Bocourti with hole in the head???

[duanes]

If it is something like Columnaris (?) treating the main tank may be needed, because if it Columnaris, the bacteria are already in the main tank and need to be irradicated, otherwise when you put the bocourti back, they could reinfect.
And although the disease is often species specific, it could move on to infect other cichlids (or any fish) in the tank.
The concentration of salt I recommended (3 lbs per 100 gal) is not that strong, and "may" not hurt the bristle nose, I have treated tanks with those and other pleco's with that concentration.
In a 100 gallon tank, 3 lbs will bring salinity to 3 ppt, the salinity of the ocean averages 35 ppt, so as you can see 3ppt is quite low.

 

[laurad83]

If it is something like Columnaris (?) treating the main tank may be needed, because if it Columnaris, the bacteria are already in the main tank and need to be irradicated, otherwise when you put the bocourti back, they could reinfect.
And although the disease is often species specific, it could move on to infect other cichlids (or any fish) in the tank.
The concentration of salt I recommended (3 lbs per 100 gal) is not that strong, and "may" not hurt the bristle nose, I have treated tanks with those and other pleco's with that concentration.
In a 100 gallon tank, 3 lbs will bring salinity to 3 ppt, the salinity of the ocean averages 35 ppt, so as you can see 3ppt is quite low.

ok, will try treating the main tank.

I’ve got this broad spectrum bactericide... should I use it now or try the salt on its own for a few days first?

thank you
View attachment 1438642

 

[duanes]

I'd try the antibiotic, because it works in both salt and fresh, and against gram + and gram - bacteria, debilitating diseases like Columnaris (which is gram -) need as much punch as possible to defeat, so if it were me, I'd also do the salt treatment of 3ppt in tandem with the antibiotic.
Most of these diseases have such similar symptoms its hard to tell one from the other without a lab test.