Pike Cichlid HITH

[AaronKWolfe]

Have you tested your water?

No

If yes, what is your ammonia?

0 ppm

If yes, what is your nitrite?

0 ppm

If yes, what is your nitrate?

0-5 ppm

If I did not test my water...

1. ...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?

51-60%

How frequently do you change your water?

Every week

If I do not change my water...

1. ...I recognize that I will likely be recommended to do a water change, and water changes are critical for preventing future freshwater health problems.

I made a previous post about this situation and have upped my water changes, but it's only gotten worse. I have a saxatilis pike cichlid in a 75 gallon tank by himself. Filter is a seachem tidal 110 and a large sponge filter. Previously, it was suggested I increase my water change schedule so now I'm doing a 40 gallon water change twice a week. However, I now see some clear holes in his head, though it is still relatively minor. I'm trying to catch it now before it gets bad. I've looked online and seen some people suggest Metroplex, aquarium salt, and increasing the water temperature.

 

[Danbo]

That's a lot of water changes!!
What's the quality of your tap water?
Have you tried RO water?
What type of filtration are you running? Are you using any amo carb/carbon?
Do you have any live plants in your aquarium? They will help with water quality.

 

[Danbo]

I made a previous post about this situation and have upped my water changes, but it's only gotten worse. I have a saxatilis pike cichlid in a 75 gallon tank by himself. Filter is a seachem tidal 110 and a large sponge filter. Previously, it was suggested I increase my water change schedule so now I'm doing a 40 gallon water change twice a week. However, I now see some clear holes in his head, though it is still relatively minor. I'm trying to catch it now before it gets bad. I've looked online and seen some people suggest Metroplex, aquarium salt, and increasing the water temperature.

View attachment 1532709

Nice fish, I love pikes

 

[kno4te]

Can try metronidazole and methylene blue dips. If not better consider try adding tannins to the tank and/or providing ro water as already mentioned.

 

[duanes]

I don't consider 80% water changes per week, overkill. I try to do 120%, but in reality these cichlids come from rivers where 100% per minute is the norm, and the surrounding vegetation consume nutrients before they have a chance to make a dent.
It may not be bad water quality at all, but instead, the hardness conductivity, pH and mineral content.
Many of these pike species come from Amazonian waters that are devoid of any mineral content, are quite acidic (pH below 7), and if these parameters are not adhered to can lead to certain immuno-osmotic and chronic maladies.

And many of the newly available pike have not been in the hobby long enough to tolerate the north American, or European extremes.
Selection of a pike species that will accept our tap water conditions can be difficult, or sometimes impossible.

 

[AaronKWolfe]

I started him on API general cure and will see how this helps, hopefully I caught it early enough.

 

[AaronKWolfe]

Can try metronidazole and methylene blue dips. If not better consider try adding tannins to the tank and/or providing ro water as already mentioned.

I treated with API General cure and will monitor to see if he improves or not. I noticed a fourth pit this evening when I got home, so it doesn't appear that he is getting better. What do you recommend I use for tannins to add to the water? With all these water changes, I find it hard to maintain the tea colored water in a blackwater aquarium.

 

[duanes]

Tannins could help emensly, but must be constantly replenished, especially when lots of water changes are required.
To maintain the brown tint, tannins are restored every couple days. in my tanks.
But again, you haven't given hardness, or pH details, I find meds are basically a temporary band aid, and unless these low hardness, low pH parameters are adhered to, HITH always returns with these sensitive Amazonian black and soft water species, or unless a mineral tolerant type is found.

 

[kno4te]

I treated with API General cure and will monitor to see if he improves or not. I noticed a fourth pit this evening when I got home, so it doesn't appear that he is getting better. What do you recommend I use for tannins to add to the water? With all these water changes, I find it hard to maintain the tea colored water in a blackwater aquarium.

Difficult to do but it will help. I use brightwell aquatics blackwater. I have it premade and slowly add to tanks. As Duanes mentioned it’ll help.

 

[AaronKWolfe]

Tannins could help emenslyView attachment 1532966, but must be constantly replenished, especially when lots of water changes are required.
To maintain the brown tint, tannins are restored every couple days. in my tanks.
But again, you haven't given hardness, or pH details, I find meds are basically a temporary band aid, and unless these low hardness, low pH parameters are adhered to, HITH always returns with these sensitive Amazonian black and soft water species, or unless a mineral tolerant type is found.
View attachment 1532967

Ok, I know a spot in a nearby national forest with some alder trees. As for pH, it measured around 6.4 (lowest my test strips go, but the color was very close to it), GH around 100-150 mg/L (striphas 75-150, but it was closer to the 150 range), and kh of 0.