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I just got my new 55g up and running, and one of the cichlids I bought is looking very sick. I can't tell exactly what it is, but I son't want to get any of the others sick.

Symptoms: Won't eat, floats at the top of the tank, frayed fins, clamped fin, looks bloated below the gills. Other fish have slightly frayed fins, but as these are cichlids in a new tank, I am not surprised (fiestly little buggers).

Water parameters: New tank cycling ph=7.6, ammonia=.5 nitrite=.25 nitrate=0
Cycling additives used: Nutrafin Cycle, Fritz-Zyme #7

Should I set up a hospital tank, dose the whole tank with Melafix, and what exactly does my fish have? (Fin rot, swim bladder, Trichodina?)

Hi Harley, I'm not a pro at this but, to me it sounds like he has swim bladder. Go get some frozen peas and defrost them under some hot water, then mush them into the tank, trying to keep the skins out, but if they do get in don't panic. This will cure swim bladder fairly well. If not you might want to try some algae sheets, I don't remember the name just off hand, but I know Cory_Di has had lots of luck using them with her Goldies that suffer swim bladder.

Now let me ask, what kind of cichlids do you have in your 55 gallon? How many of each? Do you have any place for them to hide? If you don't have any hiding holes, you need to get some rock, I have Texas Holey Rock and it is full of holes that the fish can swim in and out of to hide, and/or escape when necessary. And I also find it amusing as all get out to watch them swim in and out of their holes.

EDIT: Also check your cichlids mouth, is she not even opening her mouth? Does her neck/chin area seem to hang farther down than the rest? If so, she could be holding, and we should be congratulating you...

Let us know, Heidi

"I've got a great ambition to die of exhaustion rather than boredom." Thomas Carlyle

I have a total of 6 assorted Africans, my lfs doesn't sell the larger ones as species. I am waiting until the tank is cycled to add my socolofi, who I've had for almost two years now.

For hiding spots, I have a grotto, a plastic hollow stump with many swim holes, and a hollow log. I will add two more hiding caves when I add the other fish.

The area under the mouth does look swollen, but he/she is not swimming at all now. I just came home, and it's flopping at the bottom now.
I'm all out of frozen peas at the moment (normally I have plenty of frozen veggies) and the pet stores and markets are all closed for the night. I am not sure if it will make it to morning.

After I submitted that last post, I checked the tank again, and the poor guy had passed. I am noticing one of my other cichlids shaking a bit, not constant, but enough in a new tank to scare me. Should I treat the remaining fish for any diseases?

I took a close look at the dead fish once I took him out of the tank, and he did look bloated in the chin area, but also around the belly. Hopefully a bad case of swim bladder??? I will have my boyfreind check with the lfs tomorrow when he returns the cichlid. Any other preventative measures are gladly welcome.

the problem is ammonia or nitrite poisoning. They should be both at 0. Do a water change immediately. Your tank is cycling

If you do a water change, you starve the beneficial bacteria that you are trying to establish while in the cycle. IF the fish are in immediate danger, then of course do the water change, but if you can help it, let the cycle finish itself.

Well if one fish has already died then i think that the others are in danger

I used Fritz-Zyme #7 to help cycle the tank, and have never used it before. It says it's 100% fish safe, and live biological substances need the fish to produce the needed ammonia and nitrites to complete the cycle.

Both my ammonia and nitrite levels are "low" for a cycling tank, do you think that these cichlids are just that sensitive? The tank has only been cycling for about a week now, so I don't expect to see the nitries drop to 0 within the next few days.

So this does not seem like any infection or disease, just new tank syndrome?

Can you isolate the fish just to be sure? Anything that's shaking or floating is generally at risk of causing disease or spreading it. Your ammonia is high, and i'd take greenmonkeys advice and be doing regular water changes. Start with a 20% just to get it down a little. I can see the tank is only cycling, but none the less, Cichlids can be very fussy fish, depending on what you have, and cycling with tmpered aged water will not damage your cyle in conjunction with the additives you are using.

Also, try one of Gary Rolands old trciks and use "New Improved Cycle". I 've been using it on one of my smaller tanks that needs regular large water changes, and it really does a good job of kick starting your cycle. It's a very good product. You can thank Gary for that one!