Cichlid troubles

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defool89
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Cichlid troubles

Post by defool89 »

Long time no post heres a good read :geek: . . This was my original fish forum and id like to share my current experience with an emphasis on the importance of being observant.
My set up: 120g [old fahakas home] 70-100lbs ish of holey rock two pumps for agitation, 1 api xl canister, 1 eheim 4+ canister and a 80g marinland HOB, stock 3 frontosas 10" 6" and 5", 2 yellow labs, 2 jewel cichlids, 2 6" featherfin cats, 1 common pleco, 1 OB peacock, 1 mut unkown peacock looking fish, 1 3" black and white calvus and approx 8 .5-2" mixed breed babies born in the tank. Life has been great tank wise for years now. Ph is usually around 8.2 steady and my water is usually clean, i change 30-50% weekly without fail.

My tank recently had half its lights go out and i decided to save up for a new light set i was using a 4 pin flourecent set and wanted an LED set again. I still continued to do my water changes weekly but only as a chore since i couldnt enjoy its view. About 4 to 6 weeks ago i decided to move some rocks and noticed my eheim filter was running WEAK. I opened it up and their was a pile of fish mush at the top clogging the flow, maybe 3 or 4 baby fish at a very decomposed state. The filter gaurd somehow came off. I cleared it out, cleaned it and went to the fish store and got a new light set. Lights look good but some fish didnt. Several babies had white spots all over them as well as 1 yellow lab, the other lab had a red sore at its tail but nothing crazy looking. I went back to the fish store and treated the whole tank with Paragaurd. Several days later one of the bigger mutt fish was infested with white dots. Had a cloudy pop eye. He died that night. Next day one yellow lab died. Next day i found a baby dead. Next day my pretty calvus died. Within days another baby. Then a yellow lab. This whole time im treating with paragaurd changing the water before dosing some fish improved. Dots went away and they started eating. Became active. And the death rate slowed. Then suddenly the smallest frontosa had a bulging eye. Besides that he seemed fine. I went to the fish store and got kanaplex. And started a dose as instructed. The next day my 2nd biggest frontosa had a bulging eye but not as bad but had a curious bubble on the bottom. The next day that same frontosa had his eye covered in a white fuzzy mucuous and did my second kanaplex dose. The smallest front swelling went down quite a bit with no other symtoms. The following day the white fuzzy eye is gone. Just missing. I see the inside of his head. Ive never been so sad about my fish. He is swimming about but i cant help it but feel defeated and guilty. The other fishs death are sad too but my fronts are like little swimming children. To those im attached and 1 is now suffering and im hoping its now recovering but if it dies ... :cry:

The discovery of my problem with the filter and death took about 1 month and 2 weeks, approximatley maube a little more. My frontosas symptoms are lightning fast from start. The smallest fronts eye is almost normal and im not worried about him. Its the middle child with the missing eye im stressed over and im afraid when i come home from work tomorrow he will be dead. my frontosa friend for the last few years is terribly sick because of my negligence, not at least getting bulbs for now. Maybe i would have noticed sooner that the filter gaurd came off or that it was clogged. Im thinking all that death water somehow compromised their immune systems and a parasite, bacteria or fungus took full advantage. Ive never experienced something like this before, ive had my troubles before but nothing an extra water change or adjustment couldnt take care of. Ill post pictures shortly.
Last edited by defool89 on Wed Aug 29, 2018 12:28 am, edited 1 time in total.
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defool89
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Re: Cichlid troubles

Post by defool89 »

This is the smallest, had the most swollen eye but now has recovered, possibly from the aid of kanaplex.
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defool89
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Re: Cichlid troubles

Post by defool89 »

The is the second biggest front, less swollen but a weird bubble. This goes down hill fast.
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Re: Cichlid troubles

Post by defool89 »

This is the next stage of the eyes downward spiral
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Re: Cichlid troubles

Post by defool89 »

Days later the eye is gone.
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Re: Cichlid troubles

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This is the big front, perfectly healthy
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Re: Cichlid troubles

Post by defool89 »

This is my tank several months ago before all my issues.

I dont have a hospital tank, i thought about getting one but i decided to treat the whole tank. I migjt buy a 10g tomorrow for the Frontosa with missing eye just to play it safe and for the future. For the last few year i have just thought that if i keep up good maintanance nothing will happen. Thoughts, suggestions, information is greatly appreciated.
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Re: Cichlid troubles

Post by defool89 »

RIP... ill miss him too. As well as all the others but he was a looker.
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