Sick 7y/o BKG

[Sympledom]

75 gallon now front (I know this is minimum size for BKG)
Was in a 55 gal, moved over in October all the same gravel filters tunnels and water
Two over the back filters (and an air pump)
Vincent is a 7 year old black ghost knife that is approx 17”
He has been fed frozen blood worms daily his whole life but going to try switching his food today to floating cichlid to help with waste

Temp 28/29 cel
Ph 6.5-7
Kh 40-80
Gh 120
No2 0
No3 160

Using one cap of prime weekly for water change to reduce nitrates slowly (I think he has had high nitrates for a long time)
Using waste control weekly to help with his waste as he is a carnivore


I have been working on the nitrates for a month and half now, using prime and doing 10-15% water changes weekly. Really trying not to stress him out because! He has a giant tumour and that is why I am here, seeking advice on what I can do to help him. He had two small Tumors(pea sized) for several years and around christmas his one tumour got very large and ruptured. Now it gets rubbed off on things and the skin keeps sloughing off. His other skin looks great, but his tumour is nasty I don’t want to do too much and stress him out, but I know I have to fix the nitrate problem and that should help him heal himself.... any advice is welcome also the two fake plants are newer, maybe 2 months?

 

[libertybelle]

The prime will not lower nitrates. Maybe you know this but the way you have written it it seems like you think the prime itself will lower nitrates?

All that will lower nitrates is an increase in the size and frequency of water changes and fast growing live plants.

I can’t tell much from the pictures but as far as I’m aware there’s not a ton we can do to help with tumors. But if something has ruptured you’ll need to provide pristine water quality to prevent secondary infections. Normally I might think a little salt in the tank might help as well but I think these guys might be salt intolerant.

Is there a reason you’re only changing 10-15% when nitrates are that high? Chronic high nitrates are probably way more of a stress then normal 50% water changes would be.

Looks like you’re using test strips? Those are notoriously unreliable. When dealing with such a massive bioload in a relatively small tank for fish size you really need a liquid kit to be able to test for ammonia and nitrite. Either will significantly increase the chance of secondary infection of the wound.