I have a well established, heavily planted 15 gallon tank with a pair of A. cacatuoides that have been living very peacefully together until a few days ago. Two days ago I spotted them in one of the many caves available to them and since then the male has been hiding and very still. This evening I finally saw him out in the open, his fins are severely ravaged, he is barely moving and drifting upside down. Clearly he is near death. I didn't see the result of their mating, but I assume that the female must have attacked him and driven him away after they spawned?
Also in the tank are 1 C. lalia and a small pleco. I recently added a small school of cardinal tetras. I noticed yesterday that they are showing signs of ick and began treatment today by raising water temps and adding 1.5 tbs of marine salt. Ammonia, Nitrites and Nitrates are all at zero. PH is slightly acidic and the water is soft. Temps are usually at 72 degrees, although they are rising now for the ick treatment. I don't have a quarantine tank where I can move either the tetras or the afflicted apisto.
SO WHAT DO I DO? Is there anything I can do to save my apisto? Is the ick treatment likely to worsen his condition, should I hold off for a couple of days and see if his condition improves? I DO have a 10 gallon tank in another room I could move the female to, but its pretty fully stocked and she doesn't seem to be bothering her former mate anymore, nor do any of the other fish. If the poor guy doesn't make it, can I replace him with another male, or am I likely to find the same scenario all over again? Sorry for all the n00bish questions... I did do a fair bit of research before getting this pair and I was under the impression that a single breeding pair with plenty of room and hiding spaces would do okay in a tank this size. Two days ago I was so happy and excited to see them spawning and today I am just morose and depressed to see quickly my healthy fish has been brought to deaths door![Frown :( :(](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)
Thanks in advance for your help! R
Also in the tank are 1 C. lalia and a small pleco. I recently added a small school of cardinal tetras. I noticed yesterday that they are showing signs of ick and began treatment today by raising water temps and adding 1.5 tbs of marine salt. Ammonia, Nitrites and Nitrates are all at zero. PH is slightly acidic and the water is soft. Temps are usually at 72 degrees, although they are rising now for the ick treatment. I don't have a quarantine tank where I can move either the tetras or the afflicted apisto.
SO WHAT DO I DO? Is there anything I can do to save my apisto? Is the ick treatment likely to worsen his condition, should I hold off for a couple of days and see if his condition improves? I DO have a 10 gallon tank in another room I could move the female to, but its pretty fully stocked and she doesn't seem to be bothering her former mate anymore, nor do any of the other fish. If the poor guy doesn't make it, can I replace him with another male, or am I likely to find the same scenario all over again? Sorry for all the n00bish questions... I did do a fair bit of research before getting this pair and I was under the impression that a single breeding pair with plenty of room and hiding spaces would do okay in a tank this size. Two days ago I was so happy and excited to see them spawning and today I am just morose and depressed to see quickly my healthy fish has been brought to deaths door
Thanks in advance for your help! R