Jack Dempsey Cichlids Not too Happy

[qwertmonkey]

Hi,
My Jack Dempsey cichlids don't seem to be acting right. When I first got them, they would swim around, eat their food, and explore the tank. For the past few weeks, they haven't been eating and just hide in the corner behind the rock structure. They have spawned once, but they ate all the fry after a few weeks. Their tank mates are a common pleco about 4'' and a very young Jack Depmsey about 2 inches. (This was from their spawning at their previous owners home.) The cichlids that aren't happy are 8-9 inches. They are all in a 30 Gallon tank. I know this seems too small, but there is plenty of swimming room. I rescued them from an owner who kept them in a small 20 gallon tank with 15 other cichlids. They were definitely not happy there. A few weeks ago, they started acting like they were going to spawn again, but never did. They cleared out their corner and were tugging on each other mouths, but nothing happened. Now all they do is sulk in the corner not moving.

Please help my JD Cichids!

Thanks,
William

[trashion]

You need at least a 55 gallon tank. That's what's wrong. They don't have enough room to swim around and display natural behaviors. 3 JDs in a 30 gallon plus a pleco is very, very overcrowded.

[qwertmonkey]

I realize that, but they have been happy before. I'm tempted to take a picture of the tank. There is lots of room to swim...

[qwertmonkey]

Pictures:

[trashion]

How often do you change water?

[qwertmonkey]

I try to change the water every 2 weeks. I haven't been doing it as often recently seeing as they seem stressed/upset. Should I be doing to more often? I just don't want to stress them out any more than they already are.

[trashion]

Changing water is invaluable. You should be changing at least 40% weekly with that kind of fishload. How much water do you change when you change it?

[Obsidian]

When fish seem stressed one of the first things you could do to solve it is test the water and then change it, as it is not uncommon for the water to be what is stressing them.

In this instance I would have to say that its likely the small tank size that is causing your problem, but I can see one other really huge problem with your tank: There is literally NO WHERE to hide. These fish need a place to hide, thus you find them in the one corner that seems to be as close to a hiding place as is possible. This is PART of why they need a larger tank than what you have there. It is not about swimming room, it is about having a home. I know if I had a home with no furniture I could live there, but I would pine everyday for at least a chair (and a computer to put in front of that chair LOL).

[electricblue1]

i would have to agree those are some big fish and need room to roam i think the formula is 1 square inch of fish requires 6 square inches of room correct me if im wrong please

[qwertmonkey]

I would love to to put them in a bigger tank, but that is not at option at the moment. I rescued them for a desolate environment and this is the best I can provide. What can I do to keep them as happy as physically possible? Is a weekly water change really necessary? The filter on the tank is for a 55 gallon tank.

Thanks,
William

[trashion]

What I would recommend doing is donating them to your LFS and getting fish better suited to that tank.

Weekly water changes are DEFINITELY necessary, in fact I'd be changing 40% twice a week with that fishload.

[Obsidian]

If you are determined to keep them, then you need to commit to treating them right. If you cannot perform a weekly water change for them, then you should give them to a fish store so they can go somewhere with a proper home. Changing water in a tank that size should not take more than 15-20 minutes. Is that really such a huge burden?

Also, like I said, they need more places to hide. These are fish who startle easy and need a place to hide until they can feel secure again. An open space at the front of the tank closed in on one side is not enough of a hiding place.

[Gourami Swami]

If you took em form a 20g with 15 other fish, good for you! Keep them in your 30g, do weekly water changes, give them a variety of frozen foods, and generally provide them with as good of a home you possibly can, while saving for a 55 gallon tank simultaniously. I will promise you your fish will be much happier in a larger tank but if that isnt an option right now, just keep the water clean. Everyone around here is always telling people to donate to an LFS, when in reality in a LFS they are usually in a much worse situation and are sold to people who dont know anything about them. Good on you for coming here and trying to learn about them!