Have been having a few rough months around here.
~17" Murray cod, 2 years old, from Wes. I think killed by Malachite Green treatment I've conducted against some stubborn external parasites in both of my 4500 gal tanks. Used the usual ~3-5 ppm dose. Too much of a coincidence - had two cods eating exceptionally well and growing and both perished within a few weeks after MG treatment. This was the first time all the fish in both 4500's had ever seen Malachite Green. I try to turn to medications as a last resort only, especially as harsh as MG is. I've been told Methylene Blue is far milder and its killing spectrum is wider.
The other cod, ~18". The tail is damaged post mortum, likely by our 6 vulture catfishes.
~14" pike cichlid from Wes, also have had for 2 years. I got it old already but again this one died within a month after the MG treatment, so I tend to blame the treatment. The tummy is removed by vultures post mortum. That's their signature.
~15" 2 year old RTGG, the biggest of the three, same story with MG, I suppose, albeit its two brothers / sisters are still doing ok in the same tank.
~15" bowfin from snookn21, just got it a couple of months back, not sure what happened. It ate exceptionally well and got bold and started to claim the whole center of 4500 gal to itself. Could be MG again. Or not. Collected from the Everglades just before sold. Its brother at 14" still doing ok in the same 4500 gal.
My last Indian swamp eel at 22". Got them from Ray Chan at 14"-18" two years ago. Lost all 5 over the 2 years. One by one. None to an obvious reason. Some didn't feed well. Some did as this one... but still. Could they be short-lived? I doubt it. Something I wasn't doing right. Perhaps the diet of whole marine baitfish (they refused any pellets) is not right for them. The eye was taken out post mortum.
~17" Murray cod, 2 years old, from Wes. I think killed by Malachite Green treatment I've conducted against some stubborn external parasites in both of my 4500 gal tanks. Used the usual ~3-5 ppm dose. Too much of a coincidence - had two cods eating exceptionally well and growing and both perished within a few weeks after MG treatment. This was the first time all the fish in both 4500's had ever seen Malachite Green. I try to turn to medications as a last resort only, especially as harsh as MG is. I've been told Methylene Blue is far milder and its killing spectrum is wider.
The other cod, ~18". The tail is damaged post mortum, likely by our 6 vulture catfishes.
~14" pike cichlid from Wes, also have had for 2 years. I got it old already but again this one died within a month after the MG treatment, so I tend to blame the treatment. The tummy is removed by vultures post mortum. That's their signature.
~15" 2 year old RTGG, the biggest of the three, same story with MG, I suppose, albeit its two brothers / sisters are still doing ok in the same tank.
~15" bowfin from snookn21, just got it a couple of months back, not sure what happened. It ate exceptionally well and got bold and started to claim the whole center of 4500 gal to itself. Could be MG again. Or not. Collected from the Everglades just before sold. Its brother at 14" still doing ok in the same 4500 gal.
My last Indian swamp eel at 22". Got them from Ray Chan at 14"-18" two years ago. Lost all 5 over the 2 years. One by one. None to an obvious reason. Some didn't feed well. Some did as this one... but still. Could they be short-lived? I doubt it. Something I wasn't doing right. Perhaps the diet of whole marine baitfish (they refused any pellets) is not right for them. The eye was taken out post mortum.
