Is my fish okay?

[cichlidmommy]

I have a Pseudothropheus estherae, also know as a Red Zebra Cichlid (although he is orange) and he has been acting a little strange. He looks fine, and is breathing and swimming fine. He just won't stop hiding.

He is usually out chasing the other fish, and when he is not doing that, he is out swimming or doing whatever he does. For the last 2 days, he has been hiding, and not coming out at all.

Any ideas?

 

[TheeMon]

maybey hes a she and shes making a nest or something (dont take my word on it though im new to cichlids and its just my guess)

 

[thecichlidaddict]

If the fish is hiding and not eating, this is often a sign of a condition called bloat. Other signs are white poop and sometimes (but not always) a bloated belly. Bloat will kill the fish sooner then later if it is not treated with a strong medication like Clout.

If you can seperate the fish into a small hospital tank you can observe it and get a better idea of whether this is the situation or not. A fish with bloat, depending on how bad the condition is, may refuse to look at food, sniff it out but not eat it, or attempt to eat it but spit it back out.

If this is, in fact, the case, then let us know so we can help you track down the source of the problem.

 

[cichlidmommy]

Thanks for the answers. He came out last night before I went to bed, and got some food. So, I will keep an eye on he/she and see what happens.