Is He Ill?

[Jimbo1984]

Hey. I've been having some problems with my Keyhole Cichlid for a few months now. He's become very lethargic, but only in the day strangely. Also, he seems to have developed a swollen anus and is flicking/scraping against ornaments a lot. He is also getting a lot of ripped fins. I have taken some photos:

Here you can see him sat on the tank floor. I'd say he spends 50% of the time doing this whereas when I got him he didn't sit around at all.

In this photo you can see there's a lot of big rips in his pelvic fins. They're usually perfect. Fortunately they heal pretty quickly but I don't understand how he's getting them.

These 2 pics show the reddening and swelling of the anus. It looks as if something is poking out of it. This has only happened in the past few months. Also, i'm not sure if he's lost weight. Does his body shape look right?

Lastly here you can see the damage under the eye and on the upper body from flicking/scraping. Also large rips in his tail fin.

Does anyone know what could be causing these symptoms? Thanks!

 

[Athena]

Have a read of these symptoms (copy and paste if link doesn't work) and see what you think:

http/www.waterlife.co.uk/waterlife/treat10.htm

http/www.waterlife.co.uk/waterlife/treat2.htm

I had a look at the photos on close up and there are a few little white "dots" here and there - not whitespot though - so could be flukes - and he does seem to have the symptoms. He could also have a touch of fin rot.

Regards, Athena

 

[Davo86]

Hi what are the water stats and how long has the tank been running for?
It appears to be an internal bacteria problem which is backed up by the slightly sunken abdomen shown in image 4

 

[Jimbo1984]

Hi. Thanks for your replies. An interesting diagnosis page there Athena. I think it may well be those!

To add, i've already treated the tank with Flubenol, Interpet No. 9 Anti Internal Bacteria, Octozin, Protozin and Melafix which is why I felt the need to post with photos.

The tank has been running for just over 2 years. I did have a Nitrite spike a couple of weeks ago, which was the first ever and quite an eye opener. I'd not water changed in 3 weeks after treating with Octozin. I've learnt my lesson on that one. The water's been changed a couple of times and is now back to normal.

So what next, Sterazin? I do have some Myxazin but it's what to target first.

 

[Davo86]

I hope this doesn't come out wrong but you really shouldn't be blindly treating the system with all of those as this will lead to much of the filter bacteria dying off which will significantly contribute to problems like this,

Wilder is going to be your best bet for a definite id on this one, but atm i'd still say its a bacterial infection

 

[minxfishy]

Hi, Ive sent Wilder a pm to see if she can offer some help on this one

 

[Jimbo1984]

Hi. I thought that might get that reaction. Those treatments were used based on different information picked up on various websites. This has been going on for some time. So what do you suggest?

 

[Davo86]

If you can fill in as much of this as you can, it will give us a bigger picture, (and will save wilder having to ask you when she gets here)

Tank size:
pH:
ammonia:
nitrite:
nitrate:
kH:
gH:
tank temp:

Fish Symptoms (include full description including lesion, color, location, fish behavior):

Volume and Frequency of water changes:

Chemical Additives or Media in your tank:

Tank inhabitants:

Recent additions to your tank (living or decoration):

Exposure to chemicals:

 

[WILDER]

Flubenol should kill the adult parasites but you need to retreat every 7 days for up to 4 weeks to kill the young as they hatch.
Fish can also get internal flukes.
Can you describe in more detail what you thought was prutruding from the anus.
I'm blind as a bat so can't see the white dots on the fish.
Are the gills pale with excess mucas or red and inflamed.
Any excess mucas on the body of the fish.
Does the fish swim in a jerky movement.

Best not to use a med till you know what the fish is suffering from.
To many meds can make things worse as it weakens the fish immune system.

 

[Jimbo1984]

Hi. Ok...

Tank size: Juwel Rio 125. Approx 100 litres working volume.

pH: 7.0

Ammonia: 0.0ppm

Nitrite: 0.0ppm

Nitrate: 10ppm

kH and gH: Not checked for a while but within ranges for all fish last time I checked. I'll get the test kit out after this...

Temp: 24-25 celsius depending on room temperature.

Symptoms: Lethargy/Listlessness, Flicking/Scraping, Swollen Anus, Ripped Fins

Water changes: 25 litres weekly/fortnightly (now weekly without fail after nitrite reading)

Chemical additives: Seachem Prime (double bottle dose to be sure at water change), Flourish weekly, Flourish Excel Daily/Every Other Day, Melafix for fin rips at water change then when needed.

Inhabitants: As signature

No recent additions of any kind. No chemical exposure known.

Now in response to Wilder's post...

The anus seemed more swollen with the vent prutruding slightly. Occasionally stringy clear waste that goes but not like cammalanus. Possibly due to Emperor Tetras pulling at waste and tearing it off. Pooing as normal as far as I can see.

I can't see any dots, with magnifying glass also.

Gills seem fine.

Occasionally he gets what looks like clumps of detritus on his upper body. Not sure if this is mucus. I presumed this was from lack of movement when sat on tank floor.

Sometimes jerky swimming movements yes.

 

[WILDER]

Ok.
Swimming in a jerky movement can be a sign of parasites.
I would run some black carbon to remove meds from tank.
Do you still have the flubenol, if so I would treat for 4 weeks adding a dose every 7 days.

 

[Jimbo1984]

I still have flubenol yes. So you think parasitic not bacterial? What about the other symptoms?

 

[WILDER]

Parasites can cause bacterial infections.
I would go in with the flubenol.
Fish tend not to flick and rub with bacterial infections, only columnaris.

 

[Jimbo1984]

Ok, I hope you're right. I'll let you know how I get on. Thanks for your help all.

 

[WILDER]

You can use other meds with flubenol so If you want to add anti internal bacteria med by interpet should be fine as long as there
plenty of aeration in the tank.