Need help with dying Uaru      10/10/17
Hello crew.
<Hey there Roberto. Como que va?>
This time I write to you today highly distressed.
<Oh!>
I bought an Uaru cichlid, at about the 3 cm mark around 4 months ago. I placed it in my 150 gal planted tank with tetras and other peaceful community fish. The most in terms of aggressiveness are my two male Kribensis, but they hardly get past 6 cm long.
So the Uaru had been eating well. It is not the fastest competitor against the likes of dwarf rainbows or Columbian tetras, but I made sure he ate well. In the 4 months I kept him he's grown about one cm only. Now , I've read Uarus are slow growers but just 1 cm seems too little for 4, almost 5 months. my adult green terrors were raised from the 5 cm mark and they grew to 10-12 cm in a year.
Recently I started noticing small filaments attached to his fins... no damaged fins, just the filaments, I actually thought it was algae or something that was attached, because I actually saw other fish get strands of algae attached before without major issue. Now, the tank is high tech, and I use it to grow out cichlids when I buy them small and then move them to the main cichlid tanks when they are big enough.
<Ok>
A few days ago I did a major trim on the whole tank and got a green water bloom. I normally carry 50% water changes in this tank weekly. This time I started to do 50% water changes every 3 days, and at the 3rd water change I did a 75% one to eradicate the algae. Always use treated water and temps hardly differ more than a Celsius. Well today, the day after the big water change I found my Uaru on the bottom of the tank, gasping heavily, with ragged fins, but no noticeable fungus or bacterial marks (no white spotting, no redness, just ragged fins). He still reacts to my hand, but is very weak, can hardly swim and is gasping.
<Let's hope it rallies>
Besides the water changes, I also tweaked the co2 valve, and I may have gone a little overboard because I noticed my Columbian tetras hanging in a group without moving much (they normally scatter throughout the tank and they normally tell me when co2 is too high with the grouping behavior).
<Yikes>
I don't know, it may have been the co2, it may have been the water changes... I don't really know, I tested for nitrogen and the three readings are zero (tank has sump filtration and is very heavily planted, I actually feed quite a bit more than normal to keep the plants happy).
Right now I figured it would not be good for the Uaru to stay at the bottom where decomposition takes place. I have placed him in 2 gallon contained with an airstone and aquarium water, and have medicated with Methylene blue at 50% dose. I'm not sure what else to do, he doesn't seem bloated, but at the state he's in I don't think he's going to make it. No fish that I've seen in that state have made it. But I have to do anything I can to save this guy.
<I'd float the fish in a colander (plastic) in the main tank, with the lights dimmed or off in the area. Much more stable>
Ill be waiting for your response, sorry for the very long post, I am very distressed, This guy was very hard to get and I've grown very attached to him.
Regards
Roberto
<Will also ask Neale to respond. Am sure he'll point out the value of stocking this Cichlid in a small grouping (vs. solitary), ask questions re alkalinity, poss. pH. Bob Fenner>
Need help with dying Uaru     Neale's go     10/11/17
Hello crew.
This time I write to you today highly distressed.
I bought an Uaru cichlid, at about the 3 cm mark around 4 months ago. I placed it in my 150 gal planted tank with tetras and other peaceful community fish. The most in terms of aggressiveness are my two male Kribensis, but they hardly get past 6 cm long.
So the Uaru had been eating well. It is not the fastest competitor against the likes of dwarf rainbows or Columbian tetras, but I made sure he ate well. In the 4 months I kept him he's grown about one cm only. Now , I've read Uarus are slow growers but just 1 cm seems too little for 4, almost 5 months. my adult green terrors were raised from the 5 cm mark and they grew to 10-12 cm in a year.
Recently I started noticing small filaments attached to his fins... no damaged fins, just the filaments, I actually thought it was algae or something that was attached, because I actually saw other fish get strands of algae attached before without major issue. Now, the tank is high tech, and I use it to grow out cichlids when I buy them small and then move them to the main cichlid tanks when they are big enough.
