Texas has tumors  10/29/09 Hi My Texas cichlid has not been well for about a month. At a guess he is about 8 years old. He started getting sores on his side which I treated with Melafix and they cleared up. <Likely unconnected... Melafix isn't much of a medication, and at best helps the natural immune system repair damage and fight infection.> Then a few weeks later he started to getting sores again. I removed him from the tank (950 litre tank) and treated him again with Melafix. It didn't clear up the sores and he started to develop pink lumps (tumors???) <These look somewhat like Lymphocystis, a not uncommon viral complaint seen among "advanced" (Perciform) fish including cichlids. The precise causes of this disease are not completely understood, but it seems to be triggered by stress, likely environmental stress if occurrences in the wild are anything to go by. So do check the aquarium, paying attention in particular to water chemistry and water quality. Herichthys spp. need hard (10+ degrees dH) water with a basic pH (7.5) and the water should be medium temperature (around 25 C) and clean (0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, and nitrate less than 20 mg/l). Because cichlids are messy feeders, and because this species is so big, keeping water quality where it should be can be difficult.> I changed his medication to aquari-cycline and he developed more lumps between his bottom fins. I then tried treating him with para-cide and after 2 weeks he still has sores and tumors which are appearing at the base of his fins, his body is bloated. He is still eating, his energy levels are a little lacking and is gasping. <Again, I'd tend to be looking at water quality/chemistry issues. Make sure the tank isn't overstocked, and that the filter is adequate to the needs of the fish. For cichlids this size, I'd be going with filter turnover rates 8 times the volume of the tank per hour. Make sure the carbonate hardness is sufficiently high that pH isn't fluctuating between water changes. With a few exceptions, cichlids are hypersensitive to low oxygen levels, and low water turnover and excessively high temperatures can cause an "oxygen crisis" for these fish that tend to stay near the bottom of the tank, where oxygen levels are invariably lowest.> I am about to start treating him for fluke and tapeworms. <Obviously, make sure you haven't fed anything like live feeder fish. This isn't a thing in the UK since feeder fish aren't sold here, but in some parts of the world they are still available, and that causes major problems. To produce a fish you can sell for pennies, healthcare will not be a priority. A feeder fish is really just a way of getting parasites into healthy fish. So if you have used feeder fish, then yes, there's quite a good chance your Herichthys has picked up something nasty. Certain fish species used as feeders, notably goldfish and minnows, have high levels of thiaminase and fat, and over the long term, both can cause serious problems. Thiaminase breaks down Vitamin B1, leading to deficiencies, and among other things, this causes the immune system to work less well. Fat causes problems by building up around the internal organs, and again, over time, that's going to lead to all sorts of metabolic abnormalities.> I really need some advice as I would hate to loose him. In the pics you will see that his lumps are around the base of his fins and the sore on his side <Indeed. Lymphocystis is essentially untreatable, and comes and goes depending on the health of the fish. Given optimal conditions and a balanced (i.e., varied, vitamin-rich, including plants) diet most fish do recover. Provided the tumours aren't obstructing an orifice, they are not substantially more dangerous than warts. But it does take months for fish to recover. While Lymphocystis won't be causing laboured breathing or sluggishness, the environmental problems that cause Lymphocystis could well be causing other problems as well.> Thanks <Cheers, Neale.>

sick Texas cichlid Old Texas Cichlid With Eye Problems  7/22/09 Hi I'm from Australia an I have a very large 35cm Texas cichlid who has an eye disease. I have been treating with Flagyl a very strong human antibiotic [penicillin] for the past 5 days. < This is actually treats Protozoans and not bacteria.> <<Mmmm; no... RMF>> The eye is healing but there is a lot of fungus forming around the eye. Its a very thick fury fungus. He is still very active an swimming around but not eating. He is over 10 years old he is healing except for this thick white fungus. His other eye is fine. I have sent some pics. Can you suggest anything that I could do as I don't want to put him to sleep... Thanks regards Jess <I think that your old Texas cichlid may be in trouble. The lack of appetite makes me think that he may have an internal infection as well. The Metronidazole will help. I would recommend a treatment of a combination of Metronidazole( Flagyl) and Nitrofuranace in a hospital tank. Do a 50% water change, clean the filters and vacuum the gravel. Use both medications on days 1,3 and 5. Do a 50% water change on days 2 ,4 and 6. Offer food on the 6th day and see if he will eat. The Nitro is an antibiotic that works well against fungus too.-Chuck>

