Unexpected Cupid behavior… well duh, that's because they are not Cupids

[Colin_T]

Post 1 & 16 of the following link have info on white spot. The link can be found on the right side of the page under Useful Links.

What is ICH?

This is a common question that is often asked, what is ich and how is it recognisable and what causes it? The real term is ICHTHYOPHTHIRIASIS. OR commonly known as white spot. It is an extremely comon parasite that affects aquarium fish. It is highly infectious and potentially lethal and...

www.fishforums.net

If using heat to treat white spot, get the temperature to 30C (86F) and keep it there for 2 weeks, or at least 1 week after all the white dots have gone.

 

[Magnum Man]

Everyone seems to be handling 86 degrees well so far

 

[Magnum Man]

every one lookin good… do I see cheek spots???

 

[anewbie]

Can you get a close up picture of the one in the back - the one with a mark through the eye and orange tip fins. It is hard to see clearly but that one seems to have different markings than the other three.

 

[Magnum Man]

Sorry, that’s a Bolivian Ram ( photobomb )… there are 2 in that tank, that used to territorial squabble all the time, now either one or both, hang with these new geo’s

They used to fight so much I was calling them the Bolivian cartel… better now that there are more cichlids

 

[Magnum Man]

Well, just completing the 2nd full week at 86 degrees… looks like all the fish tolerated the heat better that the parasites… I would say the tank is Ich free, and no loss of life, to any fish, or my snail, or any plants… everything looks good… well except for the supposed Cupids not being who they were supposed to be….

I would say that raising the temperature, was an effective method to kill Ich, and preferred by me, to adding chemicals, thanks @Colin_T … for suggesting, and clarifying

 

[GaryE]

Bear in mind that your fish are all warm water species. I'd have no qualms about cranking the heat on South American Geophagines. It could seriously harm some of the Central African fish I have here, in which case medications would be a better option. It really depends on the fish you have, and where they originate in terms of temperature sensitivity.

 

[anewbie]

Bear in mind that your fish are all warm water species. I'd have no qualms about cranking the heat on South American Geophagines. It could seriously harm some of the Central African fish I have here, in which case medications would be a better option. It really depends on the fish you have, and where they originate in terms of temperature sensitivity.

Yea; i found that pygmy cory cannot tolerate the heat well...

 

[Magnum Man]

I have 5 baby albino Cory’s in this tank, and they continue to thrive… growing like weeds…

But I’m sure you’re right… my Asian tank, is kept at 70 degrees… not sure how they would tolerate 86 degrees for 2 weeks

 

[GaryE]

It's a minor point, as I have weird fish. But studies have shown some of my killies, for example, are unable to digest any food at high temperatures. That probably dooms them with climate change, but would also change my strategies if they ever got ich. My Chromidotilapia nana, which have the niche eartheaters do in South America, don't like anything about 23c/73f, and can be killed by it. Other fish from their Genus, from farther north where the rainforests have been destroyed, can handle warmer.
The warm days of summer are a time for extra attention here.

 

[anewbie]

I have 5 baby albino Cory’s in this tank, and they continue to thrive… growing like weeds…

But I’m sure you’re right… my Asian tank, is kept at 70 degrees… not sure how they would tolerate 86 degrees for 2 weeks

albino is a colour morph not a species (technically colour morph is incorrect as true alibino are devoid of pigment). they are most likely aeneus which can handle higher temps for short periods; but there are other species sold as alibino.

 

[Magnum Man]

@anewbie … yes, I knew they weren’t their own species… and you are correct, as these were supposed to be Aeneus… but one never really can count on what we’re really getting… I know they aren’t Cupids

Must be time to dial back the heat… seems like lots more Cichlid “scrapping” with the tank being hotter… no one has any damaged fins yet, but lots of chasing around…

One fish that has really come around, is the pet store mutt Angel… it almost acted mentally deficient, when I 1st got it… it’s large ( body about 4 inches, without the fins ) today it’s not tank boss… it actually shares that position, with the largest electric blue acara, and the dominant Geo… I’d like to add a 2nd angel ( that was my original plan, to have 2 -3 of them ) but with the growth potential for the “not the Cupids” , I’m thinking I better hold off

 

[anewbie]

@anewbie … yes, I knew they weren’t their own species… and you are correct, as these were supposed to be Aeneus… but one never really can count on what we’re really getting… I know they aren’t Cupids

Must be time to dial back the heat… seems like lots more Cichlid “scrapping” with the tank being hotter… no one has any damaged fins yet, but lots of chasing around…

One fish that has really come around, is the pet store mutt Angel… it almost acted mentally deficient, when I 1st got it… it’s large ( body about 4 inches, without the fins ) today it’s not tank boss… it actually shares that position, with the largest electric blue acara, and the dominant Geo… I’d like to add a 2nd angel ( that was my original plan, to have 2 -3 of them ) but with the growth potential for the “not the Cupids” , I’m thinking I better hold off

Also be aware that the behavior of all your cichild will change once they reach sexual maturity.

 

[Magnum Man]

More strange behavior, from the Geo’s this time… I have Chinese Evergreen in hang on pots, clipped to the top of the tank, along the back, between the hob filters this morning, one of the Geo’s is grazing on the bottom of these pots, and on the emerging roots… I see it managed to break off a 3 inch piece of one of the roots, that was floating around the tank, but has now lodged in the skimmer on one of the Tidal 75’s…
Maybe that’s because the dominant one is claiming too big a piece of sand on the bottom??? Will be dialing the temperature back down to normal today, which should take a little of the “edge” off… it’s not going to effect the plant, lots of roots… I’m just surprised it’s grazing at the top of the tank

 

[Magnum Man]

@GaryE … interesting point on the temperatures… the tank is back to 79 degrees, and all of a sudden the Giants in this tank, have begun to work the glass again… the last couple weeks, they have been just hanging out on the wood ( not eating or cleaning it ) today I added the biggest Giant, that was in the holding tank, after I dropped the temperature… now today, suddenly the 2 that were in this tank, are working the glass, quite ambitiously???