# Help Me Treat My Husband's Parrot Fish & Their Illness



## alicia24 (Feb 23, 2009)

My husband has 5 parrot fish. Two are the big orange kind and one is over 10 years old - the other is probably around 7, three are Jellybean parrots (small and about 5 years old). They are in a 30 gallon tank.

Never had any problems in all these years except once when we did a 100% water change which we fixed by using a bag of gravel from our turtle tank.

Two days ago we noticed long stringy algae on the glass. He did a 60% water change (was supposed to be 50% but he got a little carried away) and treated with Algae Destroyer. Then he added some Stress Coat and EZ Balance. All the levels checked out okay when tested.

Then the next morning (today) the two big fish had what appeared to be white spiderwebs on them, cloudy eyes, tattered fins, and the water was slightly cloudy but the jellybeans were fine. So we figured it was a fungus of some sort, removed the filter, and added Jungle's Fungus Clear. All the levels still checked out okay when tested.

The water is now green and cloudier - is there anything else we should try or do? What should we do next?


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## lotsofish (Feb 28, 2008)

Most products used to kill algae are not good for fish and stress coat should never be needed. . I doubt your fish have fungus, they are probably reacting to chemicals in the water. Algae is a sign of a healthy aquarium. Remove it by hand or get a fish that eats it.

As far as your green cloudy water, you have a bacteria bloom. Daily water changes (25-30%), put your carbon back in, turn off your lights and reduce feeding until your water clears up. Add aquarium salt to soothe your fish while they recover.


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## alicia24 (Feb 23, 2009)

I should clarify, it turned green when we added in the Fungus Clear. That turned the water green. He used the Algacide to kill the algae and after that was when they started getting cloudy eyes and white cottony patches on them. We are currently running it without carbon as suggested. The cloudy eyes have cleared up but the water is still cloudy and the oldest fish is now upside down but still breathing how much salt should I add? 

What should I do now? Should I still do that partial water change?


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## lotsofish (Feb 28, 2008)

Do an immediate change. I take back it being a bacteria bloom. Its probably chemicals. Put carbon in your filter to remove the chemicals. Continue changes daily until your water is clear.

Add more aeration, perhaps by lowering the water level so there is more splash. One tablespoon of aquarium salt for every 5 gallons. Dissolve it in aquarium water before you slowly add it to tank over an hours time.

Up-side-down is not good. If emergency:

If the fish won't move and seems close to death, try "walking" it by holding it upright with both hands and move it in a back and forth motion to try and force water through its gills to give it the air it needs.

If it doesn't seem like an emergency:
It could be simple constipation and you can try feeding it some defrosted peas. Defrost frozen peas and pinch them between your finger tips to remove the outer shell. You may have to hand feed them to the fish if it doesn't have control.

These fish are often prone to swimbladder problems. There may be nothing you can do.


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## alicia24 (Feb 23, 2009)

Okay - based on your last post I changed the water - about 20%. I replaced the carbon filters and added an extra air hose. I also put in a bag of rock from our Red Eared Slider's turtles tank which I thought might help reestablish any good bacteria which had been destroyed (that helped last time he jacked up the aquarium). I will try the salt next. Fish is still tail up but breathing. Will update.


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## alicia24 (Feb 23, 2009)

We have a Penguin Biowheel 350 - does it take one filter or two on each side? Do you know? I put in two on each side just to be safe but I'm not sure as I haven't taken care of an aquarium since I was in college! Now I'm trying to fix this before Hubby gets home and is sad because his fishy died.


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## lotsofish (Feb 28, 2008)

> I haven't taken care of an aquarium since I was in college


I didn't mention water conditioners. I hope you are using something to remove chlorine. I just assumed you would know to do this.


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## lotsofish (Feb 28, 2008)

I also assumed you weren't using salt. No more assumptions, Some folks use aquarium salt all the time. If you have salt in the aquarium, don't add more.

Two filters pads are fine.


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## alicia24 (Feb 23, 2009)

Here are some pictures if it helps. The poor guy is inside the pot


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## alicia24 (Feb 23, 2009)

Yes, I used some Stress Coat as directed on the bottle and then used my pool chlorine kit to test to make sure the chlorine was gone - also no, we haven't used salt ever but I am still looking for the box of it as I've seen it around somewhere.

