1. What is the size of your tank?
240 gallons
2. What are your water parameters? State the brand of test kit used.
I use a AP master kit...the ammonia and nitrites are 0 nitrates are usually 5ppm or less. PH is usually 8.1 - 8.2
3. Is your aquarium set up freshwater or brackish water?
It is set up as a all male hap peacock African cichlid tank. I do run AP aquarium salt at 1tbs per 5gal and replace as such with water changes.
4. How long the aquarium has been set up?
about 3 - 3 1/2 months
5. What fish do you have? How many are in your tank? How big are they? How long have you had them?
All males from the Hap's, peacocks, 2 different kinds of Mbuna, synadontus catfish, bushy plecos and rubber lip plecos.
Right now there is about 40 fish total with the biggest being 4-5" but mostly are 3-4" with the catfish a tad smaller and plecos smaller still.
I have been adding them since the tank was cycled all the way up to this past weekend.
6. Were the fish placed under quarantine period (minus the first batch from the point wherein the tank is ready to accommodate the inhabitants)?
Unfortunately no room right now for a Q tank right now. So I have meds on hand and will just have to treat the tank as I go for now. My plan was to adda bunch of fish quick and med...then add a bunch more then med and keeping a close eye on them. Costly but my only option right now.
7. What temperature is the tank water currently?
I have the heaters set to keep it at 77...but I also have 2x400w MH so by the end of the day it reaches about 80.
8. Are there live plants in the aquarium?
No
9. What filter are you using? State brand, maintenance routine and power capacity.
I built a wetdry using plastic totes and garbage cans with 2 mag 18's for the return pump...measured out to about 800gph each netting me about 6-7x turnover rate. I use scrubbies for the bio (about 15-20gal worth) and have four 4" 200 micron filter socks. 2 two little fishes chem reactors that I run carbon and or phos stuff in. 2 xp3's that I use for mech only with sponges and polishing pads. Lastly a Aquamedic 36w UV with about 300gph going through it.
For maintenance I do a water change about once every week or two....about 80-100gal and clean canisters once a month or so.
10. Any other equipment used (aside from heater and filter which are two very important components of the tank)?
see above
11. Does your aquarium receive natural sunlight at any given part of the day? What is your lighting schedule (assuming you do not rely on sunlight for our viewing pleasure)?
Not really...window next to it but has a shade and the window is on the back porch under a roof. I have the lights come on at 5pm and go off at 12.
12. When did you perform your last water change and how much water was changed? How often do you change your water? Do you vacuum the substrate?
I did a 100gal change last night before I treated with Jungle parasite tabs. I do water changes once a week or maybe 2 weeks. I usually change 80-100 gal. I don't vacuum because I estes marine reef sand (real fine like 3m colorquartz). I have tried to vacuum it but nothing comes out because its dense and everything sits on the surface. I have a fair amount of current in the tank so the trash doesn't really settle all over...just 2 spots really.
13. What foods do you provide your fish? What is the feeding schedule?
NLS 1mm and sometimes the 3mm. I give that sometimes once a day sometimes twice. Also I rubber band a q cumber to a rock once or twice a week.
14. What unusual signs have you observed in your fish?
Scratching on the rocks was what I normally saw but one fish I got would open and close its mouth deliberately sharp and fast. Now I have seen some spots on that fish and a few others...not ick but bigger (see pics below) Now one of them had a big white area on the side where the skin is not looking too good (see pics below)
15. Have you treated your fish ahead of diagnosis? If so, what treatments did you use? State your reasons for planning ahead of proper diagnosis.
I did a 100gal change last night and treated with Jungle Parasite fizzing tabs. I treated for 240 gallons of water. I figure a 240gal tank is really 210 (if you take off for the glass) and another 30 or so in the wetdry and canisters. It might be a little more than 240...but it says dont overdose so I went under a tad I guess. I used this stuff because it has a few different meds in it one of which is good for infections it says on the package.
So the fish that I noticed the bigger spots on was a Johnstoni that I got from a lfs. I noticed he would do some sharp fast open and closing of his mouth and the usual shake of the head and scrape on the rocks. I have noticed the others scraping but not constant (but noticeable). On the Johnstoni tho I could see some larger white growths on his side by his face. Then I started to notice these spots on some other fish...on the side...on the upper fin. The P. Phenochilus Tanzania had one of these spots on its upper fin and on the side of him. The spot on the upper fin went away completely. The one on the side went away bu the scale it was on or under didnt look 100% right. Then the next day it looked like it does in the pic (over night) I dont know if it was damage from some sort of fight or scrapping or if whatever was on it made it get infected or something.
What I would like to know is whats going on...what is it...am I treating it correctly? I have removed the carbon and turned off the UV. The package has a few different treatment methods depending on what it is but more or less once a week for 3-5 weeks. It can be dosed faster tho with 48hrs between. I had used this stuff and some straight metro for some bloat that I had early on. Didn't loose a fish...and I don't want to now....help
This is the spot im seeing pop up...its on his gill plat in this pic. Looks like a white pimple growth bump. I haven't seen anything trailing out of the spot like a anchor worm but im not sure if I should. My computer was acting up last night so I couldn't really check the pics I took to see how good they came out. I can get better if needed.