A few days ago I did a major trim on the whole tank and got a green water bloom. I normally carry 50% water changes in this tank weekly. This time I started to do 50% water changes every 3 days, and at the 3rd water change I did a 75% one to eradicate the algae. Always use treated water and temps hardly differ more than a Celsius. Well today, the day after the big water change I found my Uaru on the bottom of the tank, gasping heavily, with ragged fins, but no noticeable fungus or bacterial marks (no white spotting, no redness, just ragged fins). He still reacts to my hand, but is very weak, can hardly swim and is gasping.
Besides the water changes, I also tweaked the co2 valve, and I may have gone a little overboard because I noticed my Columbian tetras hanging in a group without moving much (they normally scatter throughout the tank and they normally tell me when co2 is too high with the grouping behavior).
I don't know, it may have been the co2, it may have been the water changes... I don't really know, I tested for nitrogen and the three readings are zero (tank has sump filtration and is very heavily planted, I actually feed quite a bit more than normal to keep the plants happy).
Right now I figured it would not be good for the Uaru to stay at the bottom where decomposition takes place. I have placed him in 2 gallon contained with an airstone and aquarium water, and have medicated with Methylene blue at 50% dose. I'm not sure what else to do, he doesn't seem bloated, but at the state he's in I don't think he's going to make it. No fish that I've seen in that state have made it. But I have to do anything I can to save this guy.
Ill be waiting for your response, sorry for the very long post, I am very distressed, This guy was very hard to get and I've grown very attached to him.
Regards
Roberto
<Roberto, a bunch of things to consider here. The first is that Uaru species are delicate. Right up there with wild-caught Discus, and generally do badly in community tanks. Exposure to parasites and pathogens in "cheap" aquarium fish can be a serious risk, so best avoided. If you've heard the horror stories that come from mixing Discus with Angelfish you'll know what I'm talking about here. Certainly, quarantine any tankmates before adding to the Uaru aquarium. Thirdly, Uaru need a lot of heat -- 28-30 C. Anything below that will weaken their immune systems. Again, this is VERY similar to Discus. Fourthly, they probably need soft, acidic water to do well. Might be some latitude here with locally-bred specimens, but realistically, 1-5 degrees dH, pH 6-7 is what we're aiming for. Yet again, this is Discus-level fishkeeping. Finally, they're herbivores, and substantial amounts of fresh greens are essential. Cooked peas, spinach, cucumber and small bits of fruit, alongside Spirulina-based flake and wafers, are what you want. Avoid using too much protein-rich food, including traditional flake food. There's good evidence that even with Goldfish and Koi, let alone Uaru, offering meaty foods as anything more than occasional treats can cause health issues, from constipation through to serious vitamin deficiencies and fatty deposits around their internal organs. Short term, I'd be treating as per Hexamita infection, using a combination of Metronidazole and an antibiotic (or something like eSHa HEXAMITA if these aren't available) simply as a good general purpose approach to cichlid maladies. Long term, I'd be optimising environmental conditions, removing inappropriate tankmates -- these include not just species unable to handle the heat, but also species that need meaty foods. Review Discus maintenance, and keep Uaru in much the same way, albeit with the accent on plant-based foods. Juvenile Uaru are social it is true, but the adults form pairs, and like Discus, singletons can be maintained successfully in quiet, shady tanks without much noise or activity. Cheers, Neale.>
Re: Need help with dying Uaru   RMF     10/11/17
Hello, thanks for the very informative response.
<Welcome>
The guy is now swimming upright and is more responsive to stimulus. I may actually believe CO2 overdosing was at play here also. I will be checking on his fins in a while when I arrive home.
<Agreed, and good>
some addressing of the points you told me:
this is the tank that receives the most maintenance, it stays at around 7.5 ph, 8 dGH and 8 dh (I know, not optimal). I just want to point out I actually have another Uaru, this one is 20 cm adult I got last year and have kept in a south American cichlid aquarium (230 gal), but I got him already at the 15 cm mark. The small and big Uarus do get greens, since I also keep a couple fancy Plecos feeding them zucchinis and other greens also involves the Uarus feeding. Also, the small Uaru nibbles on plants, particularly Hygrophila and staurogyne species which he devours happily. I also feed a combination of Spirulina and normal flakes with new life spectrum to all fish, although all in all they do get their share of meaty foods, which probably isn't good as you have pointed out.
