# Sick venustus



## kojak76 (Feb 13, 2012)

I came home tonight to find my venustus venustus acting sick. She is usually very active but tonight she is kinda just drifting around..leaning to one side. She is still small only about 3 inches and all the other fish are acting just fine. Water parameters are in check so I'm at a loss. There are also no signs of being beaten up either. Come to think if it she was acting this way 24 hours ago as well. Pls help.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Since there is not much to go on in your post, next step is to provide more specific information suggested in the Sticky:

What size is your tank and what SPECIES of fish do you have? (This helps identify potential aggression or overstocking problems.)

How long has it been set up? Is it CYCLED? (This can rule out cycling issues.)

What are your water parameters: Temperature, ammonia (NH3/4), nitrite (NO2), pH, GH, KH and nitrate (NO3)? It's not sufficient to say that your water tests "okay" or "fine." Sometimes a misunderstanding about WATER CHEMISTRY requirements is the root of the problem. If you don't have TEST KITS, you should purchase them. In the meantime, your local fish store will probably test your water for you -- just be sure to get the actual results rather than just a "thumbs up".

How long have you had the fish and what symptoms do they have? What do you FEED them? Have you introduced any new fish recently? What is your MAINTENANCE schedule, and what product/s (if any) do you use to neutralize chlorine or chloramines in your TAP WATER? (This helps to determine if a new disease has been introduced to the tank or if it's some kind of husbandry problem.)


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## kojak76 (Feb 13, 2012)

DJRansome said:


> Since there is not much to go on in your post, next step is to provide more specific information suggested in the Sticky:
> 
> What size is your tank and what SPECIES of fish do you have? (This helps identify potential aggression or overstocking problems.)
> 
> ...


My tank is a 240 gallon the stock list is as follows:

Copadichromis Azureus 2 females 1 male

Nimbochromis fuscotaeniatus 2 females 1 male

Otopharynx Lithobates (zimbawe rock) 4 (hoping to get a harem)

Chilotilapia Rhoadesii 1

Placidochromis Johnstoni 1

Placidochromis Electra 1 male

Protomelas sp. "Spilonotus Tanzania" 1

Placidochromis milomo 1

Nimbochromis Sp. Venustus 1 (female that was supposed to be a male...)

Nimbochromis livingstonii 1

bristlenosed pleco 4

yellow lab 3

Aulonocara Baenschi 1

Protomelas taeniolatus 3?

F1 Sciaenochromis Fryeri 1

Placidochromis Electra 1

Haplochromis/Protomelas 1

Temp=78
ammonia=0
nitrite=0
nitrate=20 (today is water change day)
GH=75ppm
KH=45ppm (had a post about these and will be raising this probably today)
PH=6.8 
The tank has been set for about 6 months, was fishless cycled for 3 months and has been stocked since June, with the most recent additions being added at the beginning of last month. I keep a pretty close eye on all my water parameters. I do 50% water changes once a week, along with vacuuming the sand and cleaning the rocks. When I do water changes I use prime as I do have chloromines in my tap water. I feed them Aqueon cichlid pellets, and occasionally cichlid flakes (got those for the venustus fry I had come about as a surprise  but the others seem to like them too. Oh that was one other thing, she is a mom, funny thing is that she was supposed to be a male when I got her but arrived to me holding go figure. So she spit 8 fry, 4 of which are still alive, about a week after I received her. I had her separated for a while and she has been returned to the main part of the tank for about 2 weeks. So far no other fish seem to be affected or having any issues whatsoever. The only appearance wise thing that has changed on this fish is that her eyes appear to be a bit cloudy, other than that she looks fine...She does swim around but it seems she is just staying in one small corner of the tank just kinda lumbering around. Her breathing also seems to be a bit labored. I am off all day and will be keeping a close eye on her and see how it develops. Btw DJ you seem to always be the first to respond to alot of my questions lol thank :thumb:










Here is the best picture I could take of her. Hope its not her last


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## kojak76 (Feb 13, 2012)

after reading a bit i think she may have bloat.....I do not have a hospital tank atm but will be setting one up. My lfs is not the best but I hope they do have clout or the medication for her. I will be setting up a tank for her today and start treating cause if it is bloat im sure i am already running on borrowed time. On the upside though. If she does not survive she has left me with 4 babies so part of her will live on if I cant save her.