This is the P. Tanz....his spot was just under his lateral line but its not there anymore....at the top of his white area. This morning it looks like its a little worse
240 gallons
2. What are your water parameters? State the brand of test kit used.
I use a AP master kit...the ammonia and nitrites are 0 nitrates are usually 5ppm or less. PH is usually 8.1 - 8.2
3. Is your aquarium set up freshwater or brackish water?
It is set up as a all male hap peacock African cichlid tank. I do run AP aquarium salt at 1tbs per 5gal and replace as such with water changes.
4. How long the aquarium has been set up?
about 3 - 3 1/2 months
5. What fish do you have? How many are in your tank? How big are they? How long have you had them?
All males from the Hap's, peacocks, 2 different kinds of Mbuna, synadontus catfish, bushy plecos and rubber lip plecos.
Right now there is about 40 fish total with the biggest being 4-5" but mostly are 3-4" with the catfish a tad smaller and plecos smaller still.
I have been adding them since the tank was cycled all the way up to this past weekend.
6. Were the fish placed under quarantine period (minus the first batch from the point wherein the tank is ready to accommodate the inhabitants)?
Unfortunately no room right now for a Q tank right now. So I have meds on hand and will just have to treat the tank as I go for now. My plan was to adda bunch of fish quick and med...then add a bunch more then med and keeping a close eye on them. Costly but my only option right now.
7. What temperature is the tank water currently?
I have the heaters set to keep it at 77...but I also have 2x400w MH so by the end of the day it reaches about 80.
8. Are there live plants in the aquarium?
No
9. What filter are you using? State brand, maintenance routine and power capacity.
I built a wetdry using plastic totes and garbage cans with 2 mag 18's for the return pump...measured out to about 800gph each netting me about 6-7x turnover rate. I use scrubbies for the bio (about 15-20gal worth) and have four 4" 200 micron filter socks. 2 two little fishes chem reactors that I run carbon and or phos stuff in. 2 xp3's that I use for mech only with sponges and polishing pads. Lastly a Aquamedic 36w UV with about 300gph going through it.
For maintenance I do a water change about once every week or two....about 80-100gal and clean canisters once a month or so.
10. Any other equipment used (aside from heater and filter which are two very important components of the tank)?
see above
11. Does your aquarium receive natural sunlight at any given part of the day? What is your lighting schedule (assuming you do not rely on sunlight for our viewing pleasure)?
Not really...window next to it but has a shade and the window is on the back porch under a roof. I have the lights come on at 5pm and go off at 12.
12. When did you perform your last water change and how much water was changed? How often do you change your water? Do you vacuum the substrate?
I did a 100gal change last night before I treated with Jungle parasite tabs. I do water changes once a week or maybe 2 weeks. I usually change 80-100 gal. I don't vacuum because I estes marine reef sand (real fine like 3m colorquartz). I have tried to vacuum it but nothing comes out because its dense and everything sits on the surface. I have a fair amount of current in the tank so the trash doesn't really settle all over...just 2 spots really.
13. What foods do you provide your fish? What is the feeding schedule?
NLS 1mm and sometimes the 3mm. I give that sometimes once a day sometimes twice. Also I rubber band a q cumber to a rock once or twice a week.
14. What unusual signs have you observed in your fish?
Scratching on the rocks was what I normally saw but one fish I got would open and close its mouth deliberately sharp and fast. Now I have seen some spots on that fish and a few others...not ick but bigger (see pics below) Now one of them had a big white area on the side where the skin is not looking too good (see pics below)
15. Have you treated your fish ahead of diagnosis? If so, what treatments did you use? State your reasons for planning ahead of proper diagnosis.
I did a 100gal change last night and treated with Jungle Parasite fizzing tabs. I treated for 240 gallons of water. I figure a 240gal tank is really 210 (if you take off for the glass) and another 30 or so in the wetdry and canisters. It might be a little more than 240...but it says dont overdose so I went under a tad I guess. I used this stuff because it has a few different meds in it one of which is good for infections it says on the package.
So the fish that I noticed the bigger spots on was a Johnstoni that I got from a lfs. I noticed he would do some sharp fast open and closing of his mouth and the usual shake of the head and scrape on the rocks. I have noticed the others scraping but not constant (but noticeable). On the Johnstoni tho I could see some larger white growths on his side by his face. Then I started to notice these spots on some other fish...on the side...on the upper fin. The P. Phenochilus Tanzania had one of these spots on its upper fin and on the side of him. The spot on the upper fin went away completely. The one on the side went away bu the scale it was on or under didnt look 100% right. Then the next day it looked like it does in the pic (over night) I dont know if it was damage from some sort of fight or scrapping or if whatever was on it made it get infected or something.
What I would like to know is whats going on...what is it...am I treating it correctly? I have removed the carbon and turned off the UV. The package has a few different treatment methods depending on what it is but more or less once a week for 3-5 weeks. It can be dosed faster tho with 48hrs between. I had used this stuff and some straight metro for some bloat that I had early on. Didn't loose a fish...and I don't want to now....help
This is the spot im seeing pop up...its on his gill plat in this pic. Looks like a white pimple growth bump. I haven't seen anything trailing out of the spot like a anchor worm but im not sure if I should. My computer was acting up last night so I couldn't really check the pics I took to see how good they came out. I can get better if needed.
This is the P. Tanz....his spot was just under his lateral line but its not there anymore....at the top of his white area. This morning it looks like its a little worse
