Hello!
I have an electric blue cichlid that has been sick for about 3 days now.
Tank background: 55 gallon brackish tank, just the electric blue cichlid and a type of catfish (not sure what kind, its silver with grey dots). Had both fish for about 10 years, never had trouble with either of them, other than the fact that they would kill anything else I put in with them including plecos and snails (super aggressive, but they've never actually harmed one another). They have been the only two in the tank for 4 years now. Tank is well aerated and filtered. Heater keeps it 78-82F pretty consistently throughout the year. I have been feeding both fish sinking cichlid pellets for years, never had an issue with that.
Saturday morning I noticed the cichlid's one eye was protruding slightly. just one side. he was still looking fine otherwise, eating and swimming as normal. I figured he just busted it on the filter (they get pretty rowdy at night). I came home Sunday morning and the eye was doubled in size, looked like it was about to pop, still just the one eye. I did a 50% water change and added more aquarium salt to try to bring down the swelling. I did not check water parameters until after I already did a 50% water change, but ammonia reading is zero. Later Sunday afternoon I noticed he wasn't swimming right, couldn't control his position in the tank. and the eye was turning white. I QT'd him, did 1 tablespoon/5g of aquarium salt and started treating with tetracycline (per petsmart recs, not sure if that's the right abx though). Tonight he looks worse, there is some hemorrhaging around his mouth, eye is maybe a little less swollen, but he has a bump on his side now too (opposite of the bad eye). no longer eating. I did a 50% water change in the QT tank and retreated with tetracycline and aquarium salt (same tbsp to 5g ratio for the replaced water).
not sure if this is all connected or stress related... He is a 10 year old fish, not sure how long they live but this doesn't seem like an old age thing. The catfish in the original tank is doing fine other than missing his buddy. still eating and not showing any symptoms.
I'd hate to lose him but if it's hopeless I don't want to make him suffer either. Not sure what else I can do... any recommendations?
Thanks
I have an electric blue cichlid that has been sick for about 3 days now.
Tank background: 55 gallon brackish tank, just the electric blue cichlid and a type of catfish (not sure what kind, its silver with grey dots). Had both fish for about 10 years, never had trouble with either of them, other than the fact that they would kill anything else I put in with them including plecos and snails (super aggressive, but they've never actually harmed one another). They have been the only two in the tank for 4 years now. Tank is well aerated and filtered. Heater keeps it 78-82F pretty consistently throughout the year. I have been feeding both fish sinking cichlid pellets for years, never had an issue with that.
Saturday morning I noticed the cichlid's one eye was protruding slightly. just one side. he was still looking fine otherwise, eating and swimming as normal. I figured he just busted it on the filter (they get pretty rowdy at night). I came home Sunday morning and the eye was doubled in size, looked like it was about to pop, still just the one eye. I did a 50% water change and added more aquarium salt to try to bring down the swelling. I did not check water parameters until after I already did a 50% water change, but ammonia reading is zero. Later Sunday afternoon I noticed he wasn't swimming right, couldn't control his position in the tank. and the eye was turning white. I QT'd him, did 1 tablespoon/5g of aquarium salt and started treating with tetracycline (per petsmart recs, not sure if that's the right abx though). Tonight he looks worse, there is some hemorrhaging around his mouth, eye is maybe a little less swollen, but he has a bump on his side now too (opposite of the bad eye). no longer eating. I did a 50% water change in the QT tank and retreated with tetracycline and aquarium salt (same tbsp to 5g ratio for the replaced water).
not sure if this is all connected or stress related... He is a 10 year old fish, not sure how long they live but this doesn't seem like an old age thing. The catfish in the original tank is doing fine other than missing his buddy. still eating and not showing any symptoms.
I'd hate to lose him but if it's hopeless I don't want to make him suffer either. Not sure what else I can do... any recommendations?
Thanks