Flowerhorn Ciclid

Question

Flowerhorn ciclid   QUESTION: Hello, I have a flowerhorn ciclid that is about 4 yrs old. When I got up this morning and went to feed him i noticed that he is laying on the bottom of the tank and not moving much at all. His belly is completly on the bottom of the tank and his fins are at a resting state(kinda folded up). All water conditions are optimal. He hasn't eaten in two days. help please

ANSWER: Hi Eric,

Please don't be angry with me for being honest about your situation with you, if it's not the info you want to hear. :)  

The immediate thing I notice is I can see his water.  It's dirty.

It needs changed.

The second thing I notice is a heater way too small for his environment. There is no possibility that tank is maintained at 80 degrees for your flowerhorn.  He requires 80F and if you can boost the heat,  you might notice quite a bit of improvement.

My guess is the poor guy's cold. :)  He's by the heater and the filter.  Cold and dirty.  Wanting better air.

Often a sign of deteriorating water is when the fish goes to the bottom of the tank, and doesn't move or eat.  This is also how fish hybernate for winter.  When pushed to the freezing limitations, the fish will go into a form of hybernation where it won't move much.

As with your guy, I suspect freezing.

Freezing can be as little as 3 degrees too low.  So let's increase heat.  If I'm incorrect and heat is at 80F, then that is not the issue and we'll need to explore other things, but that is one of the first things coming to mind after viewing the heater.

He's beautiful, by the way. :)

Water should be crystal clear.  That would mean you maintain your filter at a rate of changing media monthly and doing recommended water changes of 10% bi-weekly or 25% a month.  

If you are doing all of the above, then do another water change, because something is awry.  Water shouldn't be yellow.  This is an indication of ammonia.  Ammonia is caused by nitrates.  Nitrates and nitrites come from waste.  Uneaten food, poop, poor filtration, dirty media can all cause this.

I see that one plug is plugged in.  Please double check his heater.  Might it be unplugged?  

I was given your question today in the question pool, referred by another fish-expert to the rest of us.  Perhaps beyond their expertise, or they are tired of answering questions.  Either way, if it was not answered within 24 hours for you, please don't hold that against me either.  I just got it tonight. :)

Please feel free to write back if you have more questions.

Renee

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks renee, I. Actually have two heaters in his tank, one on each end, but I keep the water at 76 to 78 cause that's what I was to to keep it at by another flowerhorn owner. I test my water everyday and ammonia , nitrite, nitrate and ph are all normal. I'm thinking it the heat and the fact that I don't have a very good substrate, I'm useing crushed polished glass, which I now realize is way too smooth for any bacteria to stick to. If u have any other info for me it would be greatly appreciated. Thankyou so much.          Eric

ANSWER: Hi Eric,

76 is way too cool.  It's that 3 to 4 degrees that's too cool for him. Raise the temp, get some better gravel and yes, I do have a suggestion. :)

Do you have a local rock landscaping company?  Ask for Pea Gravel.  It's very small, quarter-inch rock, and you can wash it thoroughly.  It makes wonderful, natural gravel for an aquarium.  But, be certain to wash it!

Nasty stuff on it from the rock quarry.

Anyway, it's sold by the yard (pickup load), but you can ask to buy enough for your aquarium.  It will be 1.5 lbs of rock per gallon, to 2 lbs.

If you need to write back, please feel free to do so.  

Good luck.  :)

Renee

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks renee I think I will do the pea gravel. I do have another question though, since I am removeing all of the substrate and probably half or three quartes of the water while cleaning the gravel before I take it out as to not disturbe to much setiment, should I use a bottle bacteria when replaceing the lost water, and should I use a couple cups of gravel from one of my established aquariums to jump start the new substrate? Thanks sooo much.     Eric

Answer
Oh yes, you should indeed.  I wasn't aware you had live gravel somewhere else. Yes, add 2 cups of that to your fresh gravel and change 10% of the water every 4 days for 2 weeks while it cycles. :)

I hope that your fish is doing better today. :)

Renee