Septicemia?

[HUKIT]

Have you tested your water?

Yes

If yes, what is your ammonia?

0

If yes, what is your nitrite?

0

If yes, what is your nitrate?

10

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?

91-100%

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 am definitely at a loss with this one. I have a 7 year old group of Dan’s Vieja melurua(and few of their offspring that survived) in a 265g with a 75g sump. The largest male is right around 12” and is the only fish that has ever had any symptoms. The base of his pectoral fins are red, slightly darker pigmentation, and his breathing rate is slightly elevated but has been active and eating normally until the last few days but his appetite has decreased. He will still grab a Northfin Tropical stick or a Algaemax pellet or two but his appetite has definitely diminished. I first noticed this the first week of January of this year. The nitrates hover right around 20ppm and my typical schedule is a 80% water change every two-three days, PH is 8.0, and TDS is around 280. I have over the last 9 months run a full course of Maracyn and Maracyn 2 with no effect. I gave them a 90 day break then ran a full course of nitrofurizone with no effect. I gave them another 90 day break with a full course of Kanaplex/Metroplex and still no effect. Since this has been going on I’ve been doing 75% water changes every one-two days to keep nitrates well below 10ppm. So I would certainly appreciate any other ideas as I’m definitely at a loss.

January 2025


June 2025


This was in December before this started to occur for comparison.

 

[bkfamus]

Sorry to hear you're still battling this issue. I'm not familiar with Septicemia so hopefully someone with more experience can weigh in (maybe RD. or kno4te )... It seems that disease is very contagious (per Google AI), so if none of the other fish are showing symptoms, it may be something else affecting your big V. melanura.

Have you tried reaching out to a local fish vet (https://fishvets.org/find-a-fish-vet/)? Also Dr. Basleer offers video consultations... Not sure either wil help as I've tried both before but still lost my prized male A. stalsbergi after 6, 7 months of trying to treat an illness, but it can't hurt to try..

GL!!!

 

[duanes]

VHS, and BHS, would need to be imported into the tank, just as it was spread in the WI lakes where it started to show up, about 15 years ago.
And I doubt you have imported it but using feeders, or (?) these Vieja being primarily vegetarian.

Normal life span of Vieja can be as long as 10 years, but the dominant males may start to wear much out sooner
even with the exemplary care you provide.
I´ve noticed this where old cichlids (at 7 to 10 years) bodies start to almost automatically deteriorate.
(just like mine did when I hit 70)
Their sexual prime is approx 3 to 5 yoa in nature, you have actually extanded it in your aguarium.

Compare that with average size tetras that are way past their reproductive prime at 3, and usually male only 2 in nature.

Or even a male lion, only 8 to 10 yoa, or a wolf maybe 15.

 

[HUKIT]

bkfamus Yes sir, I’ve spent hours and hours looking through forum posts. The majority of threads state the infected fish that display these symptoms typically dies within a few days while spreading to other tank mates. I didn’t find a single thread where the fish in question carried on for 9 nine months like this chap. But as you mentioned it’s typically quite contagious according to the information that I’ve found too, if that is indeed what it is. There is an aquatic vet locally that I’ve used in the past but she is currently out on maternity leave. Sorry to hear about your stalsbergi as watching them slowly pass is terrible. I’ve spent well over $500 in medications which some people will think is absurd but my large display tanks are stocked and my fish room is all 40 breeders and 20 longs so I was forced to treat the entire tank.

duanes Thank you as well for the reply. No sir, I don’t feed any live foods just NLS Alagemax and NF tropical sticks. The only fish that have ever been introduced to this group were some occasional cutteri, panamensis, and nanoluteus grow-outs that came from my fish room.