AboutLynda Expertise I can help you with cichlids, african cichlids, betta fish. I have bred most of them, including the Discus, and Angel Fish, and Rams. I have also bred many african cichlids. I have bred bettas too...well I am a fish nut! I can help you with most diseases, and have experience in setting up a tank. I can tell you tricks on keeping your water alkaline without products. I also speak and write french. I have experience with salt water fish, but would rather not get into that field.
Please when writing to me, give me detailed information. The size of your tank, your water chemistry, etc. The more I know, the more I can help you. I cannot guess at what you have, so please give me information and I will do my outmost to help you with any question you ask me.
Please do not ask me questions on Goldfish, mollies, platies, and guppies. Lynda
Experience I have worked in Petshops in the fish department...was Manager in two...and alot of my experience came from my home where I had 26 aquariums from 20 gallons to 200 gallons.
Publications I have a MSN group but it has nothing to do with fish
Education/Credentials I have finished high school, and went to college, in accounting
Question im very experienced with fish, and ive never seen any thing like this before, i have a male electric blue jack dempsey that ive had for about a year now, he is around 4 to 5 inches in length and is currently housed in a 40 breeder, the water is amazing quality (every thing is at 0 and the ph is like 6.8) he has always been a joy, he would follow me as i walk around the room, he has been fed only the best food, i rotate from cichlid pellets (2 different brands) brine shrimp, tetra crisps, sundried shrimp, tetra granuals, blood worms, green peas ect
well i decided to add a female and thats when the problems started, no he lays around with clamped fins, he has no intrest in food, the female looks great and is very active, i thought he may be sick but she isnt, well i bought some ghost shrimp to encourage him to eat (im wondering if this has any thing to do with it) this was about 2 days ago and he actually started to chase them a bit,
well today i was doing a water change and i noticed blood red stringy stuff hanging from one gill, its not anchor worms, its the color of blood but its not blood, i got him in the corner with a net to take a closer look and some of it came off on the net it looks very soft, im not sure what to do ive never seen this befor ever,
thank you so much
Answer Hi Liz,
Jack Dempseys are true to their name, and you just can't put a female in with him, in the hope that they will breed. They must be of equal force, and if they aren't one could, and will kill the other. I think in this case, the female has the upper hand, she is stronger than him, and not being of equal force, has bit him, and caused him stress. He is living in fear of her. When a fish is stressed, all kinds of diseases may occur. A Jack Dempsey is a very violent fish, and grows to 8-10 inches. He would need a 50 gallon tank all to himself. Two Jacks need 100 gallon tanks. I would remove the female, as quickly as possible, and keep my Jack alone. It is very very rare that these fish get along with each other. To find a pair, you must keep 6-8 of them when small in a tank, and hope that a pair will form. They are cichlids, and cichlids are aggressive, territorial, and choose their mate. The Jack is one of the most aggressive fish known, along with Green Terrors. We do not give them names like this for nothing. I have seen Jacks get along well when young with other tankmates, and then suddenly they kill them off. It is their nature, and nothing we can do will change this.
You will have to cure him with an antibiotic, and coppersafe to. He may be vulnerable now to pick up parasites. Clamped fins indicate parasites.
Treat him with coppersafe, and Maracyn-two combined. Follow the directions on the package.
I hope he gets better quickly.
Lynda
