Sick Elephant Nose

Question
I have two elephant nose fish and one is laying down and look like its about to die. Is there any
thing I can do to save him. I had the tank for a month, its a 55 gallon tank. The pH is 7.0. I have one black angle fish,one algee fish, two shark fish but they are friendly with the other fish and four small silver fish with two black stripes on both side.

Answer
Hi Rene;

The tank is just too new for elephants. Your tank is still in the break-in period. Elephants are a very delicate species of fish and simply can't tolerate the levels of toxins that rise during the break-in. Make a 25% water change right away. Have the water tested so you will know how to proceed. Ask the fish store to test the; PH, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. Ask them for the exact test readings. "Just fine" or "a little off" is not good enough. We need actual numbers to compare as we go along. Let me know what they are.

Elephants need to be kept in groups of 3 or more. With just two there will be one dominant fish and one will slowly be stressed to death. With 3 or more they distribute their activity instead of focusing just "one-on-one" and getting terretorial. That may be what's really going on and the break-in period is simply adding to his demise. You might want to separate him to a hospital tank if he still alive. Change the hospital tank water every day. Make sure it is fully covered. Elephants jump out!

Here is link to a very good article about them;

http://fins.actwin.com/species/index.php?t=9&i=498

Here is my article on new tanks too;

http://fins.actwin.com/species/index.php?t=9&i=498

I hope things get better.....

At Your Service;
Chris Robbins