In a soft, acid water aquarium, improve the water quality and decrease bacteria-count by buffering water. Increase aeration and filtration to maximum acceptable level. With correctly designed filtration system, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate should never be allowed to climb above minimal levels. The adults and larvae of some freshwater beetles can kill fish as large as themselves. They suck the juices from the victim's body, leaving the dead fish without any obvious signs apart from small puncture wounds.
Small numbers cal do little harm but large numbers can harm small fish.
In severe cases anemia, listless behavior, emaciation, pop eye. In the case of Sanguinicola extensive gill and kidney damage. Although the name of the disease implies a fungal infection, this is not the case. Malawi Cichlid Homepage 1999-2001. All rights reserved.