# Fungus Or Something Else?



## JGNC (May 15, 2014)

Over the past several weeks I've been converting my heavliy planted tetra/cory tank to a plantless cichlid tank. Used half of the old pool filter sand substrate and the same sponges and media from my canister filter.

Specs:
75 gallon tank
Rena XP2 (used this to re-cycle the tank)
One day old Aquaclear 110 with added crushed coral (it replaced a Emporer 280 that was only on the tank the past week)
Hydor 300 watt in-line heater
Crushed coral substrate on top/mixed in with old PFS
Two 4' 6500k T8's
Some river rock from the mountains that I cleaned with a peroxide solution like I always have.
No buffers or salts

All the fish were bought this past Saturday.
- Three 3-3.5" Acei (at least I'm pretty sure that's what they are)
- Two 2.5" Maingano
- One 2.5" Yellow Lab

Water perameters:

Temp. 78* (two different thermometers on opposite ends of the tank)
pH 7.8
Ammonia 0-.15ppm (hard to tell with API master kit)
Nitrite 0ppm
Nitrate 0ppm

I noticed last night that my yellow lab was picking on the largest Acei. Today when I came home from work one of the smaller Aceis was dead and the other two plus one Maingano have what appears to be peeling skin. The Lab is looks normal other than it looks like he's growing a beard and is cowaring in a corner. The other Maingano seems completely uneffected.

I called the LFS where I purchased the fish and they said any ammonia level over 0ppm will kill cichlids almost immediatly but they have several products they sell that will cure the fish. He also said that I shouldn't have put Acei and Yellow Labs together since Acei are from Lake Victoria. I'm not blaming them for the condition of my fish but I won't be a returning customer.

Here's some picures:






(the black spot on the Acei in the background of the above picture was present at the time of purchase)



Thank you in advance for any help and advice.


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## JGNC (May 15, 2014)

The largest Acei just died. Not off to a good start to the world of cichlids. :-( Only Acei left is the one with the black spot.


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## PiccoloJr (Oct 14, 2013)

If you have ammonia and 0 nitrate your tank isn't cycled.


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## fishandcards (May 11, 2014)

I was thinking the fish look like the tank is not cycled. I believe that even when you transfer media, you still need to cycle the tank (just a lot shorter time). There is bacteria everywhere in the tank. So, thje bacteria needs some time to multiply - just a much shorter time.

I would try a different test kit too. I just struggle with trusting any of them.

The fish do look to me like some I have seen in uncycled tanks (including my own....but I have learned patience, well, maybe).


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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

The tank may not be cycled, but that is not causing what you're seeing with this growth/fungus. If you bought the fish on Saturday, they came with this disease.


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## Lp11 (Mar 4, 2014)

Not sure about the fungus, but you can definitely put yellow labs and acei together.


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## JGNC (May 15, 2014)

Iggy Newcastle said:


> The tank may not be cycled, but that is not causing what you're seeing with this growth/fungus. If you bought the fish on Saturday, they came with this disease.


I know they had the Acei and the Mainganos for at least a week or two. I had been in there several times the last few weeks to buy odds and ends and scoped out their stock.

I called another LFS about that's about an hour away. They had me send them pictures and it was their opinion that it is columnaris based off the death rate. Maybe they were already infected but the stress of transportation and tank condition is what set it off. Either way, I shouldn't have stocked the tank so soon.


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## JGNC (May 15, 2014)

The last Acei and the sub-dominate Maingano passed the other day. The dominate Maingano and Yellow Lab appear healthy and hungry. I haven't fed them since they became sick.

In a week or two I'm going to add some more fish. What kind of trouble will I have if I add similar sized or smaller Acei and Yellow Labs? The Maingano is approximately 2.25" and the yellow lab (I think it's male, need to double check) is 2.5" or so. Finding similar sized fish may be difficult around here since most places only have 1-1.5" fish. Should I attempt to locate more Maingano or will he be fine solo?

Thank you for all the advice.


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## Kanorin (Apr 8, 2008)

JGNC said:


> The last Acei and the sub-dominate Maingano passed the other day. The dominate Maingano and Yellow Lab appear healthy and hungry. I haven't fed them since they became sick.
> 
> In a week or two I'm going to add some more fish. What kind of trouble will I have if I add similar sized or smaller Acei and Yellow Labs? The Maingano is approximately 2.25" and the yellow lab (I think it's male, need to double check) is 2.5" or so. Finding similar sized fish may be difficult around here since most places only have 1-1.5" fish. Should I attempt to locate more Maingano or will he be fine solo?
> 
> Thank you for all the advice.


My rule of thumb is to wait 3 weeks after there has been an illness in my tank before adding any new fish. Definitely make sure everyone looks healthy and water parameters are good to go!


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## aandreasen63 (Jan 21, 2014)

JGNC said:


> The last Acei and the sub-dominate Maingano passed the other day. The dominate Maingano and Yellow Lab appear healthy and hungry. I haven't fed them since they became sick.
> 
> In a week or two I'm going to add some more fish. What kind of trouble will I have if I add similar sized or smaller Acei and Yellow Labs? The Maingano is approximately 2.25" and the yellow lab (I think it's male, need to double check) is 2.5" or so. Finding similar sized fish may be difficult around here since most places only have 1-1.5" fish. Should I attempt to locate more Maingano or will he be fine solo?
> 
> Thank you for all the advice.


You should be fine with that size difference provided you have a good amount of hiding places. I have a fish that's pushing an inch and one that's almost 4 they
Don't ever seem to bother each other but I have tons if lace rock hiding spots.


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## JGNC (May 15, 2014)

A week later and here's some new stats:

Temp - 81*F
pH - 8.0
Ammonia - 0ppm
Nitrite - 0ppm
Nitrate - 5ppm
Alkalinity - 120-180ppm
Hardness - 150ppm

Done with the API Master Kit and a test strip for the KH and GH until I get a better test kit.

I'm still using a crushed coral substrate and larger crushed pieces in the HOB. No buffers but my tap water pH is 7.5. I'm on the fence about what to do since my pH has been slowly rising. I'm afraid to do more than a 10% water change in 24 hours due to the difference. Should I add buffers to any new water to match aquarium water or am I better off removing coral until my aquarium naturally holds a pH closer to my tap water?

The Yellow Lab and Maingano are still doing great and are eating normal.


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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

I don't think you'll ever see much difference with the coral. You'll need to be doing weekly water changes of 30% or more(based on your final stock) and some coral in the filter probably won't bring it up too fast. I wouldn't worry about the difference between 7.5 and 8.0 pH. My water comes out of the tap at 7.4 and raises to 8.4 within a day due to a high kH. I just did a 70% WC the other day on a large tank. The fish did not respond negatively, and were begging for food immediately after.


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## wortel87 (Apr 15, 2014)

DO NOT ADD FISH IN THE NEXT MONTH! do listen to kanorin.

your fish have been really ill. you should not take this lightly.

their recovering so adding new fish (i would presume unquarantined) gives you a fairly good chance of introducing some other disease.

think about it.. if you had a lung infection and you are still recovering and someone with the flu would start coughing up your face. what would hapen?

just dont do it


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