Help!!! friend's gift =10 gal disaster

17 years ago

Thanks to those who helped with my ignorant questions on cycling a small tank in an earlier post. I opted for a fishless cycle for my 10 gal. The ammonium was still pretty high (about .6 or .7 ppm, put too much ammonia in by accident the last addition I made) nitrites negligible, and a friend of my bf brought me 10 cichlids as a "gift" after seeing my empty fish tank sitting there for like almost a month. I had expressly told him previously that I was cyling it and would get fish later. Now I have 10 cichlids crammed in a 10 gal tank. I had to do FOUR major water changes to get my ammonia levels down. I stopped when it got to .25ppm, although I was worried. That was a few days ago. Now ammonia is down to 0ppm, but nitrites are at .25ppm or so. Even if these poor things survive the coming nitrite spike, what am I going to do with TEN cichlids?????????

The friend told me they were african cichlids, and as far as I can tell from online research, they are maybe malawian cichlids. These get to be 5" big?!?!?!? And are aggressive?!?!? Already one orangey one is chasing everyone around, and a little yellow fellow is missing a fin!!! :( I don't know if he was missing it when he came, but I'm worried the bully got him. It makes me sick to think of them suffering and dying from bad water or from each other. :( I have been depressed over a terminally ill aunt, and the prosepect of having tortured, dying fish in my home is not helping at all.

I looked online for a fish rescue in Los Angeles. I found one, but no one emailed back. Does anyone know of something like that, or have any other ideas? I am so at a loss for what to do with these poor creatures. I cannot get a bigger tank or multiple tanks. I had to "fight" for this little one as it is.... I couldn't reject the fish, as culturally, that would have been very insulting. This guy invests heavily w/my bf. Apparently, the friend does not value fishy life as much as I do... I told him it wasn't ready adn they would die. He shrugged! I asked him if he would read them their last rites and bury them... and he laughed and said to bury them in the toilet!!!! :( I am so frustrated and worried about them. Anyone have some ideas? Any advice appreciated! Thanks in advance! I have learned so much here...

Cassie (at wits end!)

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Comments (3)

chandaoh
17 years ago
Oh Cassie it sounds like you are in trouble! Cichlids are potentially large fish, and they are agressive. The good news is that most fish dont grow larger than their environment will allow, although this is not always true. I recomend you try to narrow the 10 you have down to 2 or 3 especially in a 10gal tank. This type of fish is very territorial, and depending on the breed, they sometimes pair up into a mating pair and reproduce like crazy...convicts are notorious for this. I had 3 of them and they had a new fry about every 3-4 weeks. Breeding makes them even more territorial and agressive. Cichlids need a place to hide...they like lots of plants (get plastic ones...they tend to dig up and rearrange live ones) and lots of rock "caves". They will stake claim to their "territory" and defend it, especially if there are eggs or fry. I don't know about any fish-specific rescue associations, andI am from OH, so I don't know anything about LA, but I recently had to get rid of very large oscar that came with a fish tank someone gave to me. He was too big for the tank (about 8") and not compatible with the other fish that were also in this tank. There is a nationwide organization called "freecycle" where you can GIVE AWAY anything that is unwanted and now "Oscar" has a new home in a 75 gal tank where he will be much happier. The man who took him is knowledgeable about fish and aquariums and I know he will take good care of "Oscar". You can find a Freecycle in your area at www.freecycle.org. On a side note....why did your friend get you so many fish for such a small tank?? Sounds like he isnt much of a fish person and not much help in this situation. Good luck.
cassieinla
Original Author
17 years ago
Well, none of the cichlids have died yet, and the little yellow guy is *not* missing a fin after all. It looks a bit shorter than the other side, but he was using it today and swimming more normally and actively. Maybe the orange one bit him that day I didn't see a fin. I have put like 10 or 11 plants into the tank-- potted, clump and a few bulbs--- so they have some cover. Unfortunately, they are damaging my plants already. :(
The amm is still at 0 ppm at least, nitrites are up to .5ppm, and nitrates are 10, pH=7.8. I think I need another pH kit for high pH.

Chandaoh, thanks for the freecycle suggestion! I had never heard of it. I definitely need to find homes for most of them. I have no idea WHY this friend brought 10 fish. He was trying to be nice, I guess. He said he knows the fishstore owner, so he probably got a good deal. I would have been happier with some more plants, frankly!!! I asked what he has in his tanks, and they sounded really overstocked-- one has two turtles in it plus fish! I mentioned that turtles are very polluting and that the tanks sounded too full, but he was really nonchalant about it and said he did a full water change every week. I'm new to this, but it sounded bad to me.

This whole situation makes me think of William Blake's oft quoted phrase, "the road to hell is paved with good intentions" !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Anyway, I hope that the tank doesn't go there, but I am worried about the poor fishies for sure!
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petiolaris
17 years ago
Perhaps a local fish shop might be willing to take them off your hands or trade them for something else? Or maybe the people who do the tank cleaning for doctors and Chinese food places and dentists?