AboutRon Coleman Expertise I am an expert on cichlid fishes, particularly New World cichlids. My broader expertise includes the behavior, ecology and reproduction of fishes in general. (I am NOT an expert on Goldfish. Please do not ask me questions about why your goldfish are sick -- they are almost always sick due to the way that they are sold). Also, please do not use abbreviations, such as "my GT has a swollen
eye" because I don't know what a "GT" is. The more clearly you can explain your question, the better chance I have of understanding what it is that you seek. Thanks.
Experience I teach at the California State University, Sacramento in the Department of Biological Sciences, and I run a website, called the Cichlid Research Home Page . I also write for many popular aquarist magazines, and I am editor of Cichlid News magazine. I am a scientist and I spend my time teaching fish biology, ecology, behavior and evolution and doing research on the reproductive biology of fishes, particularly cichlids. I do research in the laboratory and in Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Mexico. My main interest is understanding the evolution of parental care in fishes. I am interested in encouraging greater public awareness, understanding and participation in science.
Organizations belong to American Cichlid Association, Pacific Coast Cichlid Association, American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, etc
Publications Cichlid News, Tropical Fish Hobbyist, Freshwater and Marine Aquarium, Science, Behavioural Ecology and Sociobiology, Copeia, Canadian Journal of Zoology, Trends in Ecology and Evolution, AUK, Environmental Biology of Fishes
Expert: Ron Coleman Date: 6/10/2008 Subject: Bleeing Cichlid
Question My boyfriend just bought a new African cichlid that got the crap beat out of it by a bigger one. He hasn't been doing so awesome lately. He hasn't been swimming, hes been sticking close to the sand at the bottom of the tank and seems to be leaning to the side. I noticed he had a few small cuts near his tail, however we moved all the fish out of the tank except for the pleco and syndronamanis catfish. Did a water change but he doesn't appear to be getting better. He has more cuts and it appears as if blotches of scales are missing. I'm not sure what to do or if he can be saved... Any suggestions are appreciated. :)
Answer Hi Amanda,
Time will tell. Often it takes a few days after a fight for the full extent of the damage to appear. Now it is just a matter if he is strong enough to heal. On the plus side, cichlids are remarkable resilient and can heal some incredible wounds.
-- Ron
rcoleman@cichlidresearch.com
Cichlid Research Home Page <http://cichlidresearch.com>
