My rescued jewel cichlids

**mrs fishpatrick** · 03-04-2009, 10:09 PM

thought it might be appropriate to set up a journal about the progress of the 3 Jewel cichlids, I think they are the Hemichromis lifalili variety but we wont know for sure untill I manage to get pictures of them, to get it confirmed.

4th march 09
collected them this evening, tank and all and it is in a right old mess, there are seashells, broken plant pots ond some tacky ornaments in there wich I took but won't be putting back in the tank, (algae covered spongebob is not my cuppa tea)
here are some pics

As you can see it is not pretty

**Crispy** · 03-04-2009, 10:14 PM

Looks like you got your hands full for awhile there... good luck!

**Deleted User** · 03-04-2009, 10:16 PM

Holy krud.

Nice save mrs fishpatrick. Fingers crossed you can bring them round. What condition are the fish themselves in ?

**mrs fishpatrick** · 03-04-2009, 10:16 PM

I had a look in the filter and I have never seen anything like it, (if your stomach is weak LOOK AWAY NOW) I even wore gloves changing this filter.

the lightbox was covered in green algae

I managed to get that off easy enough with some kitchen towel.
I measured the ph and it is 6.6 in their tank, but 7.2 coming out of my tap (sugar) So I am slowly, liter by liter filling up the tank with the water ,wich I added ph down to, and hope for the best.

I am planning on doing 5% wc every day to slowly get them used to my tapwater over the next week.

They haven't even got a heater in their tank and the water is freezing, will have to go to the lfs in the morning to pick one up for them.

I am really hoping these will do well now that they are going to be looked after.
fingers crossed

**mrs fishpatrick** · 03-04-2009, 10:18 PM

Originally Posted by Celtic Fins

Holy krud.

Nice save mrs fishpatrick. Fingers crossed you can bring them round. What condition are the fish themselves in ?

I don't know how they survive, it is really really bad, the fish seem to be doing fine, but i gave them a good dosing of stress coat and hope they are drugged up for this process

**Ellen4God** · 03-04-2009, 10:19 PM

Oh no! Poor fish. Good luck with getting the tank up and running!! I hope it goes okay for you. :)

**Deleted User** · 03-04-2009, 10:23 PM

If they have never had a heater. Watch out for ick. Very slow with the temp chancge and you might avoid it. That tank is disgusting to say the least.

You know that the fish will apreciate all your doing in the end.

**mrs fishpatrick** · 03-04-2009, 10:30 PM

I hope so and that they will forgive me for not giving them a bigger tank
(the hubbie is going mental as it stands with 4 tanks running)
thanks for the tip on the heater, I will leave it at its lowest setting and slowly add it up over 3-4 days