sick cichlid

[lucky62]

You could raise temp to say about 82 to 84 degrees , increase aeration if you can , I'm not sure about the neons , but the rams could probably stand a treatment with aquarisol [copper treatment ].

It's been a while , have any died ?

Maybe time for something more .

Have your been able to ID the problem for sure ?

Did you look through those pinned articles ?

And post in emergencies as well , someone have recent experience , and be able to help .

Keep up those water changes , they should keep your fish healthy through any treatments .

 

[newbie_alicia]

I did raise the temperature it is about 83 degrees and I have put stress coat and aquarium salt in. The filter setting is at the highest but it usually always is. None of my fish have died and only one has gotten better however where the white stuff was her tail is a little raggedy. I still haven't ID'd it for sure. I looked in the pinned articles but I didn't really see anything that sounded similar. I still think it might be fungus but I'm not totally sure. I don't want to get medicine unless I know for sure because I hear that blue rams are fragile? I'm getting a lil containment tank today and was wondering if maybe I should just use it as a salt bath for now...so I can put the infected in for 30 min but I'm not sure if that would be the best thing? Or to just keep them in the tank w/ the temp raised?
~Alicia

 

[lucky62]

I have never done a salt bath , salt is said to effective in killing some parasites and somehow help the with respiration/adding to the mucus coat , electrolytes etc. , I really can't say for sure.

Have you gotten a prescribed amount of salt to water for the bath ?

And the amount of time ?


I can only tell you what I have already at this point , sorry


You should try posting this in the tropical fish emergencies forum .

Do you have any more pictures , that you can post ?

 

[newbie_alicia]

I don't know how to post it into the emergency forum. Do I just make a new topic there or can I move this one?

 

[lucky62]

I don't know how to post it into the emergency forum. Do I just make a new topic there or can I move this one?

You Just add a new topic by clicking on that window NEW TOPIC , put in a title and discription , and you can link that one to this one , good luck .

 

[newbie_alicia]

Thanks I posted it just now

 

[lucky62]

Thanks I posted it just now

Your welcome , good luck and keep doing the water changes .

 

[newbie_alicia]

Hello everyone,
My suspicious looking white stuff (pretty positive it was fungus) is now totally gone from my tank however, some of the fish seem to have their fins split in a couple spots. It seems like fin rot is raggedy looking fins and mine just have like one split.Is this fin rot? or will it heal naturally?
~Alicia

 

[glolite]

You could try melafix available from most lfs's, it is recommended for fin rot and bacterial infections.There is also pimafix, similar but deals with fungus as well. Neither affect the water filtration although it is better to remove any carbon filters while using this treatment.

 

[newbie_alicia]

I used both pimafix and melafix at the same time which is what got rid of the previous ailment. However it did not seem to affect their fin splits? How long should I use melafix? Is it bad to remove the insides of the filter for long (carbon). Because the water will still be moving but it wont have anything to "filter" it.

 

[lucky62]

Still having problems , don't worry too much about not having carbon , I haven't used it in years , my Son and have 17 tanks or so running with very healthy fish in them , no carbon in any.

It really isn't essential in filtering the water , maybe after a treatment to remove residual meds from the water .

An existing tank should have plenty of bacteria to help filter the water , that along with mechanical filtration and water changes are all you really need .

I don't use melafix often , I'm the water change guy , remember


What are your water parameters PH/nitrate ETC. ?

How big is your tank , Alicia ?

How many fish total [ what other kinds ] ?

Glad to see you're hanging in there too .

 

[newbie_alicia]

Hello, I just went to petco today and they checked my water parameters. I actually thought I must have done it wrong because I have all the test kits and they all were low. SO anyway all of the tests were good so I know my water parameters are great.

29 gallon~two pieces of bogwood, plenty of live plants
~2 ghost shrimp
~8 green neons
~6 blue rams (cant figure out the sex yet...but one im positive is female )

 

[lucky62]

Over stocking isn't your problem , I was thinking maybe hi nitrates .
Fish seem to have plenty of cover as well what could be causing the problem .
Try the meafix , many people swear by it , just remember those water changes

Do the Rams chase each other ?
do they all have tattered fins ?

 

[newbie_alicia]

Well......they do tend to chase each other...in the beginning it was like there was one dominant...but then they all kind of took their own territory in the tanks...So now they all kind of chase each other or chase others away when it comes to feeding. But I figured that all fish do that cuz even my lil tetras do that. So I haven't observed any fin nipping but I can't rule that out cuz I know they tend to chase each other. Maybe they chase each other from not having enough females? I dont know. The fins dont look raggedy though it almost looks like someone took a scissor and cut a small v shape in them I just know that my brother didn't recommend keeping the fish on melafix for too long because melafix says to take out any carbon from the filter...so my filter would just consist of the biowheel and nothing else. Is that too big of a problem? He told me to just let it heal naturally cuz their fins aren't ragged.
~Alicia

 

[lucky62]

Well......they do tend to chase each other...in the beginning it was like there was one dominant...but then they all kind of took their own territory in the tanks...So now they all kind of chase each other or chase others away when it comes to feeding. But I figured that all fish do that cuz even my lil tetras do that. So I haven't observed any fin nipping but I can't rule that out cuz I know they tend to chase each other. Maybe they chase each other from not having enough females? I dont know. The fins dont look raggedy though it almost looks like someone took a scissor and cut a small v shape in them I just know that my brother didn't recommend keeping the fish on melafix for too long because melafix says to take out any carbon from the filter...so my filter would just consist of the biowheel and nothing else. Is that too big of a problem? He told me to just let it heal naturally cuz their fins aren't ragged.
~Alicia

the biowheel is far more important than the carbon .

I wouldn't use Melafix for prolonged periods either , I really don't use it much at all .

I would agree with your bro , give them good clean water and quality food to keep them healthy and things should improve .