:Help!: I started a Tang tank about a month ago. I have a 90 gallon community tank with all very young fish. I have some Tropheus (9) Calvus (2) Leleupi (3) Brichardi (4) Transcriptus (2) Cylindricus (1) Sexfaciatus (2) I have been trying to vary the diet between flake, frozen, fresh spinach and romaine lettuce pellets. I have one Duboisi that stopped eating 2 days ago. I am not sure what the problem is. I think he might have had to much frozen brine. I know they shouldn't get much meat I have been trying to limit this. I think he might have gotten Bloat but I am not sure. I have isolated him to a hospital tank tonight. Can anyone offer me some advice. I would appreciate it. I think that my choice in tank mates might be wrong because of the different diets? :Help!: :Help!: :Help!: Too late the fish died this morning. dumb dumb

Welcome to CH, hookedontangs!

You're problems are likely stemming from attempting to house the Tropheus with the other fish. They should be in a tank by themselves, and IMO, should be fed a strict vegetarian diet. (For more info from the real Tropheus pro, talk to Klaus! He's the king...)

Tropheus aren't good "community" fish. They aren't as hard to keep as many try to make them out to be, but there are a few "rules" you have to follow. As far as tank mates, Petrochromis and gobies are the only ones I've heard of people having real success with, but, it's always an individual situation as far as tank size and group sizes go.

It's pretty hard to give young fish bloat, but under stressful conditions, anything is possible. I would consider the stock mix of this tank to be very stressful, even with perfect water conditions.

Was this tank cycled before you added these fish, or did the fish have to go through the cycling of the tank?

How long has the tank been set up?

Do you have the means to get another tank?

Are the Tropheus all duboisi?

Do you know the current water parameters? (I'm not a big stickler for constantly monitoring these, but when you have problems, it's a good thing to know...And with a new tank, it's even more important...)

At this point, without having more information than we have, I wouldn't do anything other than add epsom salt to the main tank as a preventative measure for your other fish. I would do a good sized water change prior to doing this, and give the substrate a good vacuuming in an effort to remove any potentially infected feces from the fish you lost. Bloat is believed to be spread by healthy fish mouthing the feces of infected fish. You can add the epsom salt at 1 cup per 100G, but will need to dissolve it in tank water first.

If the tank is really new, this may be all you can do. Adding meds to a tank that hasn't fully cycled can be a disaster.

If the tank is new and hasn't completed it's cycle, you may need to remove some fish very quickly or jump start the cycle to ensure the health and safety of the fish you already have.

Please be as detailed as you can with a time line for everything. Don't leave out anything, whether you think it's relevant or not.

You're going to have to find a way to divide up those fish, regardless. idunno

Kim