Help with baby cichlids. New tank.

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bob965

bob965

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Sep 16, 2009
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I have a tiger oscar, green terror, and convict in a 75g, all approx. 1.5". They were doing fine, feeding on pellets, then yesterday, I noticed that the oscar would spit out anything he tried to eat. I tried a couple different brands of pellets, but he would still spit everything out, even though he acts like he's starving by constantly doing the "feed me" dance at the front of the glass when I go near the tank. Then, I noticed his poop was white and stringy, and came out in a long piece that stayed attached for longer than normal. Then, this morning, I noticed the green terror's belly seems bloated.

Info: 75g, filter-eheim 2217, temp-80F, pH-7.8, ammonia-0, nitrite-0, nitrate-10, tested using api kit, food-hikari bio gold or aqueon cichlid granules with occasional frozen bloodworms, tank has had fish for 2 weeks, fishless cycle was done prior to adding fish-took approx. 40 days.

From researching here, it seems to be internal parasites. My plan is to do a water change, raise the temperature slightly to 82F, and treat with Prazipro.

1. Do you think this diagnosis is correct?
2. Is this the best treatment to use, or should I use something else?
3. What alternatives can I use if I can't find Prazipro?
4. Is it okay to treat the whole tank?
5. Any other tips/experiences/ideas concerning this problem?

This is my first tank, and I tried to do my homework and do everything by the book and yet I still have problems. I'd hate to lose any fish. Thanks in advance for your help.
 
Yes, this does seem either a case of onset of dropsy/bloat or internal parasites. Does the green terror's scales protrude like a pinecone? Are all your fish's intact? Could you please list down all your pellet foods' ingredients and guaranteed analysis?

Here are my thoughts.

Assuming these commercial foods have the typical low fiber at 2% and yet high protein at more than 35%, then we may have a problem here. The insufficient fiber content has always been the issue with commercial foods. Sure, it reduces pollution risk but I am not too sure it is entirely good for the fish. This problem can however be addressed by including high fiber foods in their diet such as vegetable matter. If it does not work, you could always make it a point to prepare gel foods and include meaty ingredient in the recipe while mixing vegetable matter or baby foods made of vegetables.

If your fish are bloated to the point that the scales are raised, then an epsom salt bath is really needed to help alleviate the bloat issue. If it doesn't, then go with the praziquantel treatment and treat the whle tank.

Here's the praziquantel dosing schedule.

* Remove carbon.
* Add 2.5 milligrams per liter of water.
* If you are using the powdered version, it is difficult to dissolve. Predissolve in tank water by shaking it up in a small container.
* Dosing
Day 1 -- remove carbon, perform water change with vacuuming, and add Prazi to tank
Day 2 -- add Prazi
Day 3 -- do nothing
Day 4 -- do nothing
Day 5 -- do nothing
Day 6 -- add Prazi
Day 7 -- add Prazi
Day 8 -- normal partial water change with vacuuming
Day 14 - normal partial water change, then add prazi
Day 21 - normal partial water change, then add prazi
Day 28 - normal partial water change, then add prazi
Day 35 - normal partial water change, add carbon, treatment is complete

5mg per liter also works but some fish seem to considerably lose their appetite as the dosage is increased so administer prazi carefully and start with 2.5mg to see if everything improves.
 
Thanks for responding. I began taking action before I read your reply, so I actually did both. Treated with prazi, and added epsom salt. I was unable to find Prazipro, so I used API General Cure. It contains both Praziquantel and Metronidazole. Following the manufacturer's directions, the dosage works out to 2.4mg/L of Prazi, and 8mg/L of Metro. I retained part of the powder and dissolved it in water, and used it to soak some frozen blood worms which I then fed. Not sure if that was a good idea or not, I just kinda came up with that on my own. I also added 3 tablespoons of epsom salt to the 75g tank.
The oscar had long, stringy, white poop. He also has some fin fraying. He never exhibited any bloating, however. The green terror is not bloated to the extent that his scales are protruding, but it is very noticeable. He also appears to have some kind of obstruction or protrusion from his anus. It is light in color, and pointed/triangular. He is still able to have bowel movements, and when he does, it is white or translucent. The convict has not exhibited any symptoms.
You are correct that the foods are the typical low-fiber, high-protein type. I don't want to clutter the thread by posting the entire list of ingredients and analysis, but they can be found here:
http://www.hikariusa.com/products/cichlid/cichlid_bio-gold+.php
http://www.aqueonproducts.com/products/cichlid-mini-granules.htm

The directions on the meds only say to treat once, then once again 2 days later, which is way less than the dosing schedule you provided. Should I continue to use the same stuff, or should I use something that only contains prazi? Again, thanks for replying.
 
Another question, how should I change my feeding routine while they are being treated? I have fed them the same stuff, I just tried to feed a little less. Any recommendations?
 
Yet another question.....do either metro or prazi affect the bio-filter?
 
It will not hurt to go with the current treatment that also contains metronidazole although you can try the similar schedule I gave you earlier for praziquantel dosing. Neither ingredients can kill your beneficial bacteria as they are mild treatments yet effective against a wide range of internal parasites and flukes.

As for the diet, encourage your fish to eat plants and vegetable matter so they will receive a high fiber intake thus minimizing digestion issues.
 
I haven't completed the whole course of treatment yet, but I'm not seeing any improvement at all. Is it possible that it's a nematode/camallanus infestation for which levamisole would be more effective?
 
Hmmm..Have you actually noticed red threads coming out of their anus? If so, that is usually one easy way to detect camallanus infestation.
 
No, it doesn't look like red threads. There is, however, something abnormal there. It looks like a small light colored nodule.
 
I feel lost here. Do you have photos of that nodule?
 
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