hi together,
i have got a problem with my male elassoma okefenokees (and ONLY with them). I lost 3 males during the last week in different tanks. they all looked pretty normal before they died, some of them were even dancing around for some females. All water parameters are okay and haven't changed since I have been living here.
So my question is whether there is a disease that is specific for male fish? what can I do? All other fish, even the young, are okay. I can't believe it's their age, I don't believe in such a coincidence.
torben
disease of male elassoma?
Started by
Guest_skalartor_*
, May 09 2011 11:38 AM
7 replies to this topic
#2
Guest_EricaWieser_*
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Posted 10 May 2011 - 02:03 PM
Are you sure only the males have died? The females are sometimes hard to notice because they're boringly clear. I usually ignore them unless they are especially social. Anyway, my point is, they might be dying too but you haven't been noticing. That seems more probable to me than a disease that only strikes down males.
Edit: And what does "all my water parameters are okay" mean?
What is the concentration in parts per million (ppm) or mg/L of ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate?
What is the pH?
What is the temperature?
What have you been feeding them?
And what do the dead fish look like (any fuzz, any discoloration? are the fins clamped? is there hemorrhaging beneath the skin? bloat? raised scales?)
Edit: And what does "all my water parameters are okay" mean?
What is the concentration in parts per million (ppm) or mg/L of ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate?
What is the pH?
What is the temperature?
What have you been feeding them?
And what do the dead fish look like (any fuzz, any discoloration? are the fins clamped? is there hemorrhaging beneath the skin? bloat? raised scales?)
Edited by EricaWieser, 10 May 2011 - 02:06 PM.
#3
Guest_skalartor_*
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Posted 10 May 2011 - 03:00 PM
hi,
sorry, I forgot: ammonium not measurable, same as nitrite. nitrate max 10 mg/l. pH 7,5, temperature 18 °C. feeding consists of different living foods like daphnia, mosquito larvae or brine shrimps. dead fish never showed any obvious signs of disease, no funghi, scales abnormalities or anything like this. and yes, i'm pretty sure that only males dye. there were 7 fish in my tank, 4 males and 3 females (and some youngsters but they seem to be okay). the females seem to be okay, no signs of illness. they even seem to produce eggs. no idea what it could be. i have kept fishes for more than 12 years and I have never experienced anything like this.
torben
sorry, I forgot: ammonium not measurable, same as nitrite. nitrate max 10 mg/l. pH 7,5, temperature 18 °C. feeding consists of different living foods like daphnia, mosquito larvae or brine shrimps. dead fish never showed any obvious signs of disease, no funghi, scales abnormalities or anything like this. and yes, i'm pretty sure that only males dye. there were 7 fish in my tank, 4 males and 3 females (and some youngsters but they seem to be okay). the females seem to be okay, no signs of illness. they even seem to produce eggs. no idea what it could be. i have kept fishes for more than 12 years and I have never experienced anything like this.
torben
#4
Guest_Drew_*
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Posted 10 May 2011 - 03:07 PM
I've had male elassoma just die after spawning. I believe it is in the genetics. You can just hope that your eggs are viable and can continue the population.
#5
Guest_EricaWieser_*
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Posted 10 May 2011 - 03:22 PM
How long have these fish been in the tank? Mine were spawning within the first week or two that I had them, and seemed to produce babies continuously after that. Your population should have been a lot higher than 7.
Edited by EricaWieser, 10 May 2011 - 03:23 PM.
#6
Guest_NVCichlids_*
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Posted 10 May 2011 - 04:12 PM
I thought their lift patterns were similar to the annual killie fish of SA. They typically die after a year year and a half and depending on the age of the fish when you got them, they could just all be "old" fish. That is my 2 cents on the matter. I just lost my first zonatum due to age (got them a year ago december and this one was close to adult size when I got it). I ordered 8 and now have 16-20.
Your population should boom at somepoint so long as there is nothing that will eat them, their eggs, or wigglers
Your population should boom at somepoint so long as there is nothing that will eat them, their eggs, or wigglers
#7
Michael Wolfe
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Posted 10 May 2011 - 04:21 PM
I will not contradict Drew that they do sometimes seem to use up all their energy spawning and that some dont seem to do well after that...
On the other hand, I will say that the "they onyl live for a year" thing is just not true in captivity. I have had them (E zonatum and E. okefenokee) live for as long as three years... yes there was some breeding going on in some tanks... but in some otehr tanks there were only males and they were all still accounted for long after the "one year" time. We have had this conversation ebfore I think... and it is just like lions... in the wild they live to be teenagers... in zoos they make it well into their thirties... makes a big difference when your food is delivered and nothing fights back, or chases you.
On the other hand, I will say that the "they onyl live for a year" thing is just not true in captivity. I have had them (E zonatum and E. okefenokee) live for as long as three years... yes there was some breeding going on in some tanks... but in some otehr tanks there were only males and they were all still accounted for long after the "one year" time. We have had this conversation ebfore I think... and it is just like lions... in the wild they live to be teenagers... in zoos they make it well into their thirties... makes a big difference when your food is delivered and nothing fights back, or chases you.
Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. - Benjamin Franklin
#8
Guest_skalartor_*
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Posted 11 May 2011 - 04:09 AM
hi together,
thanks for your answers. i have these fish for several months (i guess 7), but i had a cool down in winter (i guess for 3 and a half months) so they wouldn't spawn. and as i mentioned there are several small fish in the tank. i just wondered why all these male fish died. They are round about one year old, my evergladeis live much longer.
torben
thanks for your answers. i have these fish for several months (i guess 7), but i had a cool down in winter (i guess for 3 and a half months) so they wouldn't spawn. and as i mentioned there are several small fish in the tank. i just wondered why all these male fish died. They are round about one year old, my evergladeis live much longer.
torben
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