# The Invincible Disease. Help!



## GuitarShark (May 28, 2019)

My large Mbuna Bumblebee has been flashing for months. I have treated him with Prazipro, raising the temp, and general cure. I have done just about everything including switching chemicals, adding more salt, removing salt. My water parameters are normal with no high or out of the ordinary kh, gh, ph, ammonia, nitrate, nitrite. I don't know what to do. He has cloudy eyes and beat up skin even though he is the biggest fish and all the fish are scared of him. Please help.


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## ken31cay (Oct 9, 2018)

GuitarShark said:


> He has cloudy eyes and beat up skin even though he is the biggest fish and all the fish are scared of him. Please help.


I think the picture is unclear but even with a clear picture it might still be tough to diagnose. I've found over the years that when I have a sick fish I'm the best one to search the internet and form a diagnosis & treatment for my fish. In a lot of cases pictures don't come close to actually being there where you can see the fish and also watch their behavior.

That being said, how old is your Bumblebee, could it be old-age related? If I was dealing with your fish I would put him by himself in new clean (cycled) hospital tank, do 50% water changes every 3-4 days, and see if he improves. Sorry I couldn't be more help.


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## Mudkicker1 (Aug 6, 2013)

GuitarShark said:


> My large Mbuna Bumblebee has been flashing for months. I have treated him with Prazipro, raising the temp, and general cure. I have done just about everything including switching chemicals, adding more salt, removing salt. My water parameters are normal with no high or out of the ordinary kh, gh, ph, ammonia, nitrate, nitrite. I don't know what to do. He has cloudy eyes and beat up skin even though he is the biggest fish and all the fish are scared of him. Please help.


You need to give us the number values for all your water parameters please.
Start with a 50% water change.

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## GuitarShark (May 28, 2019)

Ok. I did a water change yesterday. It was 50%. Before the water change, my parameters were
Nitrate 15 ppm
Nitrite 0
Ammonia 0
Ph 8.2


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Just because he is dominant does not mean he does not have injuries. I'd say the skin is injuries unless you see symptoms that look like something else. Flashing just means his skin is irritated...which is normal if he is even a little beat up. It would also be normal for his skin to be irritated when treating with salt.

The cloudy eyes are the mystery. That is usually an injury which starts getting better the next day. Or pop eye which IME is due to aggression.

Try isolating him in his own tank and see if he improves over the course of a month.


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## GuitarShark (May 28, 2019)

Unfortunately, I have tried isolation with no success


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## Mudkicker1 (Aug 6, 2013)

It's really tough to give advice as that photo is not very clear. Can you take better pictures? Did you add new fish to the tank recently? Is this fishing eating well?

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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

His skin stayed beat up after a month of isolation?


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## GuitarShark (May 28, 2019)

Yes. I think the skin damage is from flashing. I forgot to mention that I also treated with seachem paraguard. As you can see though, this disease is just outright bizarre.


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## GuitarShark (May 28, 2019)

I will add more pictures. This one isn't very clear


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## GuitarShark (May 28, 2019)

Pictures are below.


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## GuitarShark (May 28, 2019)

What I find weirdest is that the other fish don't display symptoms. Only he does. He is 10 years old so maybe that plays into it.


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## ken31cay (Oct 9, 2018)

GuitarShark said:


> What I find weirdest is that the other fish don't display symptoms. Only he does. He is 10 years old so maybe that plays into it.


He could simply be on his way out due to old age. Best you can do is keep him as comfortable as you can.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Average life expectancy is 8 years.


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## GuitarShark (May 28, 2019)

Hmm. That could be true. Might be a bit senile.


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## GuitarShark (May 28, 2019)

Hey guys. So I just noticed last night that my smaller bumblebee Cichlid has started flashing. He is actually doing it more than the big guy. Suggestions? He has no marks or eye cloud.


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## Mudkicker1 (Aug 6, 2013)

GuitarShark said:


> Hey guys. So I just noticed last night that my smaller bumblebee Cichlid has started flashing. He is actually doing it more than the big guy. Suggestions? He has no marks or eye cloud.


I would add aquarium salt at 3 ppt for two full weeks. Also add some Seachem Stress Guard as per directions. If it doesn't improve I would then treat with Kanaplex.

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## ken31cay (Oct 9, 2018)

Mudkicker1 said:


> GuitarShark said:
> 
> 
> > Hey guys. So I just noticed last night that my smaller bumblebee Cichlid has started flashing. He is actually doing it more than the big guy. Suggestions? He has no marks or eye cloud.
> ...


+1 sounds like a reasonable treatment IMO. I hope you isolated the old bumblebee away from the main tank as leaving him there would be exposing the other tank occupants to a higher concentration of pathogens and will increase their chances of getting sick.


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## GuitarShark (May 28, 2019)

I have already done salt dosages twice. Done stress guard. Done isolation. Will try kanaplex


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