Spotted Pictus Catfish problem!

[crazyme715]

We've had our tanks running for over a year.

3 Spotted Pictus Catfish, 5 Blue Tetras, 1 algae eater, and 2 Zebra snails

We noticed one of our catfish swimming up the side of the tank a few days ago, and now he's started to swim at the top, and sticking his head out of the water.

I know this is probably bad news, but do you have any ideas as to why this is happening? And if there is anything we can do?

All the other fish are fine.

Any help is much appriciated!

Thanks

[MatsP]

I would run a water-test and check for ammonia (NH3/NH4) and nitrite (NO2-). These are irritants and nitrite interferes with the bloods ability to carry oxygen (similar to carbonmonoxide to air-breathing species).

This should normally not be a problem in a tank that has been running for a year, but it can happen.

--
Mats

[Richard B]

sounds like the water conditions have deteriorated - an anextra airstone and do 30-50% water change asap. check the substrate - is there any dirt trapped? check water conditions before and after to see what improvements have been made

[crazyme715]

We changed about 40-50% of the water, and cleaned out the rocks. But unfortunatly our fish died over night.

We're going to run some water up the our local fish store today, and maybe get another catfish depending on the water conditions.

Thanks for all of your help.

[MatsP]

I would certainly hold off for several days - probably a week, before buying any more fish. Just in case it's contagious.

--
Mats

[Viktor Jarikov]

May wanna look everywhere, not only the substrate, for uneaten food or other source of ammonia/nitrites - in the sump, for example. Has the water source change? Water pH? Water temp? Could some one contaminate the tank (kids)? Even a droplet of machine oil/lubricant can kill or make fish sick. A drop/piece of soap, detergent particles can kill quickly and easily.

Depending on how you feed your fish, your little guy might have had a parasite.

[crazyme715]

Nothing had changed in the tank, and the tank water conditions are fine. We had the water quality checked and it came back fine. So I guess the fish was just sick?

Now ther's another problem, the 2 catfish we have left, one larger one(5 1/2 inches) and a smaller one(4 1/2 inches) And the smaller one has had his half his "whisker" removed. And where it attaches, it has a red spot, like it was hurt. So is the larger fish attacking him? What should we do?

Thanks everyone

[Marc van Arc]

It's very likely that the larger one is going to bully the smaller one constantly, which may end up in its death.
While the agression can be spread with 3 specimens, there's alas no such thing when just 2 specimens are involved. There will be one superiour and one inferiour specimen. In very many cases this will indeed be the smaller one.
You may consider adding some when everything has settled down again; till then provide some (extra) shelter for your smaller fish so it could stay out of the way of the larger specimen.

[crazyme715]

Ok thanks. But once we get some more fish the "beating up" will stop? Hopefully.

Do you know will the "whisker" ever grow back?

[MatsP]

If the fish get good water quality and no further attacks, then yes, the barbels will grow back.

--
Mats

[Viktor Jarikov]

I am not very experienced with P. pictus but I have had two together in a 150 gal (huge, I know) for a while and they are fine (does not disprove Marc, just augments his report - in general, Marc is right). I've had up to 5 of these ranging from 2.5" to 7" in one tank - great fun fishes. Never much bullying but rather what looks like playfulness to ignorant me. They are, I think, a shoaling species and like each others company.

Whiskers = barbels. They will grow back within weeks/couple months if no active infection and no stress (good water and good company). If the spot still looks red and inflamed after a week - something is not quite right (infection and/or stress).

Don't blame the bigger one and maybe don't jump to conclusions: if you saw one bully the other, then you are right. If not, a broken off barbel could be caused by the barbel carrier him/herself. Even when one kid is crying "He tripped me!", it is not always true