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Male apistos lost all color and breathing heavy.

The Apisto Guy

New Member
Messages
8
I have recently aquired some apistogramma hongsloi gold reds. They are doing pretty good except the male and female in my 36 gallon have both changed color. The female is now very yellow and red with very dark black lines while the male has turned completely white instead of his old vivid gold and red. I figured they were breeding but i’m not sure if the male changing this color is a bad thing. He also breaths pretty heavily im guessing it might be because the female may be chasing him. If you could help that would be amazing.
 

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ButtNekkid

Active Member
5 Year Member
Messages
315
Location
Finland
Hi,

Keep an good eye on aggression. If the male starts to hang on surface and stops moving about, remove him.
If you haven´t witnessed chasing and the male is breathing heavy all the time, it could be a disease also.
 

The Apisto Guy

New Member
Messages
8
Hi,

Keep an good eye on aggression. If the male starts to hang on surface and stops moving about, remove him.
If you haven´t witnessed chasing and the male is breathing heavy all the time, it could be a disease also.
I don’t see the male too often anymore he normally hangs in his own cave. I have seen the female chase him off a few times. The only problem is I don’t have anywhere to move him too.
 

gerald

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Messages
1,491
Location
Wake Forest NC, USA
If you cant set up another tank, can you at least put a screen divider in to separate them?
Has he stopped eating? Is there any sign of sores on head/body, abdominal bloating, or eyes bulging?
 

The Apisto Guy

New Member
Messages
8
If you cant set up another tank, can you at least put a screen divider in to separate them?
Has he stopped eating? Is there any sign of sores on head/body, abdominal bloating, or eyes bulging?
I could try but that’s going to be hard to get around all of my hardscape. He has stopped eating there is not any sigh of any damage at all except for he has lost all his color. The reason why I can’t move him is because I have another pair in my quarantine breeding at the moment.
 

gerald

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Messages
1,491
Location
Wake Forest NC, USA
"no sign of damage" indicates the female is not beating on him, so he may have some kind of internal infection, based on heavy breathing and loss of appetite. I would get him out of the tank before he dies, so as not expose other fish to high concentrations of whatever pathogens may be inside him if/when he dies. A bucket will do fine. You might try heat (~ 84 F) and see if that helps him fight it off, but recovery is rare after Apistos stop eating.
 

The Apisto Guy

New Member
Messages
8
"no sign of damage" indicates the female is not beating on him, so he may have some kind of internal infection, based on heavy breathing and loss of appetite. I would get him out of the tank before he dies, so as not expose other fish to high concentrations of whatever pathogens may be inside him if/when he dies. A bucket will do fine. You might try heat (~ 84 F) and see if that helps him fight it off, but recovery is rare after Apistos stop eating.
I don’t believe it is a pathogen I just believe the female is beating on him because my breeding pair my male has also lost his color but he stills eats as long as the food reaches the bottom near him somewhere after a time. the female just doesn’t like anyone near their caves in either of the tanks.
 

gerald

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Messages
1,491
Location
Wake Forest NC, USA
OK, I hope you're correct. I usually expect to see ragged fin edges or missing scales if he's being attacked enough to make him lose color and stop eating.
 

The Apisto Guy

New Member
Messages
8
OK, I hope you're correct. I usually expect to see ragged fin edges or missing scales if he's being attacked enough to make him lose color and stop eating.
I noticed a little bit of tattered fins so I’m taking it as the female being a little aggressive as I’ve seen a few times now. He hides out of line of sight right now in the plants and in the other cave but is not eating at least I don’t get to see him eating. I feed next to where his cave is so some gets to the bottom for him.
 

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