Water temp of the planted tank stays at 25-26C, so yeah, below what is needed. All in all I reckon he's not in the best of conditions, even less for a 4 cm fish, which are more delicate than adult, robust fish.
Thank you, I will probably set up a different tank for him to grow out while he reaches the size to go to the main cichlid tank. I will also be upgrading the cichlid tank, the jump will be towards a 540 gal. The current main south American has the adult Uaru, 2 Geophagus steindachneri, 1 Green phantom Pleco, 1 blue phantom, and a school of 5 Festivums.
I have two adult Andinoacra rivulatus in separate tanks. I was wondering if they would be compatible with the rest of the fish in the eventual 540 gal?
<Will ask Neale to respond here. Bob Fenner>
Thank you
Sincerely
Roberto
Re: Need help with dying Uaru; also Gold Saum/Green Terror compatibility     10/12/17
Hello, thanks for the very informative response.
The guy is now swimming upright and is more responsive to stimulus. I may actually believe CO2 overdosing was at play here also. I will be checking on his fins in a while when I arrive home.
some addressing of the points you told me:
this is the tank that receives the most maintenance, it stays at around 7.5 ph, 8 dGH and 8 dh (I know, not optimal).
<For Uaru, likely life-shortening if wild-caught, suboptimal (as you say) for tank-bred specimens. Would review water chemistry here if at all possible.>
I just want to point out I actually have another Uaru, this one is 20 cm adult I got last year and have kept in a south American cichlid aquarium (230 gal), but I got him already at the 15 cm mark.
<The larger size certainly helps, and the sheer size of this second aquarium probably moderates stress factors to some degree too. But simply because one fish did well in suboptimal conditions isn't a guarantee that a second specimen will do equally well.>
The small and big Uarus do get greens, since I also keep a couple fancy Plecos feeding them zucchinis and other greens also involves the Uarus feeding. Also, the small Uaru nibbles on plants, particularly Hygrophila and staurogyne species which he devours happily.
<Precisely.>
I also feed a combination of Spirulina and normal flakes with new life spectrum to all fish, although all in all they do get their share of meaty foods, which probably isn't good as you have pointed out.
<I would avoid, in all honesty. As with Tropheus and other more or less herbivorous cichlids, providing too much meaty foods will cause problems, though to what degree is certainly debatable.>
Water temp of the planted tank stays at 25-26C, so yeah, below what is needed.
<Quite so.>
All in all I reckon he's not in the best of conditions, even less for a 4 cm fish, which are more delicate than adult, robust fish.
<I agree with this analysis and conclusion.>
Thank you, I will probably set up a different tank for him to grow out while he reaches the size to go to the main cichlid tank.
<Wise.>
I will also be upgrading the cichlid tank, the jump will be towards a 540 gal. The current main south American has the adult Uaru, 2 Geophagus steindachneri, 1 Green phantom Pleco,
<A "hothouse flower" of an L-number, so a superb choice for life with Uaru.>
1 blue phantom,
<A definite low-end tropical this time! 22-25 C preferred. So a poor choice for a Uaru tank.>
and a school of 5 Festivums.
<I do think Festivums are rather lovely fish! Happy enough at high-end temperatures, but a bit more omnivorous than the Uaru, so not a perfect companion.>
I have two adult Andinoacara rivulatus in separate tanks. I was wondering if they would be compatible with the rest of the fish in the eventual 540 gal?
<Ah, beautiful fish these, but not easy to keep. These are the old "Gold Saum" of the 1970s/1980s, also known as the "Green Terror" because it was regularly confused with the much more placid, but similar-looking, Blue Acara -- but so aggressive it could decimate your community tank! On the one hand, like (most) other Acaras, it's a good choice for low-end tropical systems, 22-25 C, and tankmates should be chosen accordingly. It won't be happy in the same warm water (25-28 C) that your Uaru or Green Phantom Plec would need. But it is aggressive, and tankmates need to be able to handle themselves. L-numbers of similar size are good choices, as are equally big and robust characins and cyprinids, for example Silver Sharks or Leporinus spp., but only with singletons -- mated pairs are far more destructive and invariably kept alone. For sure odd specimens were docile enough, but in truth most Gold Saums ended up living in rough-and-tumble Central American cichlid tanks or on their own.>
Thank you
Sincerely
Roberto
<Most welcome. Neale.>
Re: Need help with dying Uaru; also Gold Saum/Green Terror compatibility      10/16/17
Funny, I decided to check the filtered messages of my inbox and three of them were from WetWebMedia, and here I was thinking there was a bit of inconsistence with the emails!
