seaweed Posted December 10, 2009 Share Posted December 10, 2009 Hi everyone, I have a possible Cichlid disease problem and need some help desperately I have a 6ft. regular water changes and running + 12 months. Recently, my colony of Cobalt Blues and other African Cichlids starting dying all of a sudden. Symptoms would include swimming happily one minute before suddenly going stone cold and lying dead. It would happen all of a sudden. I had about 30 Cichlids about 5cm in size, and one has been dying approx each day. During the last few weeks have been adding small amounts of rock salt and broad spectrum anti-bacteria. This has only delayed their deaths so rather than 1 a day, it has become 1 every week. I have continued to perform water changes, PH balance is right. I am desperate to find out possible causes and save the remaining Cichlids. There are no live plants. There are a few water snails but they havent caused any problems in previous Cichlid tank setups. I have also attached recent pics of one Cobalt Blue which died today. Any thoughts or suggestions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dobbin4 Posted December 11, 2009 Share Posted December 11, 2009 Hard to say as you dont give PH etc of water, other fish?,stone cold & dieing ? Looks like the colbolt's been beaten up / picked on as well by the fin's in photo Looks like a sore from fighting ? as well? Is that a fungus growth? Got a lot of males ? Tried any meds? Guessing that is fungus, so i would be trying a multi cure at least. hope helps Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CThompson Posted December 11, 2009 Share Posted December 11, 2009 You need to show a photo of live fish/tank and put down water parameters, pH, KH ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPM1976 Posted December 11, 2009 Share Posted December 11, 2009 Need more info but looking at the chomped tail might mean there fighting alot.Do you have hiding spaces? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noxious_nasties Posted December 11, 2009 Share Posted December 11, 2009 The damage to the tail and fins may not be the way to go as it could easily be caused by other tankmates if the fish was left in the tank for a short period of time after it had already died. I'd suggest like CT to give us your water parameters for a better analysis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seeweed Posted December 13, 2009 Share Posted December 13, 2009 Thanks for everyone's response. Water parameters: Nitrite- zero Nitrate >200pm (over scale) ph 7.8 kh 40pm gh >180pm (over scale) I assume the nitrate got out of control? (just removed a handful of hidden Cichlids that must have died in the last few weeks and gotten stuck). I've done a complete water cycle and will see how the levels settle down over the next few weeks and the effect on the Cichlids. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seeweed Posted December 13, 2009 Share Posted December 13, 2009 Hard to say as you dont give PH etc of water, other fish?,stone cold & dieing ? Looks like the colbolt's been beaten up / picked on as well by the fin's in photo Looks like a sore from fighting ? as well? Is that a fungus growth? Got a lot of males ? Tried any meds? Guessing that is fungus, so i would be trying a multi cure at least. hope helps Used to have a lot of males, they were all happy living together in their own hiding places until last few months when they started dying off. Tried broad spectrum anti biotic. It has only delayed the deaths. Guessing it was from fighting, but there is only one other very quiet Cobalt and the remaining Cichlids are all passive. Several others are suggesting it could be from fighting, so will keep an closer eye if there is a midnight stalker attacking the others when I am not watching. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dobbin4 Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 I think,,, You just removed a handfull of dead hidden cichlids,,,, Tells the story Sure something must have been wrong and your water says so but dead fish in the tank will only set your water off as you show. Sorry mate but if you kept a eye on them surely you would have noticed them dying and setting the water off,? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reillin Posted December 16, 2009 Share Posted December 16, 2009 The high nitrate probably caused a condition known as brown blood. I suggest a good gravel clean, a filter clean and also a waterchange. To reverse "brown blood", you will need to add sodium chloride (salt) to the water, which you have been doing. However, you'll need to keep on lowering the nitrate till it remains close to zero for your fish to recover. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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