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## kojak76 (Feb 13, 2012)

Well went to the lfs and they do not have either medication mentioned to treat bloat so....I am hoping that it is not that. She is swimming around more as of now and earlier today so hope she pulls through.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Is she eating? White thready feces? I always have to order Metronidazole online.


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## kojak76 (Feb 13, 2012)

DJRansome said:


> Is she eating? White thready feces? I always have to order Metronidazole online.


Not eating, and her feces is white and does apear to be somewhat lighter than usual so perhaps thready. also no streaks or ulcerations around her anus.. I am afraid if it is that she will not make it till it arrives if I ordered it tonight but I will have it on hand should this happen again. Thanks again, might be a loss cause without any medication there is very little I can do for her at this point.


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## kojak76 (Feb 13, 2012)

So after reading even more I am pretty sure it is bloat. However, there is little I can do because the fastest I can get medication is in 2 days...im afraid that will be too late. I am probably to blame for it for some reason probably diet. I feed them pellets most of the time and usually only feed once or twice a day. From what I have read on a few places I should feed less more often instead. Thanks for the posts and I will let you know if she pulls through Doubtful but you never know there may be a fishy god somewhere that grants fish miracles.


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## NeptunesNeighborhood (Apr 19, 2012)

Sorry to hear that. I haven't experienced bloat yet, but I'd be in a similar predicament as you, it seems I need a prescription down here in FL to get it.. Good luck!


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

In case it eases your mind, IME bloat is rarely due to food issues (even though the right food and not overfeeding is good) but usually due to stress issues. And once the fish is lumbering, it's chancey that it will recover, even with the meds on hand.

Metronidazole is sold by the major online fish vendors and fish room suppliers, etc. without a prescription IME.

Maybe too many males in your tank to have the occasional female live a stress-free life there?


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## kojak76 (Feb 13, 2012)

Possible, she is one of few but she has never been bullied. I do think it is the fact that she had babies and protected them with great vigor. I did separate her and the fry for a month and she was doing fine until I moved her back into the main tank and separated her from her kids...well it seems to me that this hobby is alot of trial and error in the beginning...I just really with that the errors did not end in death...but I did see another post where a member lost every fish due to not having water conditioner on hand, I really feel bad for his error. With all that said, she is still alive...and today is not isolating herself in a corner but instead swimming more in the middle of the tank and not as cumbersome as she had been. She does have a feces that is pretty long and thready so not sure if its passing or what. Ill keep ya posted.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

It's not the length that is the issue...if the feces are food colored and thick, that is healthy. If they are clear and fine the fish is just passing mucous and nothing is getting through the digestive system...that's a symptom. Glad to hear she is better.


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## kojak76 (Feb 13, 2012)

She did better for a bit but in the end lost the fight. I found her laying on the bottom tonight when i got up for work, i ended up helping her along because i could not let her just suffer a few more days..thanks for the help and hopefully i can avoid this happening again. Ordering meds just in case though.


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## kojak76 (Feb 13, 2012)

She did better for a bit but in the end lost the fight. I found her laying on the bottom tonight when i got up for work, i ended up helping her along because i could not let her just suffer a few more days..thanks for the help and hopefully i can avoid this happening again. Ordering meds just in case though.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Sorry for your loss. I would keep a close eye on the females in that tank.


