# help! have a sick fish



## Seamus Wick (Dec 11, 2011)

i don't no what to do with this fish. I've never seen anything this bad. could someone please help?

4 Labidochromis caeruleus
1 female Melanochromis auratus 
2 Pseudotropheus demasoni
1 Pseudotropheus crabro
3 week old 55 gallon tank
0 amonia
0 nitrite
40-100 nitrate
(i'm trying to get the nitrate down)


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## Nodalizer (Nov 7, 2011)




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## Nodalizer (Nov 7, 2011)

Your tank is a bit agressive for Yellow Labs really.

They are mbuna, but shouldn't really be put with the likes of Melanochromis auratus or Pseudotropheus crabro unless you know what your doing.

My first impression is a injury likely from another fish that has turned to a desease. The only other thing I could think of was a poor diet lacking in some important vitamins. It could be heater burn also (would match the suspected agression).



> i'm trying to get the nitrate down


Do a large 80% water change, that will get your nitrates down immediately. Then if they get to 20 or higher again within 5 days, your feeding too much. (which could also cause desease with the decaying material bring nasties into the tank.

EDIT: Just to check, pleco marks normally are smaller and more numerous, but you could have one feeding in the same area... you don't have any that you didn't mention do you ?


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## Robin (Sep 18, 2002)

Another possibility is that the fish got stuck against the heater. 
Did the wound appear suddenly--like overnight--or did it start off small?

However it happened you need to make sure it doesn't become infected and the best way to do that is to keep the water conditions perfect.

Your tank is only 3 weeks old?? With just 8 fish? And the nitrate is that high?? :? Wonder if your test kit is accurate. How much are you feeding the fish: 2 or more times a day?

If you notice the wound growing larger within a short period of time, (say if you had noticed it yesterday and then today it was noticeably larger), then you should probably treat the fish as it may be Columnaris--or some other bacterial disease. 
Is the fish eating/swimming normally?

Make sure to use a good quality dechlorinator with the water changes, especially if you're doing large ones.

Robin


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## Seamus Wick (Dec 11, 2011)

ok, thanks. the scales are all falling of and the skin is coming apart. What should i do? should i return the labs or try to treat it? If so, how do i treat it? One has trouble digesting its food to. I feed them Omega one cichlid flakes, cichlid gold, and occationally tubifex worms.


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## Robin (Sep 18, 2002)

> the scales are all falling of and the skin is coming apart.


You should treat this fish for a bacterial disease. 
Meds: 
Use Maracyn and Maracyn two--both together
Or
Kanaplex, (Seachem)
You should do a partial water change and lower the temp to 76' Adding sodium chloride, (aquarium salt) at the rate of 1 tablespoon per five gallons may help slow the spread of the bacteria. Dissolve the salt first and add it gradually.

Trouble digesting: do you mean the fish is spitting out food?

There may be more than one thing going on here. If you've got a fish spitting out food then it may be the first sign of bloat.

Please post back with more information. 
Robin


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## Nodalizer (Nov 7, 2011)

Don't feed them the worms, if anything give them a treat of krill. But for now I think you should be feeding them nothing but a low protien food. And if they are having troubles eating, do not feed them for at least 2 days.

To treat:

Important thing is to keep the water quality clean. I would do small water changes daily.

Add some melafix or similar, i would add a dose thats under the recommended.

And I would do all this in a hospital tank prefereablly, but in your tank will work.


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## Seamus Wick (Dec 11, 2011)

One of them sometimes spits out some of his food, but an hour or so afterwards he pushes out his mouth and flares up his gills and pieces of food may come floating out. 
He doesn't seem to be losing his appetite though.
(note that this is a different fish then the one losing his skin)


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## Seamus Wick (Dec 11, 2011)

he has gotten worse today and you can see red on him(looks like blood)
he also pooped red liquid
any ideas? is this a sign of bacteria? :-? 
the fish that seems to be having digesting problems is hanging out near the filter output (i heard this is a sign of ich), but has no spots.


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## Nodalizer (Nov 7, 2011)

Have you done anything in the way of medicating the fish with the injury ?


> (i heard this is a sign of ich)


Sign of bloat also, which seems more likely.


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## Seamus Wick (Dec 11, 2011)

no, not yet


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## GTZ (Apr 21, 2010)

Kanamycin (Seachem Kanaplex). Begin treating the tank, no quarantine or hospital tank.
Treat as directed on the package following a 30-40% water change and vacuum. I'd do a water change prior to each dosage as well to try and reduce your nitrates. Leave the tank lights off. Remove any carbon or charcoal filtration and test water parameters periodically over the course of the treatment.


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