Re: Astronotus (tank size), now Texas Cichlid sys. Question 1/16/08
Sorry to bother you, but are there any large cichlids that live in neutral hardness and can fit in a 40 gallon tank. I was reading the forums on Texas cichlid and it said:
<Texas cichlids can get up to 9 inches so a big tank of at least 40 to 50 gallons is needed. Big fish get messy so I would recommend a good size outside power filter that pumps at least 300 gallons per hour. Other fish like other central American cichlids would work well if they are all about the same size.
If you get a pair of Texas cichlids and they decided to breed then all the other fish will be killed or pushed to one side of the tank. If you can get the pair to spawn when they are small then it is not nearly as stressful as when they are larger.-Chuck>
So are Texas cichlids okay in a 40 or only when they are small.? Thanks< One adult male Texas cichlid can be maintained in a minimum of a forty gallon tank all by himself. A female would be smaller and be Allright by herself in a forty for sure. Keep up on the water changes and don't forget to get a powerful outside filter that is easy to maintain.-Chuck>

Texas Cichlid Breeding Aggression  9/21/08
Breeding Adult Texas Cichlids
Hello! I recently introduced an adult female Texas (about 6" ) into my 120 gallon established tank with many Honduran Redpoints and an adult male Texas (about 8-9"). I set up a divider to keep them separated while he got used to her being in the tank and she got used to him as well. I had holes in the divider that were big enough for all the HRP's to fit through and even big enough for the female Texas to fit through but not big enough for the male to fit through. So after about 2 weeks the female Texas was returning fin slapping/lip locking with the male through the divider and finally decided to go over to the same side he was on. They paired up! (I didn't think they would even get along, let alone pair up). The whole tank is quite peaceful, a little "gill flare" here and there from the HRPs to each other, but no big aggression issues.
Shortly after the two Texas cichlids paired up she lays her 1st set of eggs with him. That night she ate all the eggs and the next day they were out swimming around together with out very much aggression. I figured this is normal. It usually takes new pairs a few times to get it right. Well about 2 weeks later they try again, she laid the eggs at night, the next day everything seemed fine, she was tending to the eggs while he stayed around the area making sure none of the HRP's got any crazy ideas! But the second night something happens. In the morning she is hiding behind a plant holding as still as can be while the male is pacing around the tank. All the other fish were having a feast on the eggs. It appears that he turned his aggression towards her and chased her around and forgot all about the eggs. So I put a divider back in, same thing about a week later. They make up and get back together and about a week after that they lay eggs for the
third time, same thing. Second night something happens and the next morning she is hiding and he is pacing the tank. Now I know that sometimes the male Texas can become overly protective of the eggs and see the female as a threat, but I figured he would chase her away and protect the eggs, but it's as if he forgets all about the eggs and just focuses 100% on chasing her around.
This is only the third time they have laid eggs and I know it takes some time to get things right, but Im not sure they will ever get it right. Should I intervene and after she has laid the eggs separate the male to the other side of the tank while she watches the eggs, or should I separate her to the other side and let him watch the eggs, I don't think he will watch them. Or should I just let them keep going through this cycle hoping that eventually they will figure things out together?
Oh ya, The adult male Texas used to be kept with a female Flowerhorn by a previous owner. He said they tried to breed multiple times but it seemed as though he was sterile. This is what he told me, I don't know if this is because the eggs turned white, or she ate them, or what his "proof" was. As much as I can tell with the amount of time before the eggs from the two Texas cichlids are eaten by the other fish, only very few (maybe 5-10 per probably 500+ she lays) turn white, and that's probably about 24 hours later. The others look the normal translucent yellow/brown. Could it be though that the male is sterile and the second night the female noticed they are dead and tries to eat them and that is what turns the males aggression towards her? Thanks in advance for your help! -Candice
< It is true that when Central American cichlids spawn it takes a few times to get it right. It is very difficult to pair up adult cichlids.
If you are after eggs then remove the eggs right after spawning and hatch them artificially. Just remove the item that they spawned on and place in a container with the same aquarium water. Keep the water at 82 F, add some Methylene blue and keep a current over the eggs to keep them oxygenated. The eggs should hatch in three days. In three more days the fry will need to be fed baby brine shrimp and finely ground flake food. You will then have enough Texas cichlids for you and all of your friends. If you are trying to get the pair to just get along then drop the water temp to the mid 70's. This may be out of their range to spawn. A few unfertilized eggs are normal for every spawn. Usually the female eats the eggs right after laying them. She is interested in spawning because she is well conditioned and her hormones want her to spawn. The male probably noticed the female eating the eggs. She does this to build up her fat reserves so she can lay eggs again. He viewed her as a threat and chased her away from the eggs. Unfortunately when he does this he is not smart enough to realize that he has left them unattended and the other fish quickly make short work out of them. -Chuck>

