need help last male died of this

[Esoxluciouss]

Hi all,
i have a problem in the appisto tank now...female panda (njjensen) is in trouble, she is not eating right has its mouth open all the time.. she tries to feed and now will accept blood worm but one in three only goes down...
but after she eats one worm thats it shes fed up... shes moving fine, just cannot close mouth, she sucks the food in with mouth open.
any ideas

Regards,
Denis
Any help please....

 

[tjudy]

There is probably something stuck in her mouth. Hard to say what is she can still get something down. Try smaller foods, like baby brine, to see if she has an easier time with it.

 

[Esoxluciouss]

thanks for help

ok so do i investigate and see what happensens..
will take her out in the morning and look into more

I have coral sand in the tank, tiny particles, no male to fight with, she has two females in there with her and they just get out of her way.
There is no fighting in the tank.The male died from similar thing, an open mouth which ended up as a tumour inside its head... Bad to watch, i hope she gets better i am going to buy another tank to see if i can help her out as much as i can.
She is such a character..
Thanks for the advice guys any other suggestions ???

 

[Mike Wise]

Coral sand is the last substrate to use with nijsseni, a blackwater fish. Your fish may have had their jaws lock in an open position. It is hard for them to eat that way. Fish in this condition usually waste away, I'm sorry to say.

 

[Esoxluciouss]

not looking good

Bad news the female appisto eyes are starting to bulge slightly like the last male i had and she cannot swallow,,, looks bad.. any ideas


Yes i know about the sand, but all parameters are gooh kh is a little high but ok, moving the appistos to another tank next week after it cycles, but what substarte would u recommend Mike.

Thanks for your help..
Regards,
Denis

 

[Esoxluciouss]

new hope

Hi all.
I got a new tank and have been cycling it with harlequins for 3 weeks, sand substrate so the small appistos can sift through it and all the water parameters are just about there. But i am oing to wait another two week before moving the pandas in there.
Question, what is the ideal temperature for appisto pandura
Can i add shrimp to the set up, i have lots of caves and the tank is well planted.
Regards,
Denis

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,
Dennis, I'd agree I'd leave the tank a lot longer to stabilise, as the plants grow, the tank matures and with the biofilm development water parameters will become a lot more stable. I don't really do any regular tank maintenance to established tanks, apart from removing dead plant material and 10% water change every day.

I'm a bit worried about "KH is a little high", A. panduro really needs soft water with low conductivity and hardness, if you water doesn't provide these you'd probably be better of with a more tolerant species.

Shrimp don't get on with any of the larger mouthed Apistos. I moved a large colony of Red Cherry Shrimps in with my A. cacatuoides in a very weedy tank, who ate them all within about an hour. Even Amano shrimps or similar will be vulnerable when they are moulting.

I'd recommend 26-27oC for the tank.

cheers Darrel

 

[Mike Wise]

I have used coarse sand (2 mm ϕ - Texblast sand blasting sand) for over 30 years, but this is as large as should be used. Finer sand is better. Like other geophagines, apistos enjoy sifting the substrate. My sand is about as large as they can handle. Just make sure it is a non-carbonate sand.

 

[jose_vogel]

I use plain sand (the one used in construction). Of course I wash the sand very carefully.