Firemouth acting strange

[5x5]

I've had my firemouth for about 3 weeks and he started acting strange today. His mouth and gills just keep expanding and contracting, almost like he's eating, even though today is not feeding day. He's been doing this for hours. All other fish are fine.

Any ideas?

 

[Flossie]

I've had my firemouth for about 3 weeks and he started acting strange today. His mouth and gills just keep expanding and contracting, almost like he's eating, even though today is not feeding day. He's been doing this for hours. All other fish are fine.

Any ideas?

Do u know what ur parameters are ???

 

[Termitehunter]

Size/age of the fish?
What other fish are in there?
Size of the tank?
And lastly is he/she scraping or flashing on gravel or decor?

 

[5x5]

Fish: convict, firemouth, BN pleco, tiger barbs

Age: 4 months
Size: 65 gallon

No flashing/scraping

Water parameters
Ph 7.2
Ammonia .25
Nitrite .25
Nitrate 10

I did a pwc the other day because the ph had drifted down to about 6.4. Could the change from that to 7.2 explain the behavior? It didn't seem to affect the other fish at all.

 

[ozmo]

I hate to be a pessimist but I recently had a Texas and a Green Terror display this behavior and within one week both were dead from Cottonmouth.

Has his appetite diminished at all? Loss of appetite was the first symptom both my fish displayed.

I hope he is ok.

Cheers,
ozmo

 

[HUKIT]

Fish: convict, firemouth, BN pleco, tiger barbs

Age: 4 months
Size: 65 gallon

No flashing/scraping

Water parameters
Ph 7.2
Ammonia .25
Nitrite .25
Nitrate 10

I did a pwc the other day because the ph had drifted down to about 6.4. Could the change from that to 7.2 explain the behavior? It didn't seem to affect the other fish at all.

I would keep up the daily water changes, the cycle is probably dragging with the low PH levels. I would add some crushed coral in the filter to raise the PH levels to speed the cycle through, start with a handful then monitor the levels for a week or so.

 

[5x5]

I fed them tonight and the firemouth is not eating. He's just hovering low by the gravel and doing the pulsating mouth thing. Now I'm really concerned.

What is cottonmouth? Is that some type of fish disease? I'll keep doing water changes for the next few days.

 

[HUKIT]

Columnaris is a bactierial infection commonly called cottonmouth from the appearance of cotton like fibers around the mouth, some people think it's a fungus based on some symptoms. I've experienced this and you'd know when it's happening from the white lesions around the body which kills fish within 3-7 days without treatment...I lost 15 mbuna last year before I stopped it.

Keep up the daily water changes, bump up the temp a couple of degrees to around 80-81, and increase aeration. You could even add some aquarium salt to combat the effects from the nitrite levels.

 

[ozmo]

I fed them tonight and the firemouth is not eating. He's just hovering low by the gravel and doing the pulsating mouth thing. Now I'm really concerned.

What is cottonmouth? Is that some type of fish disease? I'll keep doing water changes for the next few days.

Do you have a hospital tank set up? If so quarantine him immediately and use something like Melafix and I would still salt your main tank as suggested by Hukit.

If it is Cottonmouth it can spread very easily and very quickly.

 

[5x5]

Bad news. I woke up this morning and the Firemouth was dead and being picked at by the Tiger Barbs.

I didn't see any "cotton like fibers" by the mouth, but I did notice some white buildup under the gills. Any idea on that one?

Alos, I took a picture of him up close after I removed him from the tank in case you wanted to see, but figured I'd ask before I posted that, since no one wants to stumble on a picture of a dead fish.

I'm very dissapointed. Wish I could have done something.

 

[Herotilapia_Multispinosa]

Sorry to hear that

 

[Termitehunter]

Wow. Sorry to hear it. That was a fast onset. If I were you I would keep a close eye on the other fish and look for signs of Ick.
Ick doesn't have to be visible to the eye to be present, it can attack the insides of the gills only and cause rapid breathing with a fast death just like the one you had. Especially in juvenile fish. I lost 5 Frontosa fry one after another like that before I saw spots on another species and started heat/salt treatments.

Good luck.

 

[5x5]

Thanks for the support. I'm really in a tough situation because I am going on a vacation for 10 days starting this weekend. Is there anything I can do in the meantime? Or do I just need luck on my side?

 

[ozmo]

Very sad and disappointing.

I agree with Termitehunter regarding the heat + salt treatment. I also advise you set up a hospital tank immediately to quarantine any other fish now and in the future.

I wish you all the best,
ozmo

 

[5x5]

For heat treatment, is 80 degrees about right? How much aquarium salt. I checked my water chemistry today and the ammo and nitrites is now reading 0, so it looks like the water change helped finish my cycle.

 

[Termitehunter]

Here ya go. Hope it all works out, and let us know...

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f17/if-you-think-your-fish-have-ich-38796.html

Best info you can get on it is on this forum.

 

[HUKIT]

I wouldn't jump the gun yet and start treating for ich, ich doenst kill fish in three days. So my best advice is keep up the water changes since your still cycling and monitor the remaining fish for any other symptoms.

 

[Termitehunter]

If Ick sets up in the gills alone that fish could of had it for a month or more before it started showing the symptoms. But once the Ick gets severe enough in the gills its a very fast death. It can't breath.

The OP won't have the luxury of monitoring as he stated he will be gone for 10 days.
So he has a choice, preventive/proactive treatment which likely will not harm the fish, or the cycle. Or simply roll the dice.
Either way it's a choice I would not want to make.

 

[5x5]

I'm not certain, but my convict appears to be breathing hard, but to a lesser extent. He's my first and favorite fish. I don't know if this is ich or something else, but trying to stay in control of this.

I raised my temp to 79 degrees, I'll raise it to 81 by tomorrow. I have kosher salt, which I understand works as an alternative to aquarium salt. How much should I put in at first and at what increments should I increase it?

 

[ozmo]

Aquarium salt is not very expensive. At least not where I live.

I would ask again (3rd time is a charm) but I'll just assume you don't have a hospital tank.

It sounds like you need more thank salt IMO.