- Have you tested your water?
- Yes
- If yes, what is your ammonia?
- 0
- If yes, what is your nitrite?
- 0.75
- If yes, what is your nitrate?
- 0
- If I did not test my water...
- ...I recognize that I will likely be asked to do a test, and that water tests are critical for solving freshwater health problems.
- Do you do water changes?
- Yes
- What percentage of water do you change?
- 21-30%
- How frequently do you change your water?
- Every week
- If I do not change my water...
- ...I recognize that I will likely be recommended to do a water change, and water changes are critical for preventing future freshwater health problems.
Hello,
My tank setup is:
6 foot 100 gallon tank, Eheim Pro 4+ 350 with prefilter, Penn-Plax 700 canister filter, hang-on-the-back UV filter, air pump for up to 300 gallons with 2 airstones, Eheim 300W heater. One bala shark, 5 banded rainbowfish, approx. 5" each. Tank has been set up for 8 years. Four weeks ago removed one Penn-Plax 700 canister filter to update to the Eheim filter and used some of the old media. Maintenance: 20- 25% WC daily (normally weekly), Prime and Stability. Currently we have carbon in the filter. Feed: Hikari algae wafers and medium sinking cichlid gold for Bala, 2 different types of bug bites and mini sinking cichlid gold for rainbowfish.
Specs are: Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0.75, Nitrate 0, pH 8.3, KH 283.10, do not test GH have well water- extremely hard, temp 77F Seachem ammonia test, Sera test kit for other tests.
I have a five year old, 13" Bala shark that appears to have cotton mouth. Just finished treating with two weeks Prazipro followed by one week of General Cure in case of flukes or internal parasites since the tank used to be a baby koi tank. Symptoms are head shaking, whole body twitching and darting (not the normal twitching), trying to flash but doesn't (probably due to space), white puffy lower lip while the other half of the lip is now missing, and a cyst on his face between his eye and his gill plate. He has had a lip issue for a few years. I thought that he sliced part of it off jumping but now I see it looks puffy and half of the bottom is missing. He has not ate anything for the last three days despite acting like he wants to. He also gets extra agitated after water changes, so I added a carbon dechlorinator to the hose today, but it seems to have had zero effect.
We have koi, so I am familiar with the nitrification process. I understand that the high nitrites are a problem. Cycle is sluggish, can only guess it is because of the prazi but that really shouldn't be an issue. I was going to start treating with Maracyn 2, but then read it isn't effective above 7.5 and it also negatively impacts the filters. I also know that Balas are schooling, but didn't learn that until after we bought him. Since then we have kept him with other tankmates- first koi, then oscars and a chocolate, and now rainbowfish and he does not seem stressed because of that. Normally he's very calm.
I have also read that Balas are sensitive to salt and that organophosphate based treatments cannot be used. But maybe small amounts of salt would protect him and the rainbowfish from nitrite poisoning and other effects? I am stumped on how to treat his lip primarily. I now believe the parasite issue is actually a water quality issue. I am hoping that someone else has another suggestion of what can be done? I really appreciate any suggestions. Just not looking to remove him from the tank because of the jumping.
My tank setup is:
6 foot 100 gallon tank, Eheim Pro 4+ 350 with prefilter, Penn-Plax 700 canister filter, hang-on-the-back UV filter, air pump for up to 300 gallons with 2 airstones, Eheim 300W heater. One bala shark, 5 banded rainbowfish, approx. 5" each. Tank has been set up for 8 years. Four weeks ago removed one Penn-Plax 700 canister filter to update to the Eheim filter and used some of the old media. Maintenance: 20- 25% WC daily (normally weekly), Prime and Stability. Currently we have carbon in the filter. Feed: Hikari algae wafers and medium sinking cichlid gold for Bala, 2 different types of bug bites and mini sinking cichlid gold for rainbowfish.
Specs are: Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0.75, Nitrate 0, pH 8.3, KH 283.10, do not test GH have well water- extremely hard, temp 77F Seachem ammonia test, Sera test kit for other tests.
I have a five year old, 13" Bala shark that appears to have cotton mouth. Just finished treating with two weeks Prazipro followed by one week of General Cure in case of flukes or internal parasites since the tank used to be a baby koi tank. Symptoms are head shaking, whole body twitching and darting (not the normal twitching), trying to flash but doesn't (probably due to space), white puffy lower lip while the other half of the lip is now missing, and a cyst on his face between his eye and his gill plate. He has had a lip issue for a few years. I thought that he sliced part of it off jumping but now I see it looks puffy and half of the bottom is missing. He has not ate anything for the last three days despite acting like he wants to. He also gets extra agitated after water changes, so I added a carbon dechlorinator to the hose today, but it seems to have had zero effect.
We have koi, so I am familiar with the nitrification process. I understand that the high nitrites are a problem. Cycle is sluggish, can only guess it is because of the prazi but that really shouldn't be an issue. I was going to start treating with Maracyn 2, but then read it isn't effective above 7.5 and it also negatively impacts the filters. I also know that Balas are schooling, but didn't learn that until after we bought him. Since then we have kept him with other tankmates- first koi, then oscars and a chocolate, and now rainbowfish and he does not seem stressed because of that. Normally he's very calm.
I have also read that Balas are sensitive to salt and that organophosphate based treatments cannot be used. But maybe small amounts of salt would protect him and the rainbowfish from nitrite poisoning and other effects? I am stumped on how to treat his lip primarily. I now believe the parasite issue is actually a water quality issue. I am hoping that someone else has another suggestion of what can be done? I really appreciate any suggestions. Just not looking to remove him from the tank because of the jumping.
