Cincelichthys pearsei with 'duck lip' disease

FJB

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Dec 15, 2017
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Philadelphia, PA
That is some awesome recovery, which speaks highly of your ability to nurse the fish back, and to improve conditions that resulted in the problems in the first place (wound, infection, and lip-swelling). Those may or not be caused by the same proximal factors.
Important to keep in mind (telling myself mostly), that in many cases, we can nurse the fish back and improve conditions, but cannot fully eliminate the sources of the problems. Those may remain (seemingly forever) and may express themselves at another time when we lower our guard (i.e, slack on maintaining good conditions, must be absent, stressful situations occur in tanks, or others).
Thanks for sharing.
 
That is incredible that you were able to bring him back! It's amazing how he was able to heal from such a near-death infection, even with the medication.

So he's just all up and about, as if nothing ever happened? And no other fish in your tank are showing symptoms?

Also, did you ever wind up adding the septic-tank bacteria? If so, do you think they helped?
 
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fishdat

Polypterus
MFK Member
Dec 31, 2014
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Western Canada
Can you elaborate what steps you took? Medication, etc.
I reduced the temperature to 69F. I fed two scoops of Kanaplex and two of Metroplex, mixed with four of Focus; one cap of Nourish and half cap of Garlic Guard, then mixed the medication in a container till dissolved. Then I filled the container with Northfin Tropical Sticks, shaking till they were fully saturated. I fed the tank once daily for almost two months. I continued feeding only a few days after symptoms cleared up.

Afterwards I have been adding septic tank bacteria by the brand Septobac to my tank on a monthly basis in hopes of removing any latent pathogenic bacteria via competitive exclusion.
 

fishdat

Polypterus
MFK Member
Dec 31, 2014
238
271
87
Western Canada
That is some awesome recovery, which speaks highly of your ability to nurse the fish back, and to improve conditions that resulted in the problems in the first place (wound, infection, and lip-swelling). Those may or not be caused by the same proximal factors.
Important to keep in mind (telling myself mostly), that in many cases, we can nurse the fish back and improve conditions, but cannot fully eliminate the sources of the problems. Those may remain (seemingly forever) and may express themselves at another time when we lower our guard (i.e, slack on maintaining good conditions, must be absent, stressful situations occur in tanks, or others).
Thanks for sharing.
Thanks!

I believe the stress of moving from my old work to my house with the age of the fish made him susceptible to latent bacteria in my tank (that I most likely contaminated my tank with from my old work).

I'm attempting to remove any latent pathogenic bacteria via competitive exclusion by dosing septic tank bacteria on a monthly basis, as to address the very real concern of a future outbreak.
 

fishdat

Polypterus
MFK Member
Dec 31, 2014
238
271
87
Western Canada
That is incredible that you were able to bring him back! It's amazing how he was able to heal from such a near-death infection, even with the medication.

So he's just all up and about, as if nothing ever happened? And no other fish in your tank are showing symptoms?

Also, did you ever wind up adding the septic-tank bacteria? If so, do you think they helped?
Behaviourally perfect! Out competes other fish during feeding due to his size and is rarely challenged by anyone but the gourami. Honestly, he's much more interactive now than before. No other fish ever developed symptoms - though I was medicating the whole tank explicitly in hopes of avoiding that.

Once the fish was healed and all medication was out of the system I began dosing the septic tank bacteria (Septobac). I believe it is helping keep the system healthier. I have noticed less detritus and clearer water too.
 
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