# my peacocks are sick, tried everthing need help



## linda521dawn (Aug 12, 2014)

I came back from vacation and noticed my peacocks not eating. checked water quality and nitrates where very high. after days of water changes i got the water stable nitrates are 30 nitrites 0 ph is 8.2 my tank is 96 gal with a tidepool biowheel system using carbon pillow and nitrate removing pads for media also have a biowheel over the tank filtration and a powerhead running. peacock were still not eating. I notices a white string hanging from a few cichlids (not the peacocks though) so I treated with Metronidazol. today is 2nd treatment of Metronidazol and my one peacock laying sideways on bottom of tank. I added some epsom salt today also. All three peacocks have not been eating but cichlids seem fine and eat. not sure what I am doing wrong here. I have been watching and they are not being chased or picked on. Help please


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## chopsteeks (Jul 23, 2013)

Sorry for your loss.

You are doing the correct treatment. But the bloat can possibly be too advanced that it was too late to save the one that died.

As an addition to metro, treat it also with praziquantel. Another common name is Prazii-pro. API General Cure has both.

If you decide to just use Metro, do a daily 25% water change.

It could take a week or more to eradicate the parasites causing the bloat. With this, it is important to keep the stress level at the minimum.

Feed metro-soak pellets. Soak the pellets and sprinkle garlic powder as metro has a very bitter taste.

Turn off the lights.

Good luck.


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## linda521dawn (Aug 12, 2014)

I am using api general cure, sorry should have said that. I have not had lights off so will try that also. Thanks! I hope I do not lose other two but one of them I fear I will cause he is hanging at the bottom not swimming around and has not eaten in over a week. It is heart breaking losing these guys. not to mention spendy. I tried a little chopped up peas to coax them but that did not work either. ugh.


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## workharddieproud (Nov 7, 2013)

Since this post will now be moved from the unanswered posts to "new" more people will respond. My experience with the white stingy poop is it's bloat, what's everything that you feed them?? Are your fish herbivore,omnivore or carnivore, or are they all different feeders or do you know for sure?? Since I first got into fish keeping I had lost fish to bloat and figured out it's caused by feeding. Some people will disagree and thats ok.


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## rennsport2011 (Oct 21, 2013)

Bloat seems to be brought on by stresses to the fish, which can include, but is not limited to food, aggression and water parameters. Were your fish fed while you were away? Are all the fish accounted for? A death in the tank while you are away, could be why the water parameters were out of whack.


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## linda521dawn (Aug 12, 2014)

my nephew fed fish while i was away. I came home and nitrates where at over 200! Im assuming he fed the heck out of them. no fish died until a week later, just the one peacock. not sure of feeding requirements for individuals I need to do a little more research. learning as i go. I have a few red top zebra, 2 sunshine peacock, synodontis, electric yellow, colbolt, and 3 electric blue johannii, pleco, and one small unidentified orange/yellow colored cichlid. there food is cichlid flakes tetra brand and aqueon color enhancing cichlid pellets (mini) although most of my fish large. occasional zucchini, green beans, peas


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## chopsteeks (Jul 23, 2013)

Sprinkle the food with garlic.. Fish loves garlic. Likewise garlic has medicinal properties, serves like an anti-biotic.


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## linda521dawn (Aug 12, 2014)

should I do that while being treated? I was told not to feed them although I did some peas


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## linda521dawn (Aug 12, 2014)

noticing alot of fish have thin white strings hanging from anus, hope this means the epsom salts are flushing them clean.


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## workharddieproud (Nov 7, 2013)

Looks like diet is ok, but highly over fed no doubt. Over feeding and improper diet will cause bloat. Hopefully you'll get it under control and sorry for your losses, I Know how feel, I lost several due to bloat when I first started keeping cichlids. They have a rather long intestinal tract and don't process food all that well. You said your fish were large, you should ditch the flakes and feed pellets. I primarily feed Ken's mini cichlid sticks and OmegaOne pellets.


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## chopsteeks (Jul 23, 2013)

workharddieproud said:


> Looks like diet is ok, but highly over fed no doubt. Over feeding and improper diet will cause bloat. Hopefully you'll get it under control and sorry for your losses, I Know how feel, I lost several due to bloat when I first started keeping cichlids. They have a rather long intestinal tract and don't process food all that well. You said your fish were large, you should ditch the flakes and feed pellets. I primarily feed Ken's mini cichlid sticks and OmegaOne pellets.


I prefer flakes over pellets. The greedy eaters will swallow too many pellets, then gets bloat. Since I switched to flakes ---- zero case of bloat.


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## chopsteeks (Jul 23, 2013)

linda521dawn said:


> should I do that while being treated? I was told not to feed them although I did some peas


Hold off on feeding for 3-5 days as they already ate too much. Use garlic to flavor the food when you resume feeding.


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## workharddieproud (Nov 7, 2013)

+1 on NOT feeding for at least 3 days, feed flakes or pellets which ever you prefer, for me, flakes are to messy. WE are in control how much we feed and they eat, there for you can over feed with flakes as well.


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## linda521dawn (Aug 12, 2014)

well my peacock who was holding bottom of tank is up and swimming and also showing some yellow coloring ( was looking grey) so maybe will pull through. cross your fingers with me. thanks everyone for the help. I will update later


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## linda521dawn (Aug 12, 2014)

I fed some pellets today soaked in garlic, the fish loved them!!! Went nuts! One peacock ate other one still no interest. How often can I feed the garlic


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## workharddieproud (Nov 7, 2013)

You can use garlic everyday depending on exactly how much you use or an individual fish consumes. However, with previous posts I would hold off feeding any fish for several days, this would be better and keep up with water changes.


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