I have one Jack Dempsey in a 35 gallon tank, all alone, he's about 7-8 inches long and was happy as a clam until a few weeks ago. He started flipping out and running into the glass, darting across the tank and knocking over decorations, totally flipping out, then burying into the gravel and just sitting with his head down the fins straight up, totally vertical. Next he stopped eating, not even bloodworms which are his favorite, and a small white cotton looking-patch started to appear under his bottom lip. I changed the filter, changed 15-20% of the water, tested and corrected the ph, (it was way to low) and added tank conditioner. The water is still really cloudy despite adding stuff that's supposed to fix that, (twice in 1 week). The Jack looks much better, (active/swimming around-wise) but still flips out at least 3 times a week and destroys his tank/runs into the glass/hurts himself. The cotton patch seems to have gone, but now the fish has a hole under his lower lip that doesn't appear to be healing too well, and he still won't eat. I have no idea what's going on...
Sick/Injured Jack Dempsey
- Thread starter JackDemp13
- Start date
Do you have a test kit? Not the strips? Also what did you mean "changed the filter"? Schedule of wc and tank maintenance? How long has the tank been set-up? Tankmates? Anything added recently to the tank?
I have a test kit, no strips. By "changed the filter" I mean I removed the filter media, (that white cottonish stuff you can shape) and replaced it with new stuff. I don't have a set water change schedule, I usually do it once a month or whenever I have to add new water due to evaporation. He's been in this new tank for at least 2-3 months. No tank mates, just the Jack, and nothing has been recently added. I know I need a new tank hood, the current one is a bit too small, I don't think enough light is getting into the water.
If you are only doing water changes due to evaporation I'll bet your nitrates are through the roof.
how long have you had him?
edit... i'm thinking along the lines of ick with having the white growth, but with how he is acting it might not only be that. i'd get some sort of multi-parasite killing medication and treat for a few weeks, dont forget to take out the carbon, a power head with a sponge intake works good here. and just a thought get him a nice 55g.
edit... i'm thinking along the lines of ick with having the white growth, but with how he is acting it might not only be that. i'd get some sort of multi-parasite killing medication and treat for a few weeks, dont forget to take out the carbon, a power head with a sponge intake works good here. and just a thought get him a nice 55g.
I've had him for at least 3 years, never had any problems until now. Parasites? eek, I'll have to get him something then. I have a powerhead now, no carbon. He'd have a 55 gallon if I had the room, but there's no way...
Just did a test and once again the ph is very acidic, way too low...anyone know what's causing this? There's excellent filtration, plenty of oxygen, nothing dead in the tank, no food floating around, nothing.
i have low ph. it's better to keep the ph at what your tap is unless it is really low, not good to let it fluctuate too much cause of a possible ph shock...
how low is low?
and with that size of a dempsey you should be doing at the very least a 50% WC weekly. so maybe that might be a cause??
how low is low?
and with that size of a dempsey you should be doing at the very least a 50% WC weekly. so maybe that might be a cause??