# Came home from holidays to a sick fish...bummer.



## Malawidolphin (Dec 15, 2006)

Hello all, I just came home from a two week holiday, all my fish except one are fine. For my absence I had a automatic feeder feed 2 light feedings a day. I tested that when I got home and it was working fine. My Chocolate cichlid "Bhuda" was hiding and when he came out I noticed white spots. These are not Ich, they are more like pimple heads which I think could either be a fungal or bacteria infection which I believe is from stress. I have a 3.5" female JD and Texas about the same size in the tank and a 3 Columbian tetras and 2 Odessa barbs. All of these fish are fast active feeders and Bhuda is slow and calm. The three cichlids show no aggression as of yet (the Texas and JD are going into a 55g by themselves when they are a little larger or start showing aggression) None of the fish show frayed fins or damage except one Columbian who I think was going to be dinner for Bhuda. I noticed when the feeder went off, the other fish fed frantically and Bhuda backed off, I thing he might not have been eating much since I left. (He has not thinned out or lost weight, that I can tell) I tested the water as soon as I got home and did a 50% water change as the Nitrates had climbed to 20-25.
Details
46g bowfront, fluval 404
Amonia 0
Nitrite 0 Nitrate 10-15 (after water change)
food- Hikari bio-gold, Hikari carnivore sticks, Nutrimax flakes

Bhuda is acting fine now, he was hiding alot when I first came home. He is eating fine. Should I treat with melafix/Pimafix? I have never encountered this before. This is the best photo I could get


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## BRANT13 (Feb 18, 2009)

Melafix and pimafix should do a good job at clearing him up....wixh i was there so i could see the white bumps...looks like ich from the pic


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## Malawidolphin (Dec 15, 2006)

They are definitely not Ich. these bumps are pimple like but kindal look like Mould except not green. Ich is very "salt grain" like. These spots are softer looking and larger. This morning they are about the same. My thoughts are that it is a bacterial infection but I thought I would treat for bacterial/fungal at the same time. I am going in town today to get Melafix/Pimafix and I thought I would pick up some other meds (just in case those don't help) any ideas what I should look for. I am not very familiar with meds as I haven't had to use them other than for Ich which I now use Heat/salt method.


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## Malawidolphin (Dec 15, 2006)

Well I bought Melafix and Pimafix along with Jungle Parasite Clear. I dosed the tank with Melafix. Can I also add Pimafix at the same time? If so is it full dose with Melafix in there aleady. I thought I would give this a few days to see if there is any change and if not I would try the Parasite clear. Any thoughts?


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## BRANT13 (Feb 18, 2009)

well *** never used the primafix....but *** used the melafix and love it....i believe u can use them together but im not sure so id found out first...sorry


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## oldcatfish (May 27, 2009)

My bet would be a viral infection like Lymphocystis. It often looks similar to ich initially.

The bad news--there is no cure, and it is contagious. The good news---It is rarely deadly, and often clears up once the stress is removed. Just feed your fish well, and increase your water change schedule for several weeks.

Melafix won't really help (unless he is getting a secondary bacterial infection, which is possible), but it won't hurt. Just increase the aeration. I've never used Pimafix---so I can't help with that.


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## Malawidolphin (Dec 15, 2006)

So far I have just put the Melafix in and today he seems about the same, at least not worse. The white bumps are only on his body and not at all on his fins. I know the bumps look like Ich in the photo but it is larger than Ich. They look like the head if a small pimple.


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## Malawidolphin (Dec 15, 2006)

oldcatfish said:


> My bet would be a viral infection like Lymphocystis. It often looks similar to ich initially.
> 
> The bad news--there is no cure, and it is contagious. The good news---It is rarely deadly, and often clears up once the stress is removed. Just feed your fish well, and increase your water change schedule for several weeks.
> 
> Melafix won't really help (unless he is getting a secondary bacterial infection, which is possible), but it won't hurt. Just increase the aeration. I've never used Pimafix---so I can't help with that.


