Jump to content





Posted Image

PCS & Stuart M. Grant - Cichlid Preservation Fund - Details here


Photo

Mbuna Fry Deaths

fry death cichlid mbuna african

  • Please log in to reply
9 replies to this topic

#1 Christopher

Christopher
  • Forum Member
  • Joined: 27-November 13
  • Location:Perth
  • Location: Bedford

Posted 29 June 2014 - 07:30 PM

Have a 90L tank with about 20-30 fry in it, varying from 1-3cm. Maingano and Mpanga, with a small male bristlenose who i put in initially to help with leftover food (completely forgot that pleco poo is basically worse haha, not the best idea ive had)

Tank has a decent sponge filter (biggest i could buy @ Morley aquariums) and an airstone, so aeration is pretty good, been set up for several months so i didnt think it could be bio filtration issue.

Over the past 2 weeks or so have had some of the larger fry die, am not usually concerned when some of the newborns (only 1 or 2 of a 15 batch) die as but its getting to some of the ones that are almost 2cm are dying off. This is also the first time fry who aren't basically fresh out of the mums mouth have been dying on me.

Changes so far have been me having to change heaters from a 150W Elite, to an eheim 150w to accommodate some small tanks and all my 50w heaters doing nothing when i have em in the 10gals.
This has meant that even though i have the eheim set to 26 degrees (recently put it down to 24 to try and get it down) the tank doesnt move from 29 degrees (measured using a glass thermometer over several days)

I have been feeding 2-3 times a day. Hikari first bites in the morning, then crushed seraflora flakes (sometimes NLS pellets) in the afternoon and evening with daily water changes of a bucket full, so like 8-9L, vacuuming out leftover food and Pleco poo.

 

Previous deaths were some of the biggest i have in the tank, and i just found them sitting at the bottom, one of them had a bit of nibbling near its face but likely happened after his death. Just now one has died and a 2nd appears to be like spiraling? as it swims, nose pointed downwards and unable to swim away from nets etc. They all seem to eat and i make sure the bigger ones get a decent flake or two. Both times deaths have been following big water changes on the weekend, i cant precisely measure the heat of the water going into the tank, but i make sure it isnt cold and is as close to the temp of the tank (estimated by using my hand) , last water change i saw the deaths and dosed a bit more water conditioner (I condition water in the buckets before it goes in the tank, aswell as add malawi buffer) and that seemed to stop some deaths, but not even sure if it was conditioner that helped or just the time passed since the water change.

So yeah if anyone could give me any insight to possible causes? Just reinforcement of it being the temp too high, and any ideas why the heater refuses to keep it lower, or if its a faulty thermometer (if that can happen) or if its food idk, im at a loss so any help is greatly appreciated. Apologies for the wall of text and pretty annoying to read explanations ahha

- Chris



#2 Fox

Fox
  • Forum Member
  • Joined: 30-July 06
  • Location:Perth
  • Location: Ellenbrook W.A

Posted 29 June 2014 - 07:42 PM

Before anything.....
Test your water.
pH
GH
Ammonia
Nitrite
Nitrate

And let us know the results.

#3 Christopher

Christopher
  • Forum Member
  • Joined: 27-November 13
  • Location:Perth
  • Location: Bedford

Posted 29 June 2014 - 07:44 PM

Will do, ill take  a sample into Morley tommorrow after school and see what shows up.



#4 Fox

Fox
  • Forum Member
  • Joined: 30-July 06
  • Location:Perth
  • Location: Ellenbrook W.A

Posted 29 June 2014 - 07:47 PM

Good man ;)


On a side note.
Spend the $30-$50 for a decent test kit so you can test as soon as you see the issue.
Don't how many times my API test kit has got me out of the poo.
That goes for everyone reading this post.

#5 Christopher

Christopher
  • Forum Member
  • Joined: 27-November 13
  • Location:Perth
  • Location: Bedford

Posted 29 June 2014 - 07:49 PM

Am planning on getting one of the big master kits when I can, taking samples into the store has sufficed so far, but especially with me wanting to venture into tangs will be a good idea to get one.  going into last term of year 12 so im not getting alot of spending money haha, but definitely on the top of my list.


Edited by Christopher, 29 June 2014 - 07:51 PM.


#6 Fox

Fox
  • Forum Member
  • Joined: 30-July 06
  • Location:Perth
  • Location: Ellenbrook W.A

Posted 29 June 2014 - 07:50 PM

Great guns. Grab a API freshwater test kit. About $40 and IMO the best on the market.
Easy to use and last for ages.

#7 fuggers

fuggers
  • Forum Member
  • Joined: 28-April 13

Posted 29 June 2014 - 08:14 PM

hmmm..... larger ones dying..... whats your water aeration like?



#8 Christopher

Christopher
  • Forum Member
  • Joined: 27-November 13
  • Location:Perth
  • Location: Bedford

Posted 29 June 2014 - 08:20 PM

Aeration seems alright (sponge filter + large airstone bar), the largest has no issues at all. What i meant by larger was more or less just the ones who arent dying super young, the bristlenose in the tank is doing real well aswell.

After looking back on the tank it could be an issue of water movement around the lower levels of the tank. lots of fry hang out there and there isnt really any horizontal water movement, only the bubbles going up from the airstone and sponge filter.


Edited by Christopher, 29 June 2014 - 08:24 PM.


#9 sandgroper

sandgroper
  • Forum Member
  • Joined: 24-April 06
  • Location: Near Malaga

Posted 30 June 2014 - 12:07 AM

If your just going by touch, i'd suggest your water is way to warm when you do water changes. Thats probably why your tank temp is also high, you can't gauge the temp well enough by touch you need a thermometer. If the water feels warm to touch then it's probably in the high 30's or low 40's. The only time the aquarium water feels even slightly warm is when the outside temp is very low and how do you warm it as you shouldn't use water from your hot water storage unit.



#10 Christopher

Christopher
  • Forum Member
  • Joined: 27-November 13
  • Location:Perth
  • Location: Bedford

Posted 30 June 2014 - 04:35 PM

Got it tested and its all good.

Will keep in mind what you said groper, espec. the cold weather atm.

Lead to believe it could be a feeding issue combined with the tank having 2 diff species of wildly varying sizes. Some might not be getting food or are being bullied so time to think up some renovations of my fry system. Might divide a longer tank into smaller sections and raise brood by brood but that'll be a struggle considering how frequently my cichlids breed and currently have access to a 90L and a 10gal (used the 10gal for holding mums and new newborns)

Any suggestions are welcome in what improvements i could make, as atm the one 90L holds all my fry from about 1cm to 4-5cm when i can sell them. And as my adults are getting bigger so are the broods and their frequency. I am a 17 y.o. without a job finishing last term of year 12 so i can spend little to no money, so entire new tanks of filters, heaters etc. are unrealistic for me currently.







Also tagged with one or more of these keywords: fry, death, cichlid, mbuna, african

0 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users