<Oh!>
Thanks by the way, now that I realize, I have quite a few tanks, but I have the space and caring for them doesn't take long, really. I would like to reduce the number of tanks into bigger ones. I find it easier to care for a single 100 gal than say, 4 x25 gals. This is the reason I am aiming at keeping a single south American tank, but I was really unsure of the green terrors.
<Agree that one big tank is easier than four smaller ones, but does assume all the fish get alone/share the same requirements.>
As you said, they are commonly kept here with central Americans, but from the look of things they commonly are the punching bags of Midas, red devils, salvinis and... ugh, doviis, those are true demons.
<Correct. But if you combine with less aggressive, but equally robust, Central American cichlids they're fine. In a 200-gallon system I've kept them with Convicts for example, which are smaller than the Green Terror, but able to handle themselves if they need to. I do think keeping singleton cichlids is the way to go here: one Green Terror, one Jewel Cichlid, one Convict, and so on would probably be fine. It's (usually) when cichlids form mated pairs and start defending their nests that things get nasty.>
Actually, many people have trouble raising GTs to adulthood. Most losses I've seen show GTs with sunken stomachs, not sure why is it that people have such hard time with them.
<All sorts of reasons. They're probably pretty inbred by now -- the species isn't a significant target for collection from the wild, so the population of captive fish isn't getting topped up with genes from wild specimens. Green Terrors were never popular -- for reasons of aggression -- so the actual starting populations in most countries was pretty small. So over time you've got a lot of fish descended from a handful of specimens, and combined with all the usual problems with tank-bred cichlids (exposure to bacterial infections, Hexamita, etc.) the quality of what you see today isn't very high.>
In fact, the general consensus of people here is that green terrors are bottom tier in aggressiveness and among the hardest to keep, hence why I thought they would do fine in the future 540 gal with the rest of south Americans.
<In a really big tank, then possibly a singleton or pair might be okay with schools of fast-moving, midwater characins and shy, nocturnal catfish that are essentially invisible and out-of-reach during the day. But I would not think of mixing them with any other South Americans, certainly not other Acaras, or for that matter Pikes, Festivums, or Severums. I'm sure people have combined them with really big South Americans such as Oscars or Peacocks, but neither of these two fish are aggressive as such, but very powerful if pushed, so it's difficult to predict what will happen for sure. I would much prefer to stick with the Green Terrors as the only cichlids, and everything else to be either a characin or a catfish.>
Both my green terrors have grown with the company of Raphael catfish. The biggest, 22 cm one is timid and will most of the time hide in between woodwork and come out when I get away from the tank. The smaller, 15 cm one comes out to receive me and eats (and bites!) from my hand. Two very different personalities.
<Quite so; could they be male and female?>
I also have an aquarium with blue Acara and aequidens diadema, but I was looking which of these fish could go together.
<I would not keep either of these Acaras with Green Terrors. Much too similar in shape, colouration and ecological niche -- but far below them in aggression.>
So, the green terrors are out of the question of the future 540 gal right?
<See above.>
would it be possible to do a single, Acara themed aquarium (diadema, blue Acara, green terrors?) I have never witnessed the actual territoriality of my green terrors as they were never kept with other cichlids, just Loricariids, but I trust you know better.
