Odd Behaviour.

[BFG]

To Apisto Keepers!

I have noticed that sometimes my agas swims in a not so fishy way, but it sometimes, how do I put it, swims like a snake or an eel. Shud I start 2 worry? Tot they were gonna go to the Big Pond , but still alive leh. Only my 2 steel blues is not affected.

[DEA]

moved to cichlids

[Simon]

BFG, look closely.. i suspect its dropsy.. is he sometimes at the surface? check the scales, r they popped out?

[lsz]

are the fins clamped tight ?

does the fish shiver a lot also ?

how are the colours of the fish ?

[BFG]

Simon, no popped out scales on all fishes. I spent a few hours each day looking at my tanks inhabitant. Not a single death of other species too. Some more info 2 add, after or at the end of the 'cycle' the agas will rest/land on something flat 4 a few second then just swim off just like normal. Very odd rite?

[BFG]

Lsz, the 3 agas still looks very healthy, nice colouration, not faint. They also sometimes flare at each other but the loser will swims away without being chased.

[foxemty]

Is your aga very old/large sized? Read somewhere if apisto grow old they will start exibit weird behaviours and have crooked spine, i think

[BFG]

nope, they don't have crooked spine. When it does the snake swim, it's body can curve 2 a nice s-shape, just like a snake swimming on water. The 1st agas does this in front of the output pipe of the filter. Initially tot, it was a natural action but the other agas does it at another location of the tank, where's there are not much water movement.

[Simon]

i think its just a show of aggression toward another of the same kind.. mine do a S-shape when confronted, it oso looks like a ready position which they can jus launch forward and bite the other apisto

[lsz]

your apisto does it in front of other fish or anytime alone too ?

had not seen cichlids curl up ready to pounce before!!

[BFG]

Lsz, it does it when it was alone n each fish has done it one time only[ when I saw it].

[Simon]

kekeee.. against another male.. same like altums, when u see them going to a diagonal/45 degree position means they r hunting[]

[juggler]

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On 6/18/2002 11:51:52 PM

BFG, look closely.. i suspect its dropsy.. is he sometimes at the surface? check the scales, r they popped out?
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Any chance of recovery if the agas got dropsy? Mine (the male) got the disease. I separated it and currently trying with Ocean Free medicine.

[kenzo]

sera batupur.. da yellow tablet..

saved many of my apistoes from certain deaths oredi..

remember to wash your filter + 30% WC 3 days after introducing it.

[Simon]

dun think can save the fish from dropsy

[kenzo]

if early stages, can..

and can help protect the others from the bacteria as well..

boy do i hate dropsy..

[Simon]

bfg: does it like this?

[BFG]

Yup! Bingo! Now both fish just swim normally, no crooked spines, scales potruding. Y do they do that?

[benetay]

It's a sign telling the other fish to scram off.

[BFG]

err but Bene, when it does it, not a single fish was near it leh.