Sick female Krib

[kebuchan]

Hi all,

All of a sudden last night my female Krib was sitting on the bottom between some rocks and breathing really quickly. She typically had a bright pink belly area and really bright yellow / black dorsal fins. Her fins are still the same but her belly and main body are completely pale, barely any pink at all. The horizontal stripe through her midsection is almost all faded.

She seems to be breathing quickly, at first I thought she was chewing something... she not going to the surface at all.

My water parms are fine 0 Ammonia, 0 nitrites and about 15 nitrate. All the other fish are fine.

Any one have any ideas? Did a water change about 6 days ago, and one last night.

I fed them some frozen blood worms and she did get one but she didn't seem too enthusiastic at all. She is still chasing Mr Krib when he comes upto her and he runs for the hills....

If she was having a hard time breathing wouldn't she be up at the surface?

Tank mates currently:

6" Bala
3 American-Flag fish
1 small SAE
1 Male Kribensis
4 Zebra Danio
1 pair of Betta Falx

Thanks,

Kevin

[cocoa_pleco]

the pale means stress, and if your parameters are correct are there any visible parasites? if there arent parasites, is someone constantly harassing the krib?

[kebuchan]

nothing visible at all. I thought it might be something like that especially after reading some other posts about sick kribs. No blemishes on the skin or nipped fins or anything.

Harrassing... well, I don't know if I'd say that but the Betta Falx and the female krib had a couple of scuffles a few days ago. The betta hangs out in the bridge (ornament) and Mrs Krib went in there a few times only to get chased out by the Betta.

BTW Betta Falx are supposed to be good in community tanks, that why he's in there... unlike b. splendens.

So could it be the "issues" with the b. falx that are stressing her out??? With no physical injuries?

How about the rapid breathing?

Thanks,

Kevin

[cocoa_pleco]

the rapid breathing might be gill flukes. if not im not sure. kribs are weird. i had mine with a lamp. brichardi and auratus, and they all got along. then one night the krib got a freak fin rot where at 5pm he was fine, but at 6pm all his fins were severely bacterially rotted. it wasnt aggression or water quality, but he never made it. in your case just watch if anyones chasing him

[kebuchan]

This morning I couldn't find Mrs Krib anywhere, I thought I lost her and then started looking around for a body but I didn't find that either but had to go to work so I left.

Same thing this evening, couldn't find her anywhere.

Then I saw her peeking out from under a shell! Her color seems slightly better but about the same, still rapid breathing.

She seems to be hiding.... or she's guarding eggs? I think spawning kribs get all colored up tho, don't they?

Anyway, she's still alive and she's hiding.. so maybe it's stress from getting into a few fights with the Betta falx...

I didn't get to see all of her so I don't now if she has developed any skin condition or has nipped fins.. but last I saw her yesterday she seemed to be in good physical shape other than the color.

Thanks,

Kevin

[cocoa_pleco]

no problem. maybe shes guarding eggs or fry and another fish came by and she got in a fight causing stress?

[kebuchan]

Doesn't quite add up though b/c when I first found her breathing rapidly and pale, she was in the middle of a set of rocks nowhere near the shell she is in right now.

If she "lost" a few fights with the b. falx, could she just be stressed out and now in "hiding".. I dunno.

How stressed could she be... rapid breathing for 2 days now.

Do Kribs guarding fry or eggs get pale?

Kevin

[cocoa_pleco]

if theyre fighting they may get pale, but if it doesnt look like shes guarding something or fighting that gill pumping is bad. how much water circulation do you have? if not much it might be oxygen depletion.

[kebuchan]

I think o2 is fine. Also all the other fish are fine including Mr Krib. I have a Fluval 304 above water level so that causes some aeration, plus I have a couple of stones going full blast too, I think there's more than enough air. No fish up at the surface at all.

If a krib was sick, would they hide?

I have not seen any fighting in the last few days.

I guess I'll just keep watching...

[cocoa_pleco]

over-hiding is a sign of illness. are you overstocked?

[kebuchan]

I don't think I'm over stocked.... here's what I have in my 55g

6" Bala
3 American-Flag fish
1 small SAE
1 Male Kribensis
4 Zebra Danio
1 pair of Betta Falx

[cocoa_pleco]

that single bala should be in a school, and a school of them needs a 200g. otherwise, it isnt too bad. somethings up

[kebuchan]

agree about the bala. I had 3, they came with the used tank I bought. 2 died a month ago or so, some kind of fungus/ick combination. :-(

I need to rehome the bala.

Kevin