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## kojak76 (Feb 13, 2012)

As far as I know there is only four other females..and they are the Nimbochromis fuscotaeniatus and the Copadichromis Azureus. I will keep a close eye on them but none of my fish have any aggressive tendancies....yet, they are still small especially the Azureus which are just at 2" funny thing when you buy unsexed....Anyway its wierd that I ordered a male and was sent a holding female in the first place, oh well accidents happen there. I will grow out her babies and probably only keep a male out of them, surely there is one male amongst 4 or them hopefully. I think that I will be looking for a 125 possibly to house the 3 fuscos as they get bigger as those are the only fish that I really want to breed at this time.


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## kojak76 (Feb 13, 2012)

Hey all figured I would give an update on my tank situation. I ended up losing 2 fish to bloat so far. And the most recent one affected is my male fusco. I have him in a hospital tank and it seems that I might actually be able to save this one. He has been isolated for 2 days and his breathing is returning to normal and he looks more lively. I have switched foods to nls ciclid pellets which has lower protein (not sure it matters, peace of mind mostly) not really sure how this started out but I do hope it has run its course and I'm about done with it. On the plus side I have learned a lot about it and I have stuff onhand now to deal with it immediately if it happens again.


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## bigmunoz (Aug 23, 2012)

Hi Kojak... I read this with fear. My female Venustus is showing the SAME symptoms. I lost a red Borleyi to what I think was swim bladder desease. I see aabout 3 cichlids in my tank acting a lilttle weird but no where as bad as the female venustus. Just staying at the top of the tank and has not ate for about 4 days. I have had her since she was tiny shes about 4 inches now. She is not eating and has white stringy fecal matter. I have a bad feeling it might be contagous, like I said I have a 3 others acting the same but one of them is still eating on occasion. Have you seen any other fish in your tank acting ill?


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## kojak76 (Feb 13, 2012)

I ended up loosing 3 fish before I got it under control. I would highly recommend reading the bloat cure sticky on the front page of this forum. I was caught by surprise the first time and had no mess on hand to take care of it when it happened. This mistake will never happen again. My main problem came up when I found out how hard was to find the medication my fish needed my Lfs did not carry any of it. I ended up going online to get clout and the metronidazole. I also did not have a hospital tank set up, also that has been taken care of. I hope you have a bit better luck than I did. I was able to save my fusco though. One other thing I did note. I never had two fish sick at the same time. It was like a domino affect, pone would go down, then another, weird. Again good luck, if u have any questions lemme know ill try to help as much as possible.


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## bigmunoz (Aug 23, 2012)

Hi Kojak unfortunately I found my Venustus at the bottom of the tank this morning. I have a swallow tail acting in the same fashion. Now I have read the notes. Did you use cloat or Metronidazole? My hospital tank is currently being used for my female empress since she is holding, I might just let her have the fry in the main tank and take out my swallow tail. I am showing the secoundery symptoms on the two fish. Wich it states its hard for them to come back. I am just conserned at this point from it spreading to the tank mates to be honest with you. Wow this is so stressful I tell you... Any help would be greatly appreciated.


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## kojak76 (Feb 13, 2012)

I used clout in the hospital tank and fed the main tank food treated with Metronidazole. I have a 240 kinda works better imo to feed meds than try to treat the tank, but u have to treat the fish eiter way, even the ones not showing symptoms. That was a mistake I made when my venustus died, thought it was over, man was I wrong.


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## bigmunoz (Aug 23, 2012)

Did you use epsom salt? I am hesitant to do that in the tank. was wondering if I am better off just bulking up on seachm cichlid salt...


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## kojak76 (Feb 13, 2012)

I did use it in the hospital tank on my fusco. It actually seemed to make him feel better quickly. Just a heads up though I've been battling this for over a month, nothing is a quick fix with this sickness. My fusco just began taking food again 2 days ago, he got sick a week after my venustus.


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## kojak76 (Feb 13, 2012)

Oh FYI the Epsome salt is a laxative...and also helps the bloating from what I have read. Not sure what's in the ciclid salts....I don't use them.


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