Question on Maracyn and MII and how to medicate

[FishNewbee]

My 55g is currently very over-crowded due to an unexpected and successful mating of my two jewel cichlids. My tank went from 14 fish to about 50 and I have been doing water changes every 2 to 3 days (about 30 to 50%) for weeks now. Apparently this was not enough because my male jewel became extremely sick (on deaths' door) and at the advice of someone online, I began medicating with Maracyn II and Coppersafe. After 4 days of this treatment, along with daily water changes of about 30 to 40%, my male jewel has made a miraculous recovery and although he lost almost all of his fins, they are all growing back already.

However, the disease is running its course now through the rest of the tank inhabitants and they don't seem to be responding to the treatment the way he did. My medication regimen has consisted of 1 dose of Coppersafe (good for one month) and I started a round of MII 4 days ago so I'm on day 5 now. My pkg says to do the initial larger dose on day 1 and then treat in smaller does for 5 days after that, so that would make it a 6 day cycle. However, my tiger barbs (6 regular and 6 albino) are all displaying very frayed fins and red streaks at the tips of their tail fins. I lost one albino this morning. They are swimming about frantically and just look miserable. I am wondering why they don't seem to be responding to the meds the way the male jewel did. Is it possible that they could have something else? It looks like fin and tail rot to me and supposedly the MII and Coppersafe both treat that condition. Do I just need to be patient and let it run its course, or should I treat with regular Maracyn simultaneously? I'm afraid of over-medicating, esp. since my jewel is recovering and I also have about 35-40 fry (6 weeks old) in the tank, too. I've also been doing daily doses of Melafix. I've been keeping a close eye on my water parameters and they are all reading perfectly with the exception that my ph could be just slightly on the low side. Also, I've been doing daily water changes of about 30%. I'm also wondering if that's good since I believe that this all started from lack of water changes since my tank is so over-crowded at the moment due to the fry. Am I reducing the effectiveness of the meds by doing the water changes and since my tank doesn't seem to be cycling should I hold off on water changes until I'm done treating? Just wondering if anyone has any suggestions as to what to do from here and if you've ever used all of these products in conjunction with each other. I really don't want to lose any more of my barbs as I've had them for a long time. Also, now my male peacock cichlid is displaying the same symptoms!! Help if you can and again, thanks so much for taking the time to do this and offer support. I really appreciate it. My LFS store (manager in the fish dept) told me to let them all die if you can believe that!

 

[beglely]

4 days may not have been long enough to cure the entire tank. Usually curing a tank takes around 2 weeks or so after the last signs of the disease are gone from what ive read. I would get all the fry out of the tank too. Im guessing that the sudden increase in fish sent your tank into another cycle as it was unprepared to handle the very large bio-load you suddenly aquired. See if you can sell them or donate them to ur lfs (which apparently isnt that into the care of fish in the first place). As for the water changes I am unsure--you will have to wait for some other people to comment here. I will say that if you currently have activated carbon in ur tank it could be removing your meds as well.

 

[FishNewbee]

My tank does not seem to be cycling. I've been checking the water at least weekly, sometimes more. There have never been any ammonia or nitrite readings and nitrates have always read under 40ppm, usually 30ppm or less. I set up a 30g tank about 4 days ago but don't want to use the babies to cycle it so I'm getting some other small fish to start that process, but it could be a month or more before it's ready. My lfs won't take them so I'm going to put an ad on craigslist and hope to find some takers. Otherwise, the only other place I could find is a fish store in Sacramento, Ca, about a 2 to 3 hour drive from here! I took the carbon out of my filters 4 days ago when I started medicating. Do you know if I should use the Maracyn in conjunction with the MII or would that be overload?
Thanks for responding!

 

[colematthewmalaka]

I would get a different tank for the jewel cichlids and their fry and do some serious cycling. Also get a 10 gallon hospital tank and use it for medicating fish since most of the directions for medications are for 10 gallon tanks. I'd say there's still a high risk that you'll lose your fish but I'd give it a try.
Good Luck.....

 

[FishNewbee]

I have the 30g going now, just need to get some fish in there and start cycling. I also have a 5g with 5 harlequin rasboras in it. I've been moving some of the sicker barbs that have been getting picked on in there with the rasboras, who are now also showing frayed fins. Since the whole tank is showing signs of illness, I feel like I need to treat the whole main 55g as well. I'm currently putting meds in both tanks, using proper dosing per pkg directions. I don't know what else I can do. I'm into this incident over $100 so far and just can't keep throwing money at it. Are you suggesting I cycle the new 30g with the jewels and their babies? I'm beginning to wonder if the stress of a cycle might be better than the stress of being in a sick tank anyway.

 

[happygirl65]

You will not be reducing the effectiveness of the meds if you do the water change approxmately the same time everyday. Then dose the meds right after. The meds are the most effective for the first twelve hours.

Don't get discouraged. You are doing everything you can right now. I would separate out the healthy fish at this point, possibly the jewels and their babies for the new tank. It will take a long time for the cycle to complete but if you do daily water changes of 50% or so it should be fine. Those meds would be quite expensive for a 55 gallon.
I am wishing you the best. I have been there, just keep doing what you can.