Thank you, I at least have some opinions and advice to go on. (I must have been mid-post when you posted this reply) The other fish still seem fine so I will up the water changes and continue with Melafix just as a back up and to prevent any secondary infection. He has always been a big, healthy fish so if it is rarely fatal I am optomistic I can pull him through. I guess I'll watch for any new symptoms or changes before doing anything else in the line of meds.

cheers,
Karen


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## Malawidolphin (Dec 15, 2006)

Well today "Bhuda" looks worse. He is getting more of these pimples and is now spitting his food. The other 2 chichlids seemed fine. I have been treating with Melafix in the A.M. and Pimafix in the P.M. Yesterday I though he was doing better. So I decided to do a 50 % water change and start treatment with Jungle Parasite clear which has Metro in it. Within an hour of adding the JPC my fish are on the bottom gasping. I added an extra HOB without a cartridge for extra water movement and lifted my Fluval out put to the surface for extra agitation. I tested the water right away and still came up with Amonia 0, Nitrite 0. Has anyone had this happen when using these meds? I have no Chlorine or chemicals in my water as we are on a well that is over 500' deep so we are also not affected by rain fall or spring run-off etc.
??????? :-?


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## Robin (Sep 18, 2002)

That's really strange about the JPC and the fish going to the bottom. I don't think its the JPC--that's a good effective med I've never had anyone report it being too strong for their fish. **
That said I also don't think it's the right med for your fish as it's primary purpose is for treatment of parasites and it doesn't sound like that's what you're dealing with. Yes it has metronidazole in it which is effective against parasites and some bacterial infections but I think you'd be better off going with something that specifically targets bacterial and fungal infections. If it's something viral in nature like Lymphocystis then no harm done in treating for fungus/bacteris. 
Melafix and Pimafix are great but you probably need something stronger at this point. 
Get something that is specifically for fungal and bacterial infections. 
Adding salt, (sodium chloride) at the rate of 1 tablespoon per five gallons as well as the increased water movement will help prevent bacteria from attaching to the fish's skin.

** Check your filters to make sure there's a good strong flow coming out of the filter returns. Check and make sure the media inside the filters doesn't have a build up of waste. Also make sure there's nothing on your fingers, (gas or soap residue) when you place your hands in the tank. _Something_ sent those fish to the bottom. . . .

Robin


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## Malawidolphin (Dec 15, 2006)

Thanks Robin, I added salt a few days earlier and have kept the levels up with water changes. The reason I started the JPC was because my Chocolate started spitting food so I thought there was a possibility that something is going on inside to cause the stress and resulting illness. I am really grasping at straws as he has never been sick before. Today he is a little more active and I can't really tell if there is a difference in the pimple-ly spots. I am going into town tomorrow...do you have a suggestion on what meds I should buy to help get this under control.
The fish recovered from their gasping after I added the HOB filter but it did take a couple of hours. I have good flow through the Fluval, but I am going to take it apart and check everything with the next water change. I clean the Fluval every 3-4 weeks and it isn't clogged with gunk when I do. Can SA cichlids get bloat? I thought that was possible from the stress.


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## oldcatfish (May 27, 2009)

Yes they can get bloat. Whatever you do, keep up with the water changes---keep the tank spotless.

Though I have mixed medications in the past, I've always done it in a quarantine tank....you never know how different meds will react in a tank. I would stick with one medication, or else treat him in a quarantine tank.


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## Malawidolphin (Dec 15, 2006)

Well good news, He ate last night and this morning and did not spit it back out. I am doing a water change with a filter clean to add carbon to get the rest of the meds out. After I will be adding salt again and Melafix. The LFS only had copper based meds and nothing really for just bacterial infections, so I bought more Melafix and going to see if it will help him since he is acting a little better and eating.


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## Robin (Sep 18, 2002)

Eating is good news. If the fish seems to be responding then I wouldn't seek to add more meds. Increased water changes over the next few weeks while keeping the salt and Melafix levels constant might be the best way to go.

Let us know how it goes.

Robin

The fish store didn't have any Mardel products? Or Jungle anti-bacterial tabs?


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## Malawidolphin (Dec 15, 2006)

Thanks again, I can only hope at this point. Aside from the white bumps he looks surprisingly good. His fins are not frayed or showing spots or deterioration. I can still tell he's not feeling right though. I cleaned the filter and it looked fine, good flow, not overly dirty. I really hope I don't lose him, he is my all time favorite fish.


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## Malawidolphin (Dec 15, 2006)

Well I have been nursing "Bhuda" ever since and he has really taken a turn for the worse. He seemed to be getting better with water changes, salt and melafix and he was eating well. He has now been laying on his side since yesterday and barely moves. When I left for work this morning he was alive but just seemed to be "sleeping" on his side. He does move to get away but returns to the same position. I am afraid he will be "gone" when I get home. It has been such a long haul and I really thought he was going to pull through.   . His white spots had almost completely disappeared and his color was good. He wasn't 100% but I thought he was getting close. It will be such a sad loss,especially since I really never did figure out the exact illness I was dealing with. :-? :-?


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