Sick Cichlasoma tetracanthus

[jaymes007]

Im at a loss as to what is going on with my fish? I have already lost 2, I have 4 more that I really dont want to die. I will fill out the diagnosis chart and hopefully someone can help?

1. Description of the symptoms, obvious signs of disease and behaviour of your fish. (wounds, nodules, erratic movement/breathing, feeding pattern etc.)

Bloated stomaches, white feaces, slow to nil movement ( sitting mid-water) and toward the end very laboured breathing and loss of swim bladder. ( one occurance of fungus on lip with no visible signs of fighting or wound and two occurance of dislocated jaws both top.)

2. List the fish that are exhibiting the above symptoms/behaviour: genus and species name. (some diseases and health concerns are more prevalent in certain types of fish)

Cichlasoma tetracanthus x 4 (i have 2 x convicts in the tank with them now as dithers and test subjects, but not in first instance with m/f pair)

3. When and how did the symptons/behaviour start? (when and how did you first notice the problem)

First instance with pair - approx 8 weeks ago.(signs of white feaces and nil eating, followed by bloated stomach)

Current 4, 2 weeks ago. (white feaces and already signs of bloat)

4. How old are the affected/sick fish? (age can also be a determining factor)

first pair approx 6 months (4 - 5")

Current approx 4 months (3 - 4")

5. Have any new fish been added to the tank? (if "yes", when were they added, how many, from where did they originate and what type of fish were they?)

Yes, the 4 x tetracanthus ( purchased from same shop as pair) added 1 week before male died and 2 x convicts added same time from my own breeding stock. (convicts showing no sign of illness)

6. Has anything 'special' happened recently? (eg. water change, power failure, change of water conditioners/addition of chemicals, new plants/decor/substrate, treatment for other diseases, been away for a few days, house painted/fumagated, new pets, grand children banging on the glass etc.)

nothing out of the usuall, 25% water change every fortnight. I have treated with numerous medications which i will list later.

7. What are the water parameters? (where relevant)

- pH = 7.2

- kH = ?

- gH = ?

- Temp =

- O2 content = ?

- CO2 additions = nil

- NH3 = 0.0ppm

- NO2 = 0.0ppm

- NO3 = ?

- Metals (copper, iron, lead) = ?

8. Describe the aquarium and its contents (age, size, filter size/capacity, rocks/substrate/coral type, fish and plant species still in the tank)

contents - 4 x tetracanthus and 2 x convicts

Std 4ft tank with undergravel filter and internal filter approx 700l/h.

Set-up approx 3 months. Substrate = crushed marble and medium sized gravel. Decor = 3 pieces driftwood and a few small pieces of bush rock.

9. When was the water last changed and how much was changed? (include description of procedure)

25% 1 week ago. Siphon gravel, replace with aged water (approx 1 week aged)

10. When was the filter last cleaned? (describe procedure followed)

2 weeks ago, internal filter, loosely washed sponge only, no carbon in filter. Clean gravel every week.

11. What brand and type of food has been used over the past month? (include treats/live foods/vegetables)

Tetra Cichlid stick

Wardley pellets

Hikari Blood worm

Aqua One pellets

I have also treated with Melafix, promethysul, para-cide, sterazin, epsom salts and i think thats it. There seems to be no improvement.

[anchar]

Tricky one. Your regime etc. seems to be ok. I notice that you haven't got a figure for your nitrates...are you removing all the crud from the gravel when you vacuum? When was the last time you wormed your fish and have you tried using treatment for intestinal flagellates?

Andrea

[jaymes007]

i try to be as thorough as possible with the syphoning. I have never wormed them. I am of the thinking that it is an intestinal parasite of some sort?

For this i have only found 2 treatments. Promethysul and sterazin. I have been told to go to the Vet for the trichfloren ( or something like that? )

I have also treated with Para-cide but that is for external worms.

The only food I can get them to eat is bloodworm ATM.

[jaymes007]

well i have just lost another and 1 more looks not too far off.

Any help would be appreciated!!

[anchar]

I'm sorry that no-one else has come forward to offer suggestions

I know that there was a bad batch of frozen bloodworms doing the rounds a while ago...don't know if that may be the cause.

If it were me, I'd assume that I was about to lose all of the fish. So I would stop feeding altogether, do 2 or 3 x 50% water changes over the next few days and keep up with the epsom and pool salt additions. Then I'd cross my fingers...obviously nothing else you've tried has worked and doing nothing will have the same result. Good luck and sorry I can't be more helpful

Andrea

EDIT: Can you get your hands on any oxy tet?

[BlackGhost]

The white feces and bloated stomach does seem like an internal parasite plus a bit of fungus here and there.

Ok to treat this is what i would do:

1. Increase temperature to around 28C many parasites cant stand temps that high.

2. In turn increase airation s(ignificantly).

3. Continue the promethysul treatment.

4. Drop the melafix becasue it is very similar to prometh but i think prometh is far better. And possibly para-cide and sterazin it is a bit of a medicine cocktail. (but this is at your discreation it is up to you.)

5. How do you clean the gravel every week if you only do water changes once a fortnight? With that Undergravel there will need to be a 30% water change each week if possible.

Any updates keep us posted. Good luck!

[jaymes007]

my mistake - water changes/syphoning are weekly, not fortnightly. ( do you think this is the cause? )

I lost another one yesterday.

I went onto other forums to try and get an answer and they reckon its hexamita(internal form)?they gave me this link -

http://www.fishyfarmacy.com/articles/hexamita.html

I have treated with Metronidazole ( i think thats what the lfs gave me - she had to get the tablets from her quarrantine station?)

I now have 2 cubans left and 1 looks quite sick.

Is this disease contagious?

[pride]

jaymes007,

have look on this site to see if any of these look and describe what cubans are going through. Hope it helps.

http://www.fishpalace.org/Disease.html

Adam

[Willy Wombat]

Hexamita is a definate possibility here .

How did you treat witht he met? Just disolved the tablets in tank water or did you add it to the food?

[jaymes007]

i dissolved each tablet into a cup of tank water, then let some bloodworm soak in it for 5 mins and then added it to tank.

And i must say, already there seems to be an improvement.

She is starting to swim and feed more freely. I hope it has helped.

Time will tell. I will keep you updated.

ps - its not all bad i suppose, at least my chocolates layed for me yesterday ( approx 150 eggs). One life ends another begins!!

thanks to the people who showed concern, it is muchly appreciated.