes young.. 1.5 inch long maybe 2 and i have a female with him along with 6 green fire tetra, 3 danio choprai, 2 khuli loaches, a 5+- inch gold algea eater and some tiger shrimp.. none of whom some any kind of distress, strange behavior .. all normal.

 

[bigbird]

ok also need to know or would help is the size of the tank, do you have enough caves or hidding spots etc. Does he sway to one or another side and then try to rectify this ? You are correct, they are nice fish and hopefully we can get him back to normal. Another question, was he like this when you bought him 1week ago ? Have you also returned to the LFS to see if other fish of theirs are acting this way ? I would still quarantine him. I just lost all of my community fish and apistos with a virus or worm of some sort. This was in my 5ft tank and I am at a loss why. Same fish lethargic, on bottom and not eating much and no colour ?
cheers jk

 

[Mud Pie Mama]

In my experience any time fish show loss of appetite this should be taken as serious. Most fish are not on diets and are always greedy to get their dinners served.:wink: The only exception I have found is when they have just been moved around into new homes(tanks). If a fish already eating well begins to ignore food, this spells trouble - yes, w/ a capitol "T"!

I also really like the A. aggies. However, in my trying to keep them, the males have given me the most trouble. I've had the most fish losses w/ them. Not sure why??? I posted about this in another thread: http://forum.apistogramma.com/showthread.php?t=7767
Unfortunately there was no answers posted. I'd love to hear from someone who has tons of success w/ A. agassizii to learn their secrets.


On some of my males, I noticed soon after receiving them that they started to develop fin rot on their caudal fin. I did treat w/ Erythromycin in the QT tank and it would quickly clear up. I've gotten several other new species of apistogrammas without any need to treat, but not so w/ the aggies. They seem to be sensitive.

Sorry I don't have a perfect answer. But wanted to share that problems do exist so that: first you do take it seriously. Secondly, if not successful w/ this fish - don't be too mad or hard on yourself.


Also, agree w/ bigbird: quarantine protocol is your BEST FRIEND to protect fish in tanks you already possess.

 

[ob_nv]

unfortunately he didnt make it, just got home to find him laying on the bottom, not even picked at yet. what happened...?seemingly healthy (greedy, brilliant colours, lively) one day.. and the next in the fashion i described.. lasted barely more than a day like that.. he didnt get any fin rot, infact there still quite intact.. this bites..

i kept him in a 29 gallon bow front, planted and lots of hiding spots. when i got him i picked up a female too (which i found out not to be an agassi, but rather a cacatu..thnx to help from Mike Wise), and shes a picture of perfect health in my opinion.. at the time there was only one other male left and a few females. i did go back to the lfs a day before this, unrelated matter, and saw the same left over fish were there.. all looked fine..

An experience to learn from.. next time faster quarantine, although it did take him over quickly, so i wouldnt have much time to save him.. i would still have to go out and buy some kind of med.. other than ich once (with no losses) in 4 years of keeping an aquarium ive never had a sickness in the tank.. knock on wood.. so never stocked any meds yet..

learning sucks.. not a fish i wated to lose..

thnx for the help though.. really.. next time ill be better prepared.