Identification? TX cichlid   7/29/08 Hi Neale, Do you know by chance the identity of this fish? <Hmm... looks like Herichthys cyanoguttatus, one of the two "Texas Cichlids" of the hobby. Fairly sure it's a Herichthys species anyway, but there are quite a few in the genus that look alike (to me at least).> Is it a South or Central American cichlid? <Oh, definitely Central American.> I will continue to research it... Thank you. Lisa. <Cheers, Neale.> Re: Identification? (Chuck, second opinion?) You're expertise amazes me. Thank you!!! <Don't know that I'm right yet! Cheers, Neale.> Re: Identification? (Chuck, second opinion?) I checked out the pics and I think you hit the nail on the head. <Cool. Nice looking fish by the way. All the Herichthys are lovely pets, but fairly aggressive though intelligent and very adaptable (some species are said to be able to breed in seawater!). Cheers, Neale.> Cichlid ID Sorry guys, I didn't get a photo to check out the fish. If the fish has large greenish spots then it is a H. carpinte. If the fish has smaller whitish spots then it is a H. cyanoguttatus. Unfortunately recent water projects in northern Mexico have disrupted the natural waterways and certain geographic populations of both species are now able in cross in the wild. A species with only a few dots is H. tamasopoensis. Do a google search on all three and see which one matches the closes to the fish you are trying to identify. When all else fails I would go with Neale's ID since he has seen the photo and he is one of the best in the business.-Chuck Re: Identification? (Chuck, second opinion?)  7/29/08 Cichlid ID Sorry guys, I didn't get a photo to check out the fish. If the fish has large greenish spots then it is a H. carpinte. If the fish has smaller whitish spots then it is a H. cyanoguttatus. Unfortunately recent water projects in northern Mexico have disrupted the natural waterways and certain geographic populations of both species are now able in cross in the wild. A species with only a few dots is H. tamasopoensis. Do a google search on all three and see which one matches the closes to the fish you are trying to identify. When all else fails I would go with Neale's ID since he has seen the photo and he is one of the best in the business.-Chuck <Chuck, sorry, I didn't mention that the image is in the 'Emails with Images' mailbox, subject line "Identification". From your comments though, the spots are green rather than white, so maybe Herichthys carpintis is the way to go? But the spots are small rather than large! Cheers, Neale.>

TX, RMF Cichlid ID II 7/29/08 Neale, Couldn't find it in the email with images file but did find it on the WWM website. It is definitely H. cyanoguttatum.-Chuck>

