I was considering putting him back soon, but I'm not sure about his colouring again. I just wanted to check. Like I said I think it's because he's scared and alone in the tank that his colours have faded, and he's got an orange tinge, but I've also noticed a freckly black appearance too. I just want to be sure.

Here is a pic of him tonight:



And this is what he usually looks like when he's in mid- colouration chasing others around the tank etc (He does get darker than this sometimes, more black than purple):




Sorry they're not the best pics, rushed them.

Fish looks of good weight, yet appears anaemic, with some of the coloration you'd associate with hypoxia. There is obviously a bit of light blanching going on, its in night colours obviously, probably due to not being in its usual brighter tank, but it still doesnt look quite right. Sort of paunchy.

Curious, last thing I saw with that sort of symptomology were rift cichlids with Trypanoplasma protozoan infections of the the bloodstream, though cryptobia strains can give a similar appearance, but I assume they would have wiped out more fish if they were present, and no reason to assume hexamitiasis, the symptomology doesnt seem to be consistant enough for that, and whirling disease would look more pronounced by now, in term s of colouration its both too pallid and to structurally well composed to be that, as if it had it, it would surely be worsening badly by now.

Any reason to believe this might have been a wild caught fish or that it may have suffered ectoparasites like leeches or fish lice at some point?

I'm just thinking Trypanoplasma protozoa would be one of the longer term infections. Its actually more common than people realise in rifts, some fish have high resistance to the parasitic burden at least until it starts hitting the renal system, doesnt tend to wipe out all fish in the tank, basically because its transmitted by bloodsucking ectoparasites and victims might last months, potentially even years without full symptoms.


Might be worth a go with triple sulfa treatment before putting the fish back in community, see if it gives it a lift, or at least puts his symptoms genie back in the box for a few months or years. I dont think there is a real cure if i'm right about what it is. Given the low likelihood of transmission though, it could probably be worked with.

When you say he's got blanching, those areas would normally be black, and I think this is partly down to being on his own, and partly due to the low light like you say.

I honestly couldn't say one way or another if he is wild-caught or not, likewise with lice or leeches, I don't know - I got him at (I estimate) about 3 years of age.

Where can I get sulfa treatment? Should I start straight away? Thanks for your help, really appreciate it. I hope I can sort him out.

Hmm, just to add, I've had a thought. Is hypoxia lack of oxygen? There's no air pump in his quarantine tank, only air bubbles created from the internal filter outfall. Would it be worth trying some extra airation?

Bit of extra air would be a good thing, malawi has lots, they can take it.

http://aquariumpharm.com/Products/Product.aspx?ProductID=66

Cant remember if this one is POMV needing prescription or not TBH, years since I needed it for anything. If it is, the vet, if not , t'internet.

See how he looks with the extra O2 before deciding on treatment.

Extra O2 hasn't done a lot, he still seems well, eating and swimming as normal. Just got the same colouring. I might put him back in the main tank today, or do you think it would be better to keep him isolated? I don't think he's at all happy in isolation, and I don't want to just throw drugs at the problem if they're not likely to help or of course, if there's nothing wrong with him...

Cheers,

Mike

Hi again, and sorry for jumping ahead but I was feeling sorry for him on his own so I put him back in the main tank tonight to gauge his reaction. I transitioned him by taking 70% of the water out of the quarantine tank and then refilling it slowly with water from the main tank, then moved him across. When I netted him he didn't take well to it, as on his release he lost his balance and tumbled about 5 or 6 times, doing a slowed-down version of that somersaulting he was doing last week. Then he composed himself. I took a video because I was pretty shocked by the female Saulosi's reaction to his return. She seemed as though she was defending her territory, which I thought was a male thing. It's weird because she has always been the one getting all the flack from him, and now the roles seem reversed. She hasn't given up yet, it's been 20 minutes now, and he looks like he's beginning to lose his balance again...

Video is coming soon - taking a while to upload!

Might have to seperate them, he's probably not up for that health wise, though mentally he's obviously quite confidant in himself.

She might be sensing theres something wrong with him, and isnt about to let him just become her mate again without a lot of testing, which he probably would fail. Might just be that he's passing his peak, not all or even most cichlids pair for life, a lot of them ditch a partner as soon as they think they deserve something better or stronger. female fish are very choosy and often more able to tell when something is wrong with a partner than we humans are. Ive certainly seen reintroductions after seperations go better than that. Often a scuffle, but that one was prolongued and intense. I dont think she wants him as he is at all. He's failing the strength tests she is obviously demanding, under normal circumstances the male is tougher and she would be able to do that to him.

If you want to keep him going you'll need a bigger or at least deeper QT. He probably wont fade without a partner, but it might be that your QT conditions arent quite good enough for him to regain fitness. I'd consider retiring him from a partnership. Have a feeling he regards her as his, but she wont accept that and he will take a lot of beatings.

Yesterday I would have agreed with you, but today he's back on top and roles have reversed again. The female is mostly hiding in a cave. I think the balance has been redressed, and his colouring seems a heck of a lot better today, although that orange fringing is still there.

I've seen that orangeness in him earlier on about 6 months ago when there were some badass fish in the tank. I've got a feeling it might be the two Juvenile Melanochramis Cyaneorhabdos (Electric Blue Johanni) that I've recently introduced. It is almost as if he is scared of them and keeping out of their way, although they haven't built up enough courage to attack him yet as they're still youngsters, but I think it could turn into a problem over the coming months.