AquaDiva

Just wondering if anyone can help us out. Lately in our 50g tank with the African Cichlids in it, we have been noticing them all rub their front gills and sides in the sand on the bottom. There appears to be no signs of ick or disease that is visible, and they do this even after a 50% water change. All levels seem to be fine as well. Any ideas why? We just want to find out if this is a sign of a problem about to happen or if it is a common behaviour. Thanks gang!!

Welcome aboard!!... And wow, I didnt know SunnySide had fish either, Ive been dying to find a place close to home I havent seen 10 times a week! And good to know if i go I can find someone with a lot of knowledge, It's darn scarry getting info from a sales person, and realizing they know even less then my noob knowledge Hope to read lots of good stuff from you!

:welcome: Moose. More Cowtown members are always good!! :thumbs:

:welcome: Welcome to the forum! You will find amazing knowledge and help on this board as well as some good deals, great tips and wonderful people. There are also montly meets in Calgary and Edmonton. I'm hoping to make my first meeting this month... (IF the boss will give me the night off!!) lol.. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

:welcome: Hi Pat, Hope you enjoy this forum as much as I do!!

Tried to get more pictures, but cameras and me dont seem to get along! lol. I first thought my one angel was sick, or crazy, It liked to go to my one plant and wiggle inside and go to sleep. Untill last week, when my 3 clown loachs decided that looked like a good place to sleep too. Now all 4 fish fight over the same darn plant continually!!.. The pic is fuzzy, but they sure are cute! http://www3.telus.net/public/gotchu/images/sleepingfish.jpg

Cant offer alot of help on that problem. I can tell you I am very very new to the aquatic hobby. My first tank, I decided on Angels. I have 4 Angels(3 from golds, 1 from pieces) in my tank with 3 clownloachs(from riverfront), and 2 plecos(pieces). In a 29 gal. tank. I bought my angels when they all were the size of a toonie. Id say I have had them now for about 7 weeks. And they are massive!!.. They must have grown 3 times their size already. Right now, they are fighting off ick in the tank, which I think i picked up from a plant. (being a noob, didnt know i had to quarintine plants!!) They appear to have escaped the miserable parasites completly, the loachs took the hit HARD. I am actually really impressed I havnt lost a fish yet due to this parasite.All the fish seem to be quite strong. I really think with that many fish, from different stores, dieing off, It must have something to do with your water. I wouldnt put anything else in their until you took the water to petland or somewhere and had it tested. Could be something else in their your tests are not picking up. Wish you the best!

Thanks AF, she is in the main tank now, and seems to be getting along great with her tank mates. The male in the tank seems glad to have here there too!! At last count there seems to be eleven of the little guys wiggling around in there. Pretty exciting for the first time witnessing a brooding mother spit.

Yes, I was worried with the loachs, I know they can't handle chemicals well, and salt seemed the most natural way. So after hours of reading, I ran to the store and grabbed some aquarium salt, followed what it said to do, bought a stronger heater, and cranked it up, currently steady at about 87 deg. and even though, most said it was hogwash to turn off the lights, i have done that. I figure anything that might help, without adding chemicals to the tank, I'll try. So far, (fingers crossed) the spots are rapidly dropping off the loachs, they almost look like themselves again. Best I can see, my angels and plecos were not effected yet. So hopefully in a few more days, and a couple water changes, things will be ship shape again. Good news, nothing seems to stop those little loachs appetites!! They still swim around and eat as if nothing was wrong. If they make it past this, I will deffinatly keep some salt in the tank at all times, hopefully to avoid this from happening again. Quite scarry for a noob!! :cry:

:welcome: HI there, wow, I'm glad I don't have to do water changes in your household!! lol.. Nice pics.

Well, being very new myself, and trying to catch up on a lot of very informative posts in here, and dealing with a tank full of ick :boxer: I will admit, there are a few posts i would have liked to respond on, or asked questions about, but was worried they would be looked upon as "stupid questions or comments" . Reading this post has vansihed all my fears. I will now fire off all my stupid questions, and harass all off you, with your knowledge, as often as possible!! :smokey:

Thanks everyone! Soon as i scrape some money up, you can bet ill be asking where the deals are!! For now at least, I'm very happy with my little tank and new found babies.. :drool:

:thumbs: Hi everyone, I am from Calgary, My husband(Go Big or Go Home!) Found this great forum, And I am truly loving all the information I can find out here. Since we are both so new to the hobby, it has come in tremendously helpful. I started out small, but can sense bigger things in the very near future :hey: Currently I have 4 angels, 3 Clown Loachs and a pleco in a 30 gallon tank. After watching my husbands tank and his new cichlids, I am positive a 3 figure tank is soon in the making Thanks for everyones time and effort, and making this a great forum!