Bloated Texas Cichlid 11/5/07
Hello! I have been searching/researching info on my sick TX cichlid for over a week now on your excellent site, and treating the problem to the best of my abilities with advice from y'all and my local aquarium stores. However, I am not seeing much change and would like to know when/if I may need to euthanize her (i.e., what signs should I be looking for to feel certain that the end is near).
OK, so here's the situation in a nutshell: 10 days ago, I noticed my 4-year old, female TX cichlid (20-gallon long tank, she's 6", feeding is primarily Hikari Gold staple with 1 frozen bloodworm block every few days; I have since STOPPED all bloodworm feeding and have given her Spirulina flakes and the Hikari staple every few days; she's still eating, but barely due to bloat discomfort, I assume) was looking very bloated and her anus was slightly prolapsed. I am pretty sure I caught it within 24 hours, so I began the treatments (see next paragraph). But, despite the efforts, 10 days later and the bloating has slightly increased, the anus has gone inside more, but a horrible fungus has grown all over the prolapsed region. All I see now is bloat and a dangly fuzzy/dark nastiness on her anus area, with slight prolapse.
Here's the medical treatment as of Day 2: 30% water change, filter/gravel cleaning. Removed the carbon filter and treated her with Epsom salt and Metronidazole powder (which I really don't think she ate much at all as I soaked her pellets/flakes). I did this every other day for a few days. No change, and then the fungus appeared, so started using Maracyn Plus, Epsom salt and a 50% water change + gravel cleaning. 2 days later, switched to Epsom and Maroxy for the obvious fungus problem. The bloat has not changed, but the prolapse has decreased, and the fungus is still around it, not as poofy white, but sickly darker, and her anus region does look rather red).
Should I be more patient? I am trying to be sensitive to not over-medicate, and let the carbon filter cycle in between medicine days. I am due for another water change soon, but am curious if I am being too aggressive? not aggressive enough with the meds?
Also, she is still "acting" like herself, but I am sure the bloating must feel horrible, not to mention the fungal growth (I wonder if it's gone internal now and is slowly killing her?). She eats a little still and is fairly active in her swimming around. I definitely don't want her to suffer, but also heard that these infections can take a while to go away. I am wondering about the 'point of no return' when I need to recognize that the fungus is not clearing up and her bloat is not decreasing.
Thank you for your help!! Attached are some photos (the best I could get),
Amy
< The Metronidazole is effective if the problem is a protozoan infection. I usually recommend adding an antibiotic like Nitrofurazone for bacterial infections too. You are starting to see signs of recovery with the shrinking of the prolapsed tissues. I would recommend using the Metronidazole and Nitrofuranace together and doing a 50% water change in between the days you don't medicate. Don't overfeed. The antibiotics have probably affected the biological filtration and excess uneaten food would lead to a serious ammonia spike. In your fish's stressed condition this could be deadly.-Chuck>

TX Cichlid missing most of tail now. Beat Up Texas Cichlid Is Getting Sick – 07/25/07
Hello, We have a TX cichlid that is very sick. He did have a tank mate which we removed when he started to get more sick and the tank mate was attacking him. He started off with what I thought looked like fin/tail rot and some sort of fungus that was moving up his sides from the back area but was not on the tail. I think it may have been a fungus since it was white "tuft" looking.
I gave him a round of Mardel - Maracyn and Maracyn Two. He seemed to be a bit better, then that is when the attacks from the tank mate started, thus removing him with fear he was going to kill the sick one. After a week or two with the 1st medicine I am now trying API T.C Tetracycline. One the 3rd day (of 4) of this medicine. He has been constantly in his cave for the past few days and is in a vertical position with his mouth on the tank bottom. I did a 50% water change about 7-10 days ago and now a 25% change today based on meds instructions. I lifted the cave up so I could see him since a few days ago when I lifted it his tail was almost gone. Well, it is completely gone now and looks like it has "rotted" away past the dorsal fin area which it now looks concave. Prior to being sick he was about 2 1/2 inches long, had him since November. I am amazed at the condition that he appears that he has not died. He has not been eating for probably a week or so. A few times prior to that I would see him poke his head out and grab a few flakes.
If you can please help me and tell me what we should do for him I would greatly appreciate it. I don't know if he could survive this with so much of his tail being gone now. Thanks, Julie
The tetracycline actually works better in soft water. I would recommend that you do a 50% water change, vacuum the gravel and clean the filter Keep the water at 82 F. Treat with Nitrofurazone as per the directions on the package. This medication is useful to treat both bacterial and fungal infections. If the infection has gone past the fin and into the body then the fin most likely will not grow back from that area. The fish may still survive but will not be very pretty to look at.-Chuck>

