# New Jack Dempsy rubbing off scales



## jessabunny22 (Jun 28, 2011)

Details:
29 Gallon tank, running since June 2011, has cycled.
Temperature: 79 
ammonia (NH3/4): negative
nitrite (NO2): 0
pH: 7.0
GH: hard (150)
KH: moderate (80)
nitrate (NO3): 40

Problem fish: Electric Blue Jack Dempsey
Other fish: Electric Yellow, Red Jewel, Acei

The problem fish has been in the tank less than a week, most of the other fish have been in the tank for several months.

Fish are fed: Once per day -- New Life Spectrum Cichlid Formula and/or Tetra Cichlid flakes and/or Hikari Cichlid Gold

Gravel clean and 1/3 water change every ~2 weeks. Tap water sits for 24 hours before being put into tank.

The new guy is missing patches of scales and is rubbing on rocks/decor. He has been eating and swimming around. He has clamped fins and has been swimming erratically. He looks pretty rough and we're hoping for some good advice. We added salt, increased the temp to 80 and pulled him from the main tank today...

I'll follow up with a link to a picture of the fish (can't add a link since this is my first post).


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## jessabunny22 (Jun 28, 2011)

http://www.altgilbers.com/images/jd.jpg


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## triscuit (May 6, 2005)

Google columnaris and tell me if that is what it looks like. In the meantime, lower the temperature to about 75 degrees and do a large water change (50-75%) on the 29 gallon tank. If this is columnaris, you want to lower the risk of transmission to your other fish but getting their water very clean (nitrates under 10ppm).


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## jessabunny22 (Jun 28, 2011)

Columnaris looks like mold to me. What my fish has doesn't puff out as much, it almost looks like he is missing scales in the areas. I feel like we do a really good job cleaning the tank but i never get my nitrates under 40 even with the frequent water changes uses the gravel vac.


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## triscuit (May 6, 2005)

Well, frequent is subjective. :wink: To give you an idea, I change out 70% weekly on my heavily stocked tanks. You _can _get your nitrates under 40- and I strongly suggest you do that while there's a potential for a disease outbreak. It make take several days of large water changes to see nitrate start to drop, but it will, I promise.

It's good news if it doesn't look like columnaris. The pictures and descriptions sometimes look like missing scales. But, he may have been injured during transport, or been fighting in the new tank. I suggest keeping the fish in quarantine for a few weeks, doing regular water changes, and perhaps adding melafix to help heal the scales.

With very clean water, he could heal himself quickly. With 40 ppm nitrates, his chances of getting a secondary infection are higher.


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## lilcountrygal (Dec 27, 2011)

I cant help with the disease (you're in good hands already), but just wondering if you've tested your tap water to see what it is out of the tap?


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## jessabunny22 (Jun 28, 2011)

Thanks for the advice. Is it better to do 35% changes 2x a week rather than 70% once a week. I haven't used malafix before. I know I probably should take out the carbon filter but any other suggestions. I was also thinking possible losing slime coat because I found a whitish film hanging from a plant of the tank the Jack is in. I tested the water straight from the tap before and it was fine but I haven't done it in a while. I will do it when I get home tonight. Thank you so much!


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## triscuit (May 6, 2005)

Well, 70% once a week will lower nitrates more quickly than 35% twice a week. But you'll need to watch your fish to make sure that large volume water changes do not stress them too much. Make sure you use dechlorinator and match the temperature closely.

I'm pretty skeptical of stress coat and other slime coat products... the fish will produce their own as needed.

Carbon in your filter probably isn't doing much, unless it's very fresh. Melafix will help avoid infection, and is relatively cheap and easy to use.

You could have some nitrates in your tap water, but it'll be very small amounts probably not detectable by your home test kit.


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## jessabunny22 (Jun 28, 2011)

one of my fish that I have had from the very beginning has black pigment on him now and seems more lethargic... any ideas? I already set water aside and plan on doing another water change tomorrow since i had just did one 2 days ago.


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## triscuit (May 6, 2005)

Why do you sent water aside?

How do you match the temperature when you do that?

Either way, you need to use dechlorinator.

I use a hose directly from my tap to the tanks... saves a lot of time and effort. Of course, I have to be careful about monitoring the temp and making sure the dechlorinator gets mixed in.


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## jessabunny22 (Jun 28, 2011)

I don't use a dechlorinator because I think I added too much one time and a couple fish died. I can add water from the tap and dechlorinator a little prior and be fine? I thought it had to be mixed in the water and stirred before adding. as you can see I definitely am new to this and want to do things right. I know setting water aside is a pain but it was working without me killing fish. to get the temp right I put a heater in the water bucket and wait 24 hours. I have a dechlorinator and will use it from now on my husband will be happy not having to fill buckets of water before each water change. All my fish seem to be doing better and scratching less. My jack is still isolated and more active and still eating. I treated him with malafix today.  I think I will be doing regular 50% water changes every week from now on.


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## triscuit (May 6, 2005)

I suggest Prime, or ChlorAmX... you can add five times as much as you need of these things and they won't hurt the fish. They are also pretty cheap to use long term.

I add my dechlor while the tank is filling- near where the hose is adding water to the tank. It gets mixed well enough. Check out a water change hose/valve thing made for this: Aqueon has one, and Python is another brand. I siphon into the tub or out a window when removing water, then hook up the hose to a faucet. It makes cleaning 8 tanks a breeze. :thumb:

So, if after a week everyone is looking well, you'll need to think about your stocking choices... you may not be able to add the Dempsey back in without him getting beat up again.


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## newbiecichlid99 (Jan 17, 2012)

in this picture is 1 my fish which had Columnaris it starte out looking like she got beat on bad and ended up cotton mouth as many know this as


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## inlovewithjack (Aug 25, 2012)

Hi, I know this tread is a little old - But did you find out what was wrong with your Jack? I have been treating mine in a 30 Gallon and it looks like he has rubbed off his scales as well. Looks almost idential as your picture - but the spots are a little lighter. I am currenlty treating him with Primafix (almost out so i will be switching to Melafix) and general cure. Before I started treating him he was swimming erratically and refusing to eat. It looks like he is doing alot better now - swmimming, not hiding like he used to and he even comes up to say hello again, and he has started eating. I just don't want to lose my little guy (hes still about 2.5 inches). Mine also has lost parts of his fins. I am unsure if this is because of fin rot or the convicts I had housed with him. Any ideas would be great.


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