<Not so much know better -- just more aware, perhaps, of how often the combination can go wrong! Whenever you see a really colourful fish that's easy to keep -- but nobody keeps them -- you have to ask yourself why. Green Terrors and Jewel Cichlids are two examples of this. Look nice, behave badly. Cheers, Neale.>

Uaru Hexamita       4/26/16
Hello. I am Svetlana. I have 3 Uaru 3”. I got them in January from local pet store. They was in the store for 2 month and was eating everything they would give them. I place them in my 55 gl with 2 butterflies and 3 clown loaches ( I will buy a big tank later). I take water to pet store to check, they told me everything is good, pH 6.5,
<What is the water hardness here?>
temperature 82F. They stop eating and got white stringy pop after 2 weeks I had them. I treat whole tank with Seachem Metroplex. They got better and was eating after dosing for 5 times every 2nd day.
<I'd stop... Metronidazole is too nephrotoxic...>
2-3 weeks later same problem ( not eating, white pop). I treat them in hospital tank 10 gl with 7 doses of metro aging. they did get better and were eating, but 2 weeks later same problem. Please l have a couple questions:
1.I think it is Hex and only treatment is metro??
<Is the best>
2. I am dosing them in 10 gl tank for a 5 days now without any improvement yet… they have not being eating for around 10 days now.
<Stop; the problem is something else>
They are in the 10 gal tank and I dose them with Seachem Metroplex 3 times now accordingly instructions. please let me know if I should increase the dose? or any other meds i should be using?
<I'd try an Anthelminthic... Praziquantel... see WWM re>
Please help, Svetlana
<Trying. Bob Fenner>
Juvenile Uarus hex?       4/26/16
On the pictures one fish has long white-clear long string (pop?).
<Appears to be... Need to sample and look under a microscope... for encapsulated eggs, or? BobF>
The other two do not pass any poo last 2 days...
I soaked mini blood worms in metro and garlic and refroze it. I know they should eat veggies but it is only one of them would have interest in. But spit it out and nothing is eaten....I even bought and put plants for them (they was destroying them before), no interest .... Thanks, sorry for long emails.
Re: Juvenile Uarus hex?      4/27/16
Hello Bob, I will try to find somebody to do the test with microscope.
Should I continue with Metro for now??
<See our first email: No; kills fish kidneys w/ too much exposure>
Do you think the salt in small amount would help?
<Perhaps Epsom; as gone over on WWM.>
higher temperature ( 85F now)??
<IF you can keep up dissolved oxygen. B>
Re: Uaru Hexamita        4/30/16
Hello Bob thank you for reply. I did PraziPro for 5 days prior the last treatment of metro and was no change. In the store they told me that I can use PraziPro with metro together.
<Yes; this is so>
I did not remove PraziPro from the water and started metro on april21 daily. Hardness was 9 last time I checked but I will go to pet store again and send you the correct reading of everything. Due to metro treatment I have no chemical filtration and I go 30%water change with bottom clean up daily using 1day aged conditioned water.
<Very good>
I redose the mess for new changed water amount. The tank is not cycled.
<Yikes; bad>
I do have established 55 gl tank with clear water, can I use that?
<Yes>
I live in small town and may be our water is not good?
<Can't say from here>
I can bring water from different city (it is what I did 2 years ago for 5 years) ?? I can even get osmotic water if you think it would help?
<Ask at your "water district"... the contact info. should be on your water/utility bill; for water quality analysis>
Any of your advise would be very helpful to me. Thank you, will send you a picture of them��
<Please do. Bob Fenner>

Uaru cichlid... toxified       1/17/16
I have a Uaru cichlid that I've had for about a year in a tank with 2 angel fish and 4 other cichlids. Well with the last water change, the two angelfish died.
<Yikes! I strongly encourage folks to store new water for a week ahead of use. Do see/read my SOP on WWM re frequent, partial water changes>
Now the Uaru cichlid will not eat and has started kissing the heater in the tank to the point that his lips are burnt and puffy.
<Good gosh>
Can you tell me what causes this and what I can do to help.
<Am guessing the fish was damaged by whatever occurred in the water change that resulted in the Angels loss... only time and your good care can show whether it rallies>
He has not eaten in a couple of weeks is now losing his color and becoming disoriented and just sitting sometimes sideways in the bottom of the tank. But continues to kiss the heater. Help me please, don't want to lose this Fish
<What are the present water tests showing for this system? Is this fish nitrate poisoned? Was it chloramine poisoned? Bob Fenner>
re: Uaru cichlid /Neale      1/18/16
The water conditions are showing fine.