Re: TX Cichlid missing most of tail now. Texas Cichlid With Missing Tail – 07/26/07
Chuck, With treating in soft water, is it sufficient that our tap water has a water softener or do I need to add some sort of salt to the tank water?
<Ions like calcium and magnesium found in hard water tend to interfere with some antibiotics like Tetracycline. Simply replacing the calcium and magnesium with sodium like found in a water softener really doesn't do any good.>
Also, can I start using Nitrofurazone now or do I need to wait until the treatment of the tetracycline is done?
<If the fish is getting better then complete the Tetracycline treatment. If there is no progress then do a %50 water change and start to treat with the Nitrofurazone.>
If the fish survives and the tail doesn't grow back will he pretty much remain in that vertical position?
< Fins help stabilize the fish in the water. I think he may stay in this position without his fins.-Chuck>
Thank you so much for your time.

Texas Cichlid With Internal Infection  - 3/7/07
My 6"-long Texas cichlid has stopped eating and has been very inactive for several days now.  He will swim a little only if disturbed, prefers to lie still with his head elevated.  He also appears to be opening and closing his mouth a lot--'gasping'?  There are no other symptoms.  I've contacted local aquarium shops and followed their meager advice with no success:
1.  Gradually changed tank water and cleaned filter.  (Water was slightly elevated in nitrate level, but he's been OK in much water conditions previously...)
2.  Tempted him to eat with frozen bloodworms.  (He never ate cichlid food, ate only tropical fish flakes!)
He is at least 10, perhaps 12 years old, and I am also being told he is 'probably just reaching the end of his life span'.  Do old cichlids typically linger like this for several days before they expire?   If he is ill and I can try to do something about it, I would like to.   With this scant info provided, is there a medicine I might add to the water that might help?? (He is the sole occupant of his 25-gallon tank, will not accept any other fish...)
<Your fish probably has an internal infection. Do a 50% water change, vacuum the gravel and clean the filter. Treat with Metronidazole and Nitrofuranace. Due to your fish's advanced age, a complete recovery may not be possible but it is till worth a try.-Chuck>

Texas Cichlid, introducing a mate...  - 02/21/07
Hi There,
<Howdy>
       I saw your web site and I'm enjoying it very much. I have 2 questions for you first I will tell you about my tank. I have a 45 gallon tank with a 6 inch Texas Cichlid two 3-4 inch gouramis and a 6 inch pleco.
<Yikes... must be lively times for the Gouramis>
Everyone gets along great my first question is this my Texas is fine over all she eats good she looks normal and is very active but now I notice from time to time she Isn't swimming straight she seems fine but sometimes is at probably 10 percent away from being straight up and down second question is this. I am thinking about adding a male Texas to breed them is this a good thing to do at this point. I don't really mind moving the gouramis If there is to much aggressing since I have 2 other tanks that won't be a problem thanks for your time and expertise , Darren
<Mmm, I would move the gouramis, or at least be present, ready to move them with the introduction of another cichlid... I would put a separator between the new fish and all the "old ones" for a good week or two before allowing them to get to each other... And do this when you're going to be around/home for a few hours to monitor... Bob Fenner>

Re: Texas Cichlid, introducing a mate...   2/22/07
Hi Bob
<Darren>
             Thanks for your reply I have just lucked into a 72 G bow front so ill
<I'll>
be putting the texas
<Texas>
in my 55 and turn the 72 into my african
<African>
tank
<.>
thanks for the advise
<advice>
a divider will be good but can you divide a bow front .
<A stretch across a corner...>
I can't see how anyway
<.>
thanks again I am really enjoying your website. Have a great day ,Darren
     P.S.  YEAH i dont understand it either but miss texas lets the gouramis live. she has killed 3 or almost killed 3 others ive tried one was a talapia , then a green terror then a jack dempsey all were dead meat except for the jack who i got out in time he is now thriving in my african tank
<Next time... spell check... Bob Fenner>