Tropical Fish Forum

Tropical Fish Keeping Help and Advice => Fish Species => Dwarf Cichlids => Topic started by: wooders on June 21, 2017, 03:07:00 PM

Title: Apistogramma thin and panting
Post by: wooders on June 21, 2017, 03:07:00 PM
Hello one and all, I have cockatoo apisto that is thin an is always gasping. Water quality is good, temp is 26 to 28 centigrade due to our heat wave.He behaves normally and the female is fine. Any clues? I do a 20% change once a week. All the others are fine as is his colour. Cheers in advance, Phill.
Title: Re: Apistogramma thin and panting
Post by: Sue on June 21, 2017, 05:29:31 PM
If he is thin it suggests an internal problem but this could be bacterial, viral, protozoan or parasites. Any treatment will depend on the cause.

Have you seen him poo - is it white and stringy?
I know it is difficult to see with fish that like to rest on the bottom, but are there red threads protruding from his anus when he stops swimming for a few seconds?
Title: Re: Apistogramma thin and panting
Post by: fcmf on June 25, 2017, 07:32:59 PM
Just an added question - by 'good', do you mean that the water quality is 0 for ammonia and 0 for nitrite and 20 ppm (or no more than 20 ppm above your tap water reading) for nitrates? If there is any presence of ammonia or nitrite, or your nitrates are higher than this, that could very well be an explanation for whatever is causing these problems - with one (the weaker) fish usually succumbing to the effects before another. If, however, the water quality is consistently 0, 0 and <20 ppm respectively, then at least water quality can be eliminated as a factor.
Title: Re: Apistogramma thin and panting
Post by: MarquisMirage on June 30, 2017, 09:46:05 PM
Apistogramma are one of those fish that prefer nitrates around 5ppm.  You say all the others are fine.  If there are more than one male in the tank it could be that the he is being chased around by the dominant male.  If you have other species of apistos in there or other semi-aggressive fish it could be them.  Watch the tank for a while and see what happens in there including if the fish is eating at all.  If the fish is eating then Sue is likely to be on the money.