They are doing better so far... at least they are swimming around some (except for the old one). And the water is clearing but as you can see - still greenish. They are not eating tho, except one of them. I gave them a little brine shrimp just to see.


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## lotsofish (Feb 28, 2008)

You might want to get a different water conditioner than Stress Coat. Some folks believe the ingredients they use in it to promote slime coat will also coat fish gills. I don't know if this is true or not but many swear by Prime as a conditioner. My water isn't chlorinated so its not an issue for me.

I wouldn't try feeding them until their normal behavior returns. They don't seem to have the energy to eat.

Do you have test kits for ammonia and nitrite?


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## alicia24 (Feb 23, 2009)

Yes we do and everything is within normal/safe ranges. The water is a little clearer and the fish seem a bit more active but the oldest one is still head down.


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## lotsofish (Feb 28, 2008)

Hope he gets better for you. There isn't much more you can do. This type of fish is a hybrid that wouldn't survive in nature. Their bodies are contorted such that they have more health issues and you are lucky to have had them as long as you have. The salt should at least help relieve some of stress he is having. I wish you and your husband the best.


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

I would do several water changes to remove the chemicals that you have added. I've never seen the algae products do anything other than cause problems. I would shoot for changing out all the water over the next 24 hours.

What are the exact water parameters?

What is your normal tank maintenance routine?

This tank is really too small for these fish, and will become polluted fairly quickly. A 30G is adequate for one regular BP!


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## alicia24 (Feb 23, 2009)

I thought it was one gallon per one inch of fish? We usually change the water every 3-4 weeks. I will post the parameters later this evening. As of now they seem to be doing better except for the two big ones - their fins are really frayed and they still are having some trouble swimming. The oldest one has really red gills. What else should I try?


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

alicia24 said:


> I thought it was one gallon per one inch of fish?


That rule goes out the window when keeping cichlids.

Your tank maintenace isn't the best...Most cichlid keepers do weekly water changes, and with a situation like this, that is what I would do...30-40% weekly should suffice...

What are those water parameters?

This really all sounds like water quality issues. The red gills may indicate ammonia burn.

You may need to do several water changes over the next few hours, using a good dechlorinator.

This doesn't mean the fish aren't sick and in need of treatment, but with your tank maintenance schedule and no water parameters to work with, I wouldn't advise adding meds to the tank.


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## alicia24 (Feb 23, 2009)

Nitrate = 20
Nitrite = 0
Hardness = 75
Total Alkalinity = 80
ph = 6.8

The two big fish still have really, really frayed fins. What do I do about that?


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## webgirl74 (Jan 30, 2009)

If it's chemical related, there's not much you can do about the frayed fins other than to do water changes. What looked lkike spiderwebs on your fish was probably their slime coat breaking down and sloughing off. My husband and I are both avid anglers, and we see that happen when we rinse our catch out in tap water at home. The fish slime looks like long tendrils and appears almost web-like. The algae chemicals you added were probably too harsh and are perhaps also reacting with other chemicals you have added. Once a fish's slime coat is compromised, it opens them up to all sorts of issues and their gills are very sensitive to things like this as well. Your fish don't sound like they're doing too well, but good luck and keep us posted on their condition.


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## alicia24 (Feb 23, 2009)

Here are what the two big parrot's fins are like - the jellybeans fins are just fine which is weird too I think:


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

The black showing on this parrot fish indicates that he/she is highly stressed. By this size, they should not be showing any dark colours if they are happy and healthy. Moving them to an adequate sized tank will probably do the trick. Have they always shown the black? This is the easiest way to note stress in parrots.

You can try adding Melafix to the tank and continuing frequent water changes. Or, you could try antibiotics...Sulfa would be my first choice for fin damage.

If this is all a result of stress related to tank size and poor tank maintenance over an extended period of time, it may take some time (and a larger tank) to resolve it.


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## jfly (Feb 17, 2009)

just wanted to say, *** been watching this post , and although alot of cichlid fans in here cant stand parrots, as they are a hybrid (frankenfish) if you will, I feel for you. i have two that i love dearly , they are absolutely the cuttest, most playful fish i have, i wish you and your fishies the best. good luck


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