Keyhole Cichlid Off Colour - Update

[saz326]

Some advice from other keyhole keepers please.

I had 2 keyholes up until 4 weeks ago when one popped her clogs. She had been undereating for a couple of days, then started to baloon up (which I thought was just eggs initially) over the period of a week - then she developed raised scales and balooned as seen with bloat.

My male is still eating but has started to deveop some raised scales and I am understandably nervous. He is the real character of the tank - Losing his mate was bad enough - I really dont want to lose him as well.

Water is fine - only difference being in the last 2 months I have been using RO water to bring the hardness down to 10 from 18. I achieved this in stages so there shouldnt have been any shock caused. They responded well to the change actually - they perked up and swam in the open more.

I treated the tank with Octozin when the female was quaranteened as it appeared similar to bloat and the two fishies do sport a few dimples in their heads. I wanted to catch anything in the main tank nice and early.

Do you recommend I treat the tank with something like myxazin to give any nasty bacteria the heave-ho. Or should I wait and hope.

 

[saz326]

no-one with any thoughts?

 

[karin]

I've been watching this and am surprised no one is answering. I'm not an expert but scales sticking out is called pine-coning and often associated with dropsy. The other thing though, I suppose is that it is bloat, a symptom caused by many different problems.

Here some info on dropsy, not usually cured and this site is graphic. http/www.fishdeals.com/fish_diseases/dropsy/

The bloat can be caused by other things as well. I would start immediately with meds for internal parasites. I used API General Cure with metrondazole. If not you could try an anti-bacterial med but I have no experience with these.

I tried an epsom salt treatment for a bloating loach (you can google this) but the loach died so I don't know if it works.

Sorry but I wanted to give you some response.

Karin

 

[KittyKat]

I have also been watching.. it does sound like dropsey, which may indicate bad water quality.. but there are a few similar things too. I prescribe increased water changes, general "cure everything" medication and a review of their diet.

Loaches are generally not tolerant of salt, but a salt bath may help keyholes who are one of the few SA cichlids who can be found in everything from soft to brackish water. How slowly did you drop the hardness? And is that reading for GH or KH? And what is the other reading?

 

[hamfist]

The pine-coning is really a symptom and "dropsy" is a sort of catch-all term that is used to describe any condition which might cause bloat, pine-coning and, frequently, death.

I suspect that the initial cause of your problems may well have been your increasing use of RO water. It seems to have been the only thing that you have changed recently and is therefore a prime suspect.

I would be concerned over the health of your last keyhole. Any pine-coning at all is usually in my experience terminal.
However, if he is still eating then that is a very good sign ! Personally, I would slowly reverse the change in the hardness. Also, start feeding increased amounts of veg-based flake/pellets in the diet. Keep your water stats perfect ! Lots of water changes.
Octozin is the nearest to metro we have in the UK, and is the best available to you I suspect.

Just hope that you can get your male keyhole back to full health.

 

[saz326]

Thanks all, I was worried I wouldn't get any help.

I have treated for worms and internal parasites just incase something inside was causing a general unwellness.

There is no real change. He still has raised scales although less raised than before. He is still eating and is not at all shy (keyholes will tend to hide away when they aren't feeling good)

I intend to let the meds wash out of his system for a few days more then I will start a repeat round of the octozin. I am slowly bringing the hardness back up a little.

Thanks Karin for the link.

Hamfist - can you recommend a vegetable flake or granule. All I seem to be able to find is flake or granule with protien. I think they are getting bored of cooked peas and rice!

 

[hamfist]

Hamfist - can you recommend a vegetable flake or granule. All I seem to be able to find is flake or granule with protien. I think they are getting bored of cooked peas and rice!

Hikari excel pellets & tetra pro vegetable are both OK, and easily available.
These ... http/www.robbinsaquatics.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=114&products_id=383 ... are excellent and are seriously veggie !

 

[saz326]

he seems to be perking up.

I have increased the water hardness to around 13 and things seem to be improving. He still has a fat belly but he is not the most active fish in the world.

I am now feeding Tetra Pro Vegetable daily with addition of standard flake, pellets, bloodworm, or artemia on rotational basis. This doesnt make a vast change to the tank feeding but I am far more stringent with what I feed and when. (time of day and time between feeds)

Thanks all for your help. Touch wood all is going to continue to improve.