Hey guys today i woke up and one of my cichlids was vertical instead of horizontal. At the moment he is still alive and its like his tail is not working to sit him correctly.

Ammonia - 0
Nitrate - high / been doing 50% water changes every day for the past week atleast. ( nitrates just started showing up last week also )
Nitrites - 0

Is he positioned head up or head down? Is he hoverin' in one of the corners or is he restin' on substrate, vertically wedged into the decor? Male or female? Any increase of aggression in other fish that you've noticed? If its just one fish and it started today, at this point I'd lean toward aggression or injury, rather than illness or a reaction to poor water conditions.

With 50% water changes every day for the past week, nitrates should not be an issue unless yer gettin' very high nitrates comin' in with yer water make-up.

I'll try to find the thread with yer stock in it. At this point, my first guess would be he's bein' herded into hidin' by a more dominant fish. Next guess would be he injured himself. Any slippage in decor that you've noticed? I f ya have a way to separate him from the rest of the fish in the tank, then see if ya can get him some peace and quiet. If he is injured or ill, it won't be long and he'll be a target for every other cichlid in the tank.

WYite

Well, don't see that you've posted that you've added anything since the yellow labs and fetherfin cat. Is that correct?

He/she I dunno if its male or female is head up. I have seen them circling the past few days and they have been much more pissy now that nitrate is present. It will sometimes just lay on the bottom and just chill.

My water source has no nitrate present and also im doing a 75% water change now.

thx

Sounds like aggression. What are the nitrates? If yer less than 20 ppm ya shouldn't have an issue, with the water changes you've been doin' I'd guess you are. What do ya have fer hidin' places besides the arches ya show in the pic in yer stocking thread?

WYite

Ive got 3 bushes / 2 dragons / bridge / and 3 river rocks. Up until this last week they never circled at all / never got face to face for fights / I had 1 yellow lab that was a bully but he never circled anyone

No need for all the water changes I don't think, you want nitrates in the water. In a newly established tank large water changes can be bad. As a good measure you want to try and keep nitrates under 50ppm, preferable under 20ppm but 50ppm is ok. Also does the fish seem listless or more just hiding? Get some more rock work in there, I would go and get some rocks and build up some caves if you can create new territories and for them to cruise in and out and around...this will help. If you have the money go and get a few more fish...three or four Mbuna is not the best number esp if you have more males than females...If this is a female and the others are males they may kill her for sure from fighting over her. Definately need more rockwork....lots of ROCKS and CAVES...here is what mine looks like on a larger scale.


This pic is when they were in the 75g...but you can see all the rock work...this is what you want to shoot for with a Mbuna tank.

on a side note 50% water changes suck on a 55 gallon tank by hand lol

i didnt post my last fish i added btw right now its


4 yellow labs
4 red zebras
3 acei
1 featherfin catfish

its the acei that is having the trouble and id say he is the biggest or 2nd biggest int he tank at about 2 1/2 inches

Well being the Acei is the least aggressive out of the bunch I would say that the others may be causin problems for him....start with the hiding spots...maybe re-arrange everything in the tank. Moving everything will give the fish a fresh start to claim territory and dominance. Adding some target fish may be necessary if this keeps up. I am going to say aggression at this point opposed to sickness. I know I am but rock work and caves I cant stress it too much.

ok im so paranoid about putting river rock in the tank. Ive heard u bake it but rock can explode at high temps. For the time being..... the fish is still straight up and down flying around the tank anything i can / should do? Is he a goner?

I dont get it i just did 75-80% water change and the nitires = 5ppm this is as high as the test goes... 50% all week and 80 today... I also took my source and checked 5 gallons of that it was 0ppm 0ammonia 0 everything... >DEoceacdasocjis suggestions? another high lvl water change?

Are we talking NitRItes or NitRAtes? Either or leave it alone for a day...Add a product that makes nitrites non toxic like prime, if we are talking about NitRItes. You are adding stress not only to the fish by doing all the water changes but to the cycle too. If you are getting NitRItes of 5ppm that is a good sign...you just need to add something to make it non toxic....Nigh NitRItes means you are almost done with the cycle and should get NitRAtes reading with in the next48 hours....but stop with the water changes for now.

NO, don't do any more water changes. Yer over doin' it.

I'm certain it's aggression now that I've seen what you've added. Do you have any way to isolate him? That's the best thing for him at this point. You need to get a lot more hiding places in there.

I've never boiled or baked a rock. Hose it down, spray it with vinegar, and scrub it down with a good brush to get any encrusting life off of it. At this point note if the rock fizzes on contact with vinegar. If it doesn't fizz, then the rock isn't goin' to absorb any of the bleach ya use next. Scrub the rock and put it in a 5 gallon bucket of water so that it's just covered with water and add 3 capfuls of non-scented chlorine bleach. Let it sit for 15 minutes. Dispose of the water. Rinse the rock off very well. Cover it with water in the bucket again and then add a dechlorinator. Swirl it around, let sit for 15 minutes, rinse the rock well again. At this point I rinse again, submerse and dechlorinate again. Rinse well and then use. I've done this with dozens of rocks and never had an issue.

On a sidenote, if the rock fizzes it's limestone-based, very alkaline and most likely very porous. It may still be suitable for a tank with Africans as it will help buffer the water. However, I don't use bleach on rocks of this type, 'cuz of the potential of not bein' able to fully dechlorinate them.

I agree with mostlycichlids. With more information now on stock and decor, ya don't have enough hidin' places. Don't think ya have an issue with illness or water parameters. I'm certain it's aggression.

WYite

Ok i just did another water check / feeding / nitrites = .25 now also when i feed the fish the guy swimming vertically did eat. So i think you guys are correct its just an injury. I dont have anything with a filter / heater to put him in by himself though...

Be very careful which you are measuring. You have said nitRITES and nitRATES. Your nitrites will read zero on a cycled tank. Your nitrates should be below 20ppm. You should try to keep your nitrite levels as close to zero as possible or your fish could be harmed. I am assuming your tank is not cycled yet.