<Need values, not opinions. What are the actual numbers you got from the test kits you used? To recap: Uaru are extremely sensitive to dissolved metabolites. Ammonia and nitrite must be zero, end of story. Nitrate has to be as low as practical, the 0-10 mg/l being about right, 20 mg/l pushing your luck, and anything above lethal in the long term. Like Discus, Uaru are species for large, understocked tanks with generous filtration (though weak water currents) and frequent (weekly, at least) water changes.>
As far as I know it's not nitrate poisoned.
<Nitrate is a background killer. Levels above 20 mg/l stress cichlids generally, making them more susceptible to diseases such as Hexamita, HITH and HLLE. So while you might get, say, 30 mg/l and say, "well, that's not high enough to be lethal" that is only true in the sense it won't kill the cichlid immediately. What persistent high nitrate levels do is mean something else kills your cichlid within some weeks, months.>
Please give me some options, I really want to save my fish.
<Do read about Discus maintenance, and apply those rules here. Uaru are similar, though closer to wild-caught Discus than the modern tank-bred varieties. In other words, pristine water, gentle currents, high temperatures, soft water, and unlike Discus, a greens-based diet.>
If it was poisoned, how our can I fix it?
<Short term, you can't. Fresh carbon will remove some poisons effectively, but nitrate is managed through water changes, and ammonia and nitrite via water changes.>
Forgot, my husband took out too much water. Could this be a cause?
<Easily, if water chemistry and temperature of the new water were not kept close to that of the old water. Again, read up on Discus. Cheers, Neale.>
re: Uaru cichlid      1/18/16
The water conditions are showing fine. As far as I know it's not nitrate poisoned. Please give me some options, I really want to save my fish.
<Options? Given what data you've provided; I've already stated what the possibilities are. Good care and patience. BobF>
re: Uaru cichlid      1/18/16
If it was poisoned, how our can I fix it?
<Depends on what and how it was poisoned with. B>
re: Uaru cichlid      1/18/16
Forgot, my husband took out to <too> much water. Could this be a cause?
<Already stated; yes. Did you do the reading where I first sent you? B>
re: Uaru cichlid      1/19/16
This morning he now has those little white spots all over him. I think it's called ICK, how do I treat that?
<Try the indices, search tool on WWM. B>
re: Uaru cichlid      1/19/16
Will test again later and send you results. Thanks
<Cool. Cheers, Neale.>
re: Uaru cichlid      1/19/16
Here are the results GH 180KH 180PH 6.5NO2 0
N03 80-160
Use Prime to treat my water
<.... your cichlid WAS Nitrate poisoned. See/READ on WWM re. B>
re: Uaru cichlid      1/19/16
Here are the results
GH 180
<General hardness is "Hard".>
KH 180
<Carbonate hardness is "High".>
pH 6.5
<Fine on paper, but do recall biological filtration is less effective below pH 7, and adjust filtration rates, stocking, and food input accordingly. But acidic conditions are natural for Uaru spp.>
NO2 0
<No nitrite. Excellent.>
N03 80-160
<Very, very high nitrate. Stressful to any/all fish at this level; 20 mg/l or less is the ideal for cichlids, 40 mg/l is the maximum acceptable before a water change.>
Use Prime to treat my water
<Good. In short, the zero nitrite but very high nitrate suggests that biological filtration is working well (hence no nitrite) but the tank is overstocked, overfed, or doesn't receive enough water changes (the high nitrate). Review, and act accordingly. Such nitrate levels will trigger all sorts of problems in cichlids, as discussed earlier. Do pick up, read books from the likes of Loiselle and read re: dissolved metabolites. When it comes with Uaru spp., your margin of error is so trivially small you MUST keep on top of water changes, keep the tank lightly stocked, and keep food input as low as practical (in part achieved by minimising protein-rich foods like flake and frozen and increasing the proportion of protein-poor foods such as fresh greens, cooked spinach and peas, non-acidic fruit, etc.
Cheers, Neale.>
re: Uaru cichlid      1/19/16
Thank you will see what happens
<Most welcome. NM.>