CichlidFish.com - Fish That Think.

i am looking into a new tank for my O and his buddies. i have a medium size O a 12" iredescent shark and a parrot fish... i am about to buy a 75 gallon tank does every one think this will suffice the space that they will be comfortable in?

thanks
Will

Hi, Wemery!  Should be fine for the moment.  Just bear in mind that that Iridescent can grow to over 3 feet long.

thanks DanRad.... i am also having a problem with my oscar at the time... he is eating fine but he either sit at the top corner or lays on the bottom of the tank and doesnt swim around much any more... he has white spots on him but it doesnt look like ick...  im starting to think HITH but im not sure because i have never experienced it before can any one help me?

First thing is to check your water.  Test kits are essential when keeping big cichlids.  Especially look at ammonia & nitrite.  Nitrate & pH also important to know, but the first 2 are more critical.  This shouldn't wait.  Also plan on doing about a 50% water change, with another one a couple of days later.  Do the white spots look like dots, or more like acid burns?  If he's lying down like that it could be ammonia poisoning, so act quickly.

i dont have a test kit but i have brought my water to an almost what you call super pet store called zoo creatures and they tested it for me and said that it was all good... i am pretty sure that, that is not the problem... the guy told me to buy some parasite guard and do a 20% water change so i am going to treat him with that while i wait for the new tank to cycle... if he is not healthy by then do you think i should still move him? i also bought some better quality food to see if that will help him.

thanks
please let me know if you have any idea about what this is.

thanks again
Will

Hi, Will:  I'm of course not there looking at the fish, but one "rule of thumb" a lot of people go by is that there isn't too much that changing water won't at least help.  If your O is acting as sick as you say, a 20% change just isn't going to do much.  Another truism is that a water test kit is one of the best investments you can make.  They don't cost a lot, and can give you a lot more specific (and quick) info than you'll get from almost any pet store.  "It's all fine" really tells you nothing that will help you diagnose what's going wrong. 

How are you cycling the new tank?  With fish, or without?

i have not gone to get the tank yet im getting it saturday night but i was just going to cycle it with out fish but i could take the two non sickly fish and cycle it with them which do you recomend... i just do not want the O to die if i move him...

do you advise me move my sick oscar? or leave him where he is... i still have yet to find out what he has and if i can save him or not.