# Ram - Hexamita



## jpbdh4 (Feb 28, 2016)

I have a Ram with Hexamita. He's been living in my community tank for a year now with his buds, an angel fish, balloon belly Molly, and a spotted leaf fish. His tank mates show no visual signs of it. I have no other tank to move him to as my other tank is show male hap/ peacock tank. 
Can he be treated in the tank with others? 
Should they be treated as well?
What should I use and or course of action?

Thanks!


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## Fish Jerk (Mar 9, 2016)

More oxygen helps with preventing it, along with more water changes. What is your temp at? the higher it is the hard oxygenation becomes.

Metronidazole should clear it up though, it's a protazoa.


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## jpbdh4 (Feb 28, 2016)

Thx for the help!

Temp has always been 79°. Any need to change this either permanently or when treating?

Have a substantial air stone in there so they currently get bubbles galore but can get more if needed. Between that and the hob filter there's good surface movement.

Water changes have been about 30% about every week and a half.

Water conditions are always ph - 7.3, ammonia -0, nitrite - 0, nitrate ~ 40 ( with our tap water its nearly impossible to keep below this, but if there's any good it stays constant.)


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## jpbdh4 (Feb 28, 2016)

Medicated fish with API metro. Will update with results.


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## Fish Jerk (Mar 9, 2016)

79 is not high enough to cause big oxygen loss. A lot of times rams are kept a lot higher, but if you do you have to be extra careful of oxygen and hexamita.


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## jpbdh4 (Feb 28, 2016)

Thx for the heads up. Between treating Marcos Esquandolas (the Ram) hexamita and being in the midst of nuking my Malawi tank for ick I'm in full fish doctor mode. Years of nothing then all **** breaks loose. Good stuff. Lol


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## GTZ (Apr 21, 2010)

Lateral line erosion or Lateral line depigmentation is still poorly understood. While flagellates are often found internally (they're naturally occurring) there is no hard link between them and LLD/HLLE.
In addition to metronidazole, nutrition and water condition should be looked at. Poor water quality or water low in minerals (RO/DI water) are suspected to play a role. Poor nutrition is also suspected to play a role, therefore a varied diet is recommended. Also, carbon has been linked to HLLE. Large water changes and discontinuation of regular carbon use is recommended.


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## jpbdh4 (Feb 28, 2016)

Thanks for the info!


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## jpbdh4 (Feb 28, 2016)

Day 1 - dose with metro, no visual change with Ram
Day 2 - off day, no visual change with Ram
Day 3 - dose with metro, no visual change with Ram
Day 4 - off day, Ram maybe slightly more active, I think, but still whiteish holes on head and white spots around gills.
Day 5 - supposed to be the end of treatment and do h2o change, carbon, etc. Should I go ahead with this and call it the day? Am I supposed to see more recovery or is it working from internally or.... thoughts? Suggestions?

Thx!


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## Fish Jerk (Mar 9, 2016)

The scars stay forever unfortunately. Also unfortunately very serious if you don't get it all when you have it in fish like rams and discus, often lethal. I think the active hexamita looks kind of silvery if I remember. Hopefully someone has more detailed advice.


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## jpbdh4 (Feb 28, 2016)

It is not contangeous/ other tank mates can't 'catch it' from an infected fish right?


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## Fish Jerk (Mar 9, 2016)

It's contagious. I would treat the whole tank and make sure it's gone.

Not a big deal on big cichlids but quite serious for smaller ones.


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## jpbdh4 (Feb 28, 2016)

Thx. The treatment I did included the whole tank so that makes me feel better. Luckily this was in a smaller community tank with only 3 other fish: common - spotted african leaf fish/ angel fish/ ballon belly molly. For what it's worth they never/ haven't showed any visual signs of it.


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## jpbdh4 (Feb 28, 2016)

Update: Ram seems to be his normal self besides his now forever Tyson tribal tats on his dome and around his gills. None of his tank mates are showing any signs of disease, fingers crossed. Thx for all those that contributed/ helped!


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