Please help with sick JD

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datsunfreak71

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jan 2, 2016
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As per title, I'm in need if some help deciding on an appropriate treatment for my daughters beloved "Nassa". He's about a year and a half old and around 6", 55g tank way over filtered with a corner mattenfilter setup, only tankmate is 4" albino bristle nose, 0 ammo 0 nitrite and less than 20 nitrate, temp 76-78f. The issue: he's just not been himself for a while, although still eating robustly. Right flank is slightly larger than left side, barely noticeable. He looses and gains color rapidly throughout the day. The main worry is a black splotch on right side that appeared over night two weeks ago and he's been rubbing on the sand substrate here and there. After a water change(20-30%) the spot will nearly disappear for a few hours, water changes are once per week usually but more frequent lately. He seems to swim normally but has been sitting on the bottom in a corner occasionally but perks up around feeding time. Been feeding peas for a couple days, effect has been minor. Normal food is hikari cichlid gold and hikari sinking wafers, earth worms or frozen foods occasionally. Sorry for wall of text and any help would be greatly appreciated.IMG_2136.JPG
 
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The thing that comes to mind is some parasitic infections can cause black spots or black coloring on cichlids. Can try som prazipro in the main tank. Won't mess with ur tank parameters.

Sometimes can be from excessive spirulina. So see if it can be reduced. Not sure with the food you have mentioned.

Lastly spotting can be seen in cichlids especially when ready to spawn. So it maybe that.

Hope that helps but not too experienced with cichlids.
 
Thanks, he has been stealing some of the plecos spirulina wafers lately.
 
Interesting. Nice fish and pic. Good that he's still eating.

The scraping suggests a parasite ... my go to for first line treatment is Coppersafe by Mardel. Looks like you've got the water quality part well managed.
 
I'm going to get salt today and give that a go, he's looking slightly better and gets visibly pissed off at feeding time due to being cut back on portion size. The flashing has subsided quite a bit.
 
Copper was suggested. I advise caution. You keep a bristle nose pleco I read.

Plecos can have bad reactions to copper containing meds.
 
Thanks. I'm not planning any meds yet. Gonna see how the salt and extra water changes goes first.
 
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