Panther

Im new but I need help...

2 year established freshwater tank 130 Gal conditions have been constant we have 9 generations of killiefish breed in our tank.

Pleco missing an eye upon closer examination face around mouth is pink and white with a red ridge, other eye is sunken and can see cloudy white flesh around the eye, fins are frayed, loss of appetite cottony clumps on body

Tiger barbs had white lines along fins, scales missing all have died

Severums cloudy eye with what looks like an ulcer that opened, cotton patches on fins

aussie rainbow scales along body missing, fleash eaten away, mouth cotton, eye missing

iridecent sharks eyes cloudy, pockets and ulcers on eye

tetras cotton on body

striped zebras white patches on side of body

Killiefish white patches no eye disease yet

loaches eye cloudy or ulcered, white cotton on fins


I suspect the cotton is a secondary disease

pH is normal, Amonia is normal, nitrate is normal nitrite is spiked critical did water change added salt temp runs 80 since the tank has been put up. Live plants are in the tank no snails.

I would think pop eye but the pleco acts like it has hole in the head, ulcers on the severum and sharks eyes fins are deterating. Behavior seems to be normal except the pleco is disorientated, lays on its back and jumps out of the water I would suspect because both eyes are affected and were going to remove it from the tank today.

The symptoms match parts of the diseases of pop eye, hole in the head, fish TB, cloud eye, ulcers, fin rot and a few others so I dont know how to treat the tank, we used melafix which seemed to help the eye problems but not fix, the ulcers and cotton continue to be an issue as well as the pleco "hole in the head symptoms"

Help

Tumbleweed

It sounds like a bacterial infection to me. I would try treating the tank with antibiotics keeping the water temp around 80F no higher as bacteria multiple in warmer water. The last time I had a huge bacterial outbreak in my tank I used a antibacterial dip for the fish, did a 50% water change and then treated the tank with antibiotics to keep the fish from getting a secondary infection. The dip killed all bacteria on the fish and I noticed a huge difference in the fish just the next day, and 3 days later the fuzz was completely gone.

Isabella

Perhaps Maracyn I and II could help since you seem to have many diseases in your tank at once. BUT before you get the Maracyns, wait for someone to confirm that it would be safe for you to use these medications, as I have no personal experience with them and I certainly wouldn't want to mislead you. Until then, try to keep the water as clean as possible, with 0 nitrate at best. Keep the temperature increased as well (say, at least 80F, 82F perhaps), and when you raise it, do it very gradually.

0morrokh

First of all, what are the readings of your water tests?
To tell the truth I really don't know what to tell you. First of all observe your fish really closely. Are any of them not eating, bloating in the belly, losing weight, lying on the bottom or hanging at the top, not moving around, losing color or becoming darker/grayer in color, have a milky color to their fins, have fraying fins, or have an arched back? I ask this because I recently lost a tank to TB and these are some of the symptoms I observed...however, it does not sound like you have TB. The cotton, finrot, and popeye are probably secondary symptoms of some underlying disease. I think what you need to do is find out what is causing the ulcers in the fish, scales missing, flesh rotting away, and hole in the head symptoms. I do not know what causes this but I will try to look for some info.
Meanwhile try to think of any possible changes that could have stressed the fish or introduce the disease.
I do not know how you would treat it because I don't know what is wrong with them. I'm not sure Maracyn would work. I would not try any meds until you are pretty sure they will help.
Meanwhile I'm going to look up ulcers and hopefully I can find what is causing this. I hope your fish get better soon.

0morrokh

-Grayish-white film on skin, damaged fins, ulcers, yellow to gray patches on gills, tissue on head may be eaten away. Columnaris (Cotton Wool Disease)
-Lack of appetite, weight loss, small holes or eroding pits appearing in the head. Hole in Head Disease (Hexamita) – more common in cichlids
-Sluggishness, lack of appetite, open sores with red edges, possible fin rot. Ulcers


Any of these seem to fit all of your fish? I'm trying to find something that fits all of their symptoms...but then again, perhaps something happened to stress them and they all came down with a different disease at the same time.
I'm still looking for stuff on missing scales...
Oh, how ould I forget?* When in doubt, do water changes!!* Lots of them.* Since we don't know how to treat them, at least make sure they have optimal water conditions.

also read this post from some other forum... http://www.tropicalfish.site5.com/tf...p/t-12722.html