Help? Holy Nose Pleco & Swollen Synodontis

[johnnalewis1130]

Help Please? We've got 2 cichlid tanks ~ one 75 gal and one 20 gal. Our pleco (a 7 inch one we've had for over 3 years) is in the 75 gallon tank ~ his nose holes have erroded out several times. Each time we separate him into a hospital talk and medicate him with either E.M. tablets, Mela Fix or something called Marycin (I think it's Marycin). Each time his nose heals right up and within 2 weeks of our putting him back ~ they're back erroded. We've got to be missing something. All the chemicals in both tanks are very close to the same (ammonia - 0, nitrate >80, nitrite >50, salt 8-10, pH 8.2-8.5). We clean the tank bi weekly (25% water change) and once each month do a substantial gravel vacuum. The 20 gal tank has our synodontis and his belly (in the last 4 days) has bloated to the point he floats and can't get down. His belly actually protrudes out of the water, very very close to the light . We're at a loss what's going on with these guys, and our local fish stores seem to be "scratching their head" as well. Any advice you may offer will be much appreciated. All other cichlids and catfish are showing no signs of stress or disease. They're fed every other day and we've not introduced any new fish in well over 6 mos. Thanks tons!

 

[talloulou]

You should post this in the freshwater unhealthy fish forum. Anyway you should have 0 nitrites in an established tank. Also your nitrates are high. So you may be having water quality issues. You should start vacumning the gravel at every water change. Make sure you aren't overfeeding. And maybe do more water changes until your water tests better. You can also change a larger percentage.... 25%-50% at each change till everything is back in range. Ammonia & nitrites should be 0. Nitrates at least under 40 ppm. Under 20 ppm would be better.

I think synodontis catfish blow up when they are full of eggs? So are you sure it's bloated vs the eggs? If constipated you could try some peas.

 

[Jchillin]

Moved to Unhealthy fish forum

 

[Jchillin]

I agree with talloulou, that NO3 level is very high. I also noticed that you have salt in the tank. Plecos and other 'cats don't do well with salt.

How long has this tank been running?

 

[johnnalewis1130]

The tanks have been up and running for 3+ years possibly 4. Our local pet store told us that chichlids 'prefer' salt @ 8-10. If that's true, then I believe we should relocate the pleco to our community tank that's a 10 gal? Correct? Thanks so much for your reply. I'm sorry for posting this in the wrong place I'm new and tried to post it several times and kept erasing it. Thanks ! I've moved the post too. Thanks again!

 

[talloulou]

I don't recommend putting the 7 inch pleco in a 10 gallon. What kind of cichlids do you have. I have cichlids and I don't keep any salt in my water.

 

[johnnalewis1130]

Tanganyika Cichlids ~ our one pet store told us to keep their salt up ~ hopefully they've not steered us too far out into left field we're going to do a 1/2 water change and not add any salt and see how it goes. Do some different cichlids need more/less salt? I've read enough online that sometimes it makes my head spin. Thanks for your advice!

 

[talloulou]

There are definitely some people who believe salt should be kept in freshwater tanks as a preventative measure. I don't do this and many others don't as well. I do think salt has many healing properties when it comes to freshwater fish so I have used it to do saltwater baths and dips on ill fish but I wouldn't keep it in the tank all the time unless I was keeping "brakish" fish. I think you could keep doing pwc without adding more salt. In a healthy freshwater tank, salt isn't necessary. It's more important that you get your nitrates under control. Also make sure you aren't overfeeding and that you don't have tanks that are overpopulated.

 

[Jchillin]

Just getting back to the nitrate problem. What type of test are you using (strips or liquid re-agent)? Nitrate levels that high point to the need to do more consistent water changes. You also state you have a bit of NO2 as well. There should be no NO2 detected in a mature tank, especially one running for three years.

*Note - I removed the duplicate post.

 

[LydiaGreen]

I gravel vacuum and do 33% weekly water changes in my 44 -- I'd recommend the same. Not too sure about a cichlid's bioload but my 44 isn't over-stocked and my weekly cleaning is necessary to keep everyone healthy. I also use salt in my tanks -- it was just recommended to me and I have kept it up. But, with my loaches and cories, I only use half the salt that is recommended on the box (ie. a teaspoon to 20 gallons instead of 10).

 

[johnnalewis1130]

The tests we're using aren't the strips, it's the one where you have to add liquid and powder (I think the powder's zinc). We don't use the 'strips' test, someone said they're not as accurate (a local pet store). We've always used the ones with the liquid reagent. Hubby's off to do another 50% water change in our tanks tonight. In the past when we've done a 50% water change - it does reduce the Nitrate's a little; however, they're usually back up in 4 days time :? . When we do the gravel vacuuming we do remove all the decoration from the tank to vacuum as well as alternate when we change the canister filter and dual penguin biowheel (each is cleaned every other week or once a month for each but not the same week). So far pleco's nose is still holey & synodontis in the other tank's still floating like a hot air baloon with a anchor on his dorsal fin. We've turned the light off in the tank with the synodontis because his belly was about a fingers width from the light ~ we were thinking it'd not be a good idea to bake his belly. 8O

Our local pet store (who's not being too well trusted right now ) also shared with us that a 'good' rule of thumb for the number of fish for a tank was 1 inch of fish per each gallon not including the fins. Then we've heard quite the opposite for cichlids ~ someone else told us for a 75 gal bow front tank ~ they'd recommend 8 - 12 cichlids with alge feeders/catfish & that's it. If that's the case (the latter) our tank is sadly over populated with approx 11 cichlids ranging from 3 - 5 inches and 2 catfish and 1 pleco 7 inch). Any suggestions?

By the way ~ thank you all so much for your advice ~ it really helps alot to realize we're not totally incompetent (yet).