# Mbunas are ill



## djzachtyler (Apr 4, 2015)

New user, new post, & not new to fish or cichlids, but I have a strange issue that first hit my Mbunas (Johanni, Electric blue, & Albino) and has now started presenting in my Calico Peacock & my demanosi is starting to act sluggish.

Water parameters are all within correct spectrums ( just tested 7.4 PH, Nitrates below 15 PPm, Nitrites .25 PPM, Ammonia 0 PPM) good water clarity.

STarted about a week ago & presented itself with the Mbunas violently shaking their head ( almost like a nervous disorder) not territorial shaking mind you. Now the albino sits at the bottom, the Johanni has white crystalline looking stuff on his head, & the Blue guy is clamped up doing the head twitching.

Peacokck was fine earlier & I noted he did not come out for food tonight & was hiding in the rocks doing this head twitch and is a bit dull in color.

Also note the eyes are mildly looking popped out. I have concerns that this may be parasitic in nature but have not seen this combination of issues before that seem to have hit just 1 of my species the hardest. my Electric yellows, Red Zebra, labeotropheus, Dubosi & Auratus all seem happy as ever.

Hoping someone might have an idea as to what is happening so I can go get the right meds tomorrow first thing and start treatment before this possibly spreads to the others. The Mbunas are looking like they may need to just be euthanized honestly, Not sure putting them in a hospital tanks would help at this point.

no noticeable flashing, just heads twitching (like they are being electrocuted) Crystalline growth on 1, Albino acts like a swim bladder issue also. not sure if I am dealing with an onset of Ich or combination of issues, bacterial issue, or Parasitic issue. just did a 20% water change regardless, but need to yank my carbon & get ready for treatment.

Any ideas would be welcome.. I've seen alot of fish illness in my time, but nothing quite like this making it hard to diagnose.

Thanks!


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## luuuis (Mar 24, 2012)

What does the crystalline growth look like? Specs of salt? If so it sounds like Ich.

BTW it's not normal to see nitrites in a tank that is cycled. Did you test the water a week ago when you started seeing symptoms? Is it possible you had an ammonia spike that went undetected and has since been converted to nitrite?


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Agree with luuuis and the head shaking indicates an irritant in the water.

The popped eyes...well every experienced fishkeeper has at least heard of pop-eye. It could be water conditions (the nitrites maybe)?

It could also be stress, it's an unexpected combination of fish. What are the dimensions of your tank, and what is your stock list with gender ratios?

Is every fish eating at every feeding? Any clear/thready feces? Mbuna are susceptible to bloat and in final stages you can get pop-eye.


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## djzachtyler (Apr 4, 2015)

tank is 36"l x 18" w x 24" D

Lots of rocks mostly male, but many were bought young & unsexed.

Only my Labeotrpheous are a mated pair (mom just spit her babies actually). I'm familiar with Pop-Eye, but the secondary issues are what are throwing me off. The Albino Mbuna seems to have some red dots forming around the eye. I'm leaning towards a bacterial issue & TBH, I do water changes weekly when I spot clean, so maybe it was an ammonia spike, but doubtful.

2 red zebra
2 elec yellows
1 calico peacok (was a rescue fish)
2 Dubosi (M & F) I think still young with spots, but if head slant is an true indicator they are. ( I know they are Tanganyikan & not commonly kept with Malawais, but i decided to go off the map when I found em for 3 buck a pop instead of the normal 15)
1 Psudotropheus Ice Blue
1 Aureatus
1 Parallel stirped Mbuna (Black & White female?)
1 Elec Blue Johanni (sick)
1 Albino Mbuna (sick)
2 Jacobfreibergei Peacocks (possible M & F)
1 Demanosi
1 blue acei
1 Red Tail Shark (oddball but he's fun. was driving others nuts in the community tank so he got moved to this tank cause there was already a fully grown rainbow in the other cichlid tank)
1 L-191 Royal Pleco
1 Clown Loach

Honestly the 3, well as of now, 2 (electric blue Mbuna was doing death spirals so he got put down) sickies were the most aggressive tank mates (typical Mbunas for you)

Have a Fluval 306 Cannister filter running on this tank, Eheim Jaeger heater tons of Rocks & Deco, & live plants for snacks.


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## djzachtyler (Apr 4, 2015)

sorry I was trying to edit my post the labeotropheous are not the mated pair... the mated pair that just had kids are Melanochromis Exasperatus


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## luuuis (Mar 24, 2012)

That's a lot of fish. Unless they are all juveniles it's not surprising to have water quality issues in this setup, which can lead to stress and disease. This also explains the presence of nitrites.

Assuming that stock can work in this tank (I have my doubts but I will let those more knowledgeable comment on that) I think you would need more filtration just to maintain adequate water quality. To prove me wrong try testing for ammonia and nitrite daily for a week, possibly at different times of the day, while continuing to feed as normal. Both should be at 0 ppm every time.


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## djzachtyler (Apr 4, 2015)

all level of irritants are stable and well below warning levels, I have ample filtration for the size of the tank, but also have a spare HOB filter I'll add if things get crazy. Most are juveniles except the calico.

Looks like it was indeed Ich :/ did a round of treatment and everyone is rebounding well. Calico is still a little shaky but he's feeding ok.

I have no plans on adding to my stock & this was an established aquarium so I believe it was the last fish (female johanni) I added was probably ill when I got it. I'll be checking water again after the next round of treatment & 25% water change.

Thanks for the pointers folks!


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## luuuis (Mar 24, 2012)

Good to hear that you are seeing improvements. Out of curiosity which route did you pick for treating the Ich? Salt + temperature or straight up meds?


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## djzachtyler (Apr 4, 2015)

Marineland Ick treatment, Cichlid salts & a broad spectrum antibiotic.

everyone is back to eating & the albino is actually overcoming his issues & starting to Chase / swim from the spot he had staked out. Johanni is looking 90% & the Calico is back to his normal self.

not a bad turnaround for 3 days of treatment. I also have the temps raise to 80/82 degrees.

going to do another parameter test tmorrow & see where things are. I believe this round has left my biological filtration in tact as well (this was my greatest concern) but water clarity is looking good.


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## Kingsix67 (Aug 29, 2014)

I keep a smaller 10 gallon tank ready to go for new fish to make sure my main tanks are never affected. I have a rainbow shark I keep there unless I need to put a sick fish in it than he comes out. I think every fish keeper has dealt with ich at some point. I have always done salt, meds and temperature raise until all signs are gone for at least a week. Best of luck and let us know how it goes but I think your on the right path.


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