Cockatoo Cichlid

[xanthianacid]

Got a male and female pair of cockatoos a couple of weeks ago. She is very happy, but he...well he's not a well boy, and he's getting worse.
Given him the opportunity to live in a different tank (moved with his female), and now to a very established tank (without his female), he is now in a breeding net with a slight flow from the filter. Would a bit of salt help him? He shows no sign of illness except lying on side and back breathing very very slowly.

Have a hospital tank currently set up, it's saved one fish, but two others didn't make it



Current meds on hand: Melafake, and an antifungal.

Please Help!!!

 

[smithrc]

We've lost 2 males since we got our female. she's still alive and going strong - but her original man died and so has the replacement.

Not sure why either

 

[xanthianacid]

Hi, yes that is sad, i certainly hope that's not the case with us.

to your little guys, I'm sorry.

 

[pnyklr3]

Don't put any meds in the tank unless you know EXACTLY what is wrong. Cockatoos are intolerant of medication. It could just be a male from bad stock (what I mean is perhaps inbred too much). Another member on the forum had a few males die before he got his current one. If your male was just resting at the bottoms, I wouldn't be too worried, but it is a problem with him on his side. Why not try him out in the hospital tank without any meds? My only suggestion would be to put a cave in there for him so that he isn't too scared without any cover. I have found that cockatoos are out and about (and in better spirits) when there is a lot of hiding places (cave and plants).

Good luck with your little guy!

 

[xanthianacid]

Hi pnyklr3, its the same cockatoo katchan's been posting about for help further down (He would be doing this thread but he's on moderator reviewed posting which takes forever because inchworm said he was naughty) which he says you have helped with. He is currently in our older 40 Gallon and he seems to be picking up a bit, hubby added some melafake and salt to the water, about 0.05ppm or 10 tespoons for 40 gallons he say's. He's in this tank because its our second oldest and because of its size the more stable both in water and fish conditions, It might be hard to put a cave in the breeding net but do you think some java moss and floating plants would help, also would it help having his girlie in there with him.

Xanthianacid

 

[Cian McLiam]

I've found males to be pretty weak also, only the rarely imported ones still seem as strong. I think its probably a lot of heavily farmed far east fish which are cheaper to import, going down the same road as the Blue Ram. They seem to breed well though but most of my males (Cockatoo's, Honglsoi, Aggassizzi etc) dont live as long as the females who are almost indestructible.

Treating them with meds only seems to speed up death, once they are crashed out on the tank floor mine rarely recover.

 

[FoundMoney]

I don't know if I'm the member pnyklr3 refers to but I've had a lot of trouble with cockatoos, and seemingly everything else is alright. Other sensitive fish, such as Otos seem to thrive in my tank.

I'm actually on my third male cockatoo and this one seems healthy and strong. I had a scare a couple weeks ago when I noticed he wasn't out and about as usual and became very picky about eating. He would spit out flake food, although he still ate bloodworms. He was breathing heavily and his gills seemed a bit swollen. I thought it might be some kind of gill flukes or other parasites. Not wanting to just sit back and watch him deteriorate, I got a bit more aggressive than is my norm. I put him in a hospital tank and treated with "Quick Cure" which is a combination of formalin and malachite green. After a few days his appetite seemed to pick up and after a week I put him back in the main tank. Luckily, he's back to his old self.

I have also had trouble with female cockatoos. I've had one die on me and the two females I have now are both blind or visually impared from eye diseases. People have told me it's a symptom of poor water quality but my water always tests out fine, so who knows. I'm trying to reintroduce them back into the main tank but I think it's too hard for them to eat since they can't see. I'm not sure what I should do with them.

 

[xanthianacid]

Thanks everyone! He is still alive and he's breathing still, Don't want to stress him out anymore. For now I think it's best if he stays in the breeding net in this tank. He's doing the best in there than anywhere else. Will be watching him, but by the sounds of it there may be little chance for him Very frustrating!

 

[Katchan]

he put up a vailent fight at the end

thanks for all the help in this thread and mine further down

katchan