Help with Malawi bloat

[Jmedic25]

Ok I have a new but cycled malawi tank. My stock level was 10 juvi Demosoni, 3 juvi Red Zebras, 6 juvi yellow labs, 2 juvi albino zebras. and a 10 in common pleco. The substrate is black diamond sand. The decor is plastic plants, and rocks that were sterilized before adding them. The water perms are always perfect. I have a sump with bio balls, and emperor 400 HOB. The water turn is 12 times an hour. I use seachem cichlid buffer and thier salt only as directed. The only other thing that goes in that tank is prime. I do a 10% WC per week. Nitrates lower than 10 always..Ammonia undetectable, The only thing I feed them is NLS and hang a cucumber(once a week) for the pleco that the cichlids pick at a little. Temp is between 78-80. I also fast them every Wednesday. So far in the past 3 weeks ive lost 2 Dems, 1 zebra, and another Dem started showing signs of bloat yesterday. What the heck am I missing, and what the heck should I do???

Justin

 

[steez]

Do you have a lot of aggression yet? Juvi's tend to be a lot nicer and not show their aggressive nature, but if the fish are getting chased and stressed it could be a factor. I had a similar situation. I have 15 demasoni / 5 labs in my 55g with a plan on keeping 10/3. I lost two Demasoni randomly one night without any sign of aggression yet.

 

[Jmedic25]

Only a little chasing. The first thing is I notice loss of appatite. Then they hang out in a different area of the tank. Hover by the filter intake...Then I notice the belly getting bigger. I just made up some blended peas and garlic. I have the newest affected fish in a hosp. tank with epsom salt...He dosent look very well at all. This really sux...I have done everything right....I mean down to the last letter.

 

[steez]

Man..hopefully someone else can chime in. To me it sounds like you're doing it all right

 

[mattrox]

If the fish are still eating try this:

Make a 3% solution of epsom salts. I tablespoon magnesium sulfate to 500ml (17oz) of water. Eyedropper this onto the pellets so that the pellets just soak it up. And feed this twice a day.

It flushes out their intestine and clears paracites in the early stages of bloat. And it is cheap and easy to do. And works.

 

[mattrox]

If fish aren't eating then you need to treat with metro at 5ppm, twice a day for 5 days. When they start eating follow the above regime.

 

[Jmedic25]

If the fish are still eating try this:

Make a 3% solution of epsom salts. I tablespoon magnesium sulfate to 500ml (17oz) of water. Eyedropper this onto the pellets so that the pellets just soak it up. And feed this twice a day.

It flushes out their intestine and clears paracites in the early stages of bloat. And it is cheap and easy to do. And works.

OK ill try that...Its only effecting the dems, the labs and zebras are fine...Even holding fry?? Water is perfect and always is....GRRRRRR

 

[Jmedic25]

What is metro???

 

[joel618]

I know the feeling. I do every possible thing right and some of my fish still get bloated and die. I am treating the tank with jungle parasite clear to see if that helps any. Also I added 1 teaspoon Epsom salt per 10 gallons.

 

[mattrox]

Metronidazole

Malawi Bloat

 

[Jmedic25]

Let me know Joel...

 

[Jmedic25]

I hope I have the death from bloat stopped. I've lost 4 total demasoni. This really sux...Heres some pics of the poor lil guys.

 

[joel618]

I hope I have the death from bloat stopped. I've lost 4 total demasoni. This really sux...Heres some pics of the poor lil guys.

I lost my afra cobue too. . Im still searching for answers.

 

[Jmedic25]

I think the key is to treat as soon as you see them not eating for a day. If you wait until they swell its too late. Im sorry you had loss. Did you treat with metro?

 

[mattrox]

I think the key is to treat as soon as you see them not eating for a day. If you wait until they swell its too late. Im sorry you had loss. Did you treat with metro?

Exactly right... If the fish don't rush up for food and look darker in colour, first I check the water temperature is correct (in case I knocked a plug out vaccuuming or something). Do a water change and if no improvement, suspect bloat straight away.

 

[Dreamingdragon]

Bloat other word is flaggel. Problem they doint eat. Dark of color. Hanging on the bottom or on top of water by filter. This is the medication you need aqwua prazi, praziquantel. Powder form. How to use it 1 gram treats 100 galon tank. Cost 40 dollar were. Water garden for koi. They sell this medication doin, t use parasite clear. Prazi works 7 days on treatment. When they start to eat after 72 hours put a little bit of prazi in there food. It works believe me. I lost a honderd dollar on fish with parasit clear 2 substance wil kill your fish because you need to treat your fish 2 a 3 times. Trust me greets dreamingdragon

 

[Dreamingdragon]

Info cichild surve on internet on flaggel. I have done this. Because I cold not find the right medication for my fish. And parasit clear is the only on petco or petsmart sell. I had no results of these medication. Than dead fish.

 

[Dreamingdragon]

Reason. Medication has 4 ingredients en treatment takes to long and fish dieing. So I used prazi in 48 and 72 hours my fish start to eat again. And put some prazi in there food . It works like razorblade in there stomach. To kill the parasite. And not harmful for your fish. This medication 1 treatment works for 7 days without water changes. After 3 day turn your heater up to 86 f so there immune system kicks in. Remove carbon if you have that. After 4 days turn your heather back to what it was. If you have ick turn your heater 5 degrees higher. I hope i was helpfull dreamingdragon