What am I missing?

[DMD123]

Added the kanaplex while I wait until this weekend to do a massive clean up. I think I am going to get everyone into a separate hospital tank to treat. The three remaining cichlids are not eating at all today. That is the symptom that it has struck. That is why I was so happy I had evidence of pleco eating activity last night.

I might be able to get the gravel pulled out tomorrow night and just have the fish in a bare tank until Saturday when I can go at the tank with an arsenal of cleaning ideas!

 

[DMD123]

The kanaplex seems to have helped the hoga. It is eating like a pig, but still does the heavy breathing thing. The syspilum and lyonsi are not eating yet. I made a frozen medicated food mix with the Focus, Kanaplex, and Bi-Furan in with shrimp and bloodworms. The silver dollars and hoga have been chowing this down, so I know they are getting some of the meds inside them. I want to also treat with a parasite med in the food to see if that will help any.

Today I need to do a water change and then add another dose of the kanaplex. I will probably gravel vac and then just pull all the gravel out to disinfect. Then the next two treatments of meds will be in a bare tank. This way I can break down the cleaning into more easy to do portions instead of doing it all in one shot.

 

[Madness]

Keeping the fingers crossed.

 

[Zerc]

merry christmas eve?

i hope it works!

 

[Betty]

Glad to hear some good news on this situation. I hope the Kanaplex gets rid of this problem once and for all.

 

[DMD123]

Thanks guys!

The fact that the hoga has started to eat makes me happy! :woot: The heavy breathing thing worries me, he is the only one displaying this. Makes me wonder if I should treat for a parasite. The pearsei I lost was doing the exact same thing and I did a parasite guard treatment and no success. But then he was not eating. I still have salt in the water which if it is a gill type parasite, it will not like that. Seems like I am on the right track with this treatment.

 

[Anonymous]

How are things looking D? Any changes? Hope all is doing better.

 

[DMD123]

Thanks for asking VW, nice to see you back.

The title of the post was a joke, but it had an update of the fish.

http://www.wafishbox.com/t4828-pictures-of-my-bare-bottom#43735

Not happy with the outcome.... afraid to really keep any of the fish for the next set up, but really feel that the wild caught fish were the ones that brought the problem into the tank. The gravel bed was likely still harboring whatever had made the fish sick and infected the new batch of fish.

I decided to do one last parasite treatment to all the fish and see if that makes a difference. So the hoga and lyonsi have a bit of extended life right now. The synspilum seems fine but is kind of reclusive which is one of the symptoms. If after the parasite treatment I still do not notice a change then I will humanely put down the sick fish with clove oil.

After this treatment I will get the survivors out and I am going to tear the tank down and disinfect it. Then the rest will go back into the tank and I will try again.

 

[Anonymous]

Well D its very nice to see your not giving up and just dumping the hobby. You are very talented and knowlagable. I hope all works well for you. Keep hus all updated.

 

[DMD123]

Update,

With no gavel in the tank and it drained down to only 100g. I have been running a course of parasite meds on the fish for about a week now. Seeing no improvement in the hoga and lyonsi, I humanely put them down. That leaves one cichlid, the synsplium. Either he has a new lease on life or was intimidated by the other cichlids in there with him, because he acts different. He went from shy to chasing the red hooks around. To me this is a good sign, typical cichlid behavior. He is not eating much of anything except earthworms. He takes food in spits it out multiple times without eating anything but the worms for now. My med treatment will be finished by next Monday so I will see what comes about by then.

The one thing that is cool about the bare tank is that I know the plecos are eating. I have been putting a lot of different food items in at night and the next morning the tank is licked clean. No food to be found at all!

 

[Zerc]

The pleco does not eat, he force feeds the cichlid/silver dollars at night.

:suspect:

 

[DMD123]

I'm telling you Ive seen the zombie pleco eat! :lmfao:

She (pretty sure its a girl by the shape) will not eat anything when the lights are on. I had shrimp right by her face and nothing. But when the main lights are off and my dusk LED effect kicks in she starts chowing away. Very happy she is eating, good sign that she does not have the illness that has hit the tank.

 

[VsKitchen]

That's a real shame. But good knew about the pleco and syspilum. GL on thier continued health & improvement!

 

[DMD123]

Thanks,

I am trying to be patient through it all. Terrible to have a big show tank in the living room with nothing to show!

 

[Madness]

Thanks,

I am trying to be patient through it all. Terrible to have a big show tank in the living room with nothing to show!

What do you mean? Your displaying beautiful clear water. :lmfao:

 

[DMD123]

Oh yeah, also forgot Im displaying my bare bottom!