Sick Bichirs :'(

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
Ok I have a few questions :)

One what is the abnormalities.. I can see the white blotches.. Are they Lesions ? Are they changing colors?

Also the green is that normal or was this a color change during this infect6ion?

Has any of this broken the skin yet ?

Have you added salt? If so how much and when?

What is the temperature of your tank? have you lifted the temp?
 
I am going to take a stab and suggest you do a google on Columnaris :)
 
Sorry I went to sleep lol and I didn't Melafix yet. Temp is 78, having the heater take it to 82. No it hasn't broken the skin. If you're talking about the green on my Polly, it's always been there :) The spots appear to be blotches - the scales are basically white. There is no salt in the tank. Will google that disease as soon as I get home ~ on my way out the door. Have to go to Arlington for a graduation this afternoon.
 
You have a nasty bacterial infection you'll need maracyn-2 or tetracycline or other anti biotic. the use of anti biotoics will destroy your biofilter so you will have to recycle the tank.-Anne

the white blotches are areas where the slimecoat has been destroyyed

What and when was the latest addition to the tank including feeder fish?
did you quarantine before adding?
 
Keeper....

Interesting that you're having this problem right now. I did a 25% water change last week and within a day noticed that both of my adult P. mokelembembe were at the surface hanging out by the heater. Considering how secretive they usually are this struck me as odd behavior. They developed similar 'blotches' to those you're seeing on your fish and, despite treatement with a good broad-spectrum antibiotic, they were both dead within two more days. None of the other bichirs in the tank were affected in any way (and this includes both upper- and lower-jaw species). Since Keeper and I live within a few miles of each other this seems to be more than a bit coincidental.

Interesting mystery.

-Joe
 
Well this just got more mysterious-Anne
 
this is getting more mysterious.

anyway, when did you first notice these blotches? and are the blotches spreading? if they are, it'd suggest infection has already set in and you need to treat with antibiotics asap. if they aren't, it may be ammonia burn or something, and you need to treat with either antibiotics or antibacterial meds to prevent infection.

check out my post at the end of this thread
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=47062

i don't know if what's happening to you is the same as what happened to that person or me. i have a bichir that developed similar blotch once, and the closest thing i came up with was columnaris, although i wasn't positive. anyway, i posted the treatment i used in the link above. let me know if you'd like more details. will try to add some photos later. good luck!
 
Sorry to hear about the outbreak fruitbat and ropes, don't drink your tap water? (no joke)

I once had the same blotches on a new ropefish I had bought. I bought two, but only one had it... didn't notice till I got home.

I treated with melafix and the one with the blotches died, but the one that didn't have it lived.

Just wanted to point that out before you destroy your bio filter with antibiotics.

Good luck to you both.
 
Well Anne, you helped me figure it out. The new addition?? A pair of featherfin cats - from the same LFS - one in each tank. There are some spots on the bichirs in the other tank but they aren't nearly as bad as the tank I showed photographs. Yes this **** is spreading. So Fruitbat - did you get any fish recently from the LFS at Spring Creek and 75? The little asian place?
 
how fast are they spreading? how many are infected? can you treat them in a hospital tank?

here are some pics of what happened to mine. not sure if it's same as yours. the treatment i posted worked for me.

pics caption:
1) at first
2) 19 hrs later
3) roughly another day.
4) this was how far it spreaded before it was under control. it crossed over to the other side of the body as well. you can also notice some fungal growth at this point.

btw the fish was already in hospital tank in pics (2)-(4). i was already treating in pics (2) & (3) when the spreading was still occuring and didn't seem to be slowing down, so i had to try another med in order to bring this under control.

retropinnis06.JPG

retropinnis07.JPG

retropinnis02.JPG

retropinnis28.JPG
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
MonsterFishKeepers.com
Top Bottom