Please help my bandit cichlid

[Ndefil]

Please help my bandit cichlid has hole in the head my Lfs sold me mardel maracyn and it doesn't seem to be working any ideas??!!!

 

[Ndefil]

Now 3 rummy nose tetras are dead along with a rasbora and a zebra danio and two silver dollar fish

 

[severum mama]

Hi there and welcome to AA!

If you haven't done so already, please test your water for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate and post the results in numbers (ppm) to the best of your ability (those color charts can definitely be hard to read). How long has your tank been set up? When was the last time you added new fish? What is your water change schedule, and what percentage do you change? What size tank do you have, and what filtration are you using? What is your stock list?

Sorry for all the questions, but any answers you can provide will help us get down to the bottom of the issue.

 

[TheCommunityCichlid]

Defiantly need more info here

 

[Ndefil]

It's a 20 gallon long tank right now after all the deaths it has two small clown loaches who look like there next to go two small bandit cichlids three black phantom tetras and three small rainbow fish I have an aqua clear 50 as a filter temp is at 78 tank has been set up for 4 years. 50% water change every Sunday. Added two small silver dollar fish last week. They were the first to go. When I got home from work it seemed like fish were gasping so did water change and three baby rasboras were dead along with 2 rummy nose tetras. Should I do anther water change after my 12 hour shift today?? Nitrate is 10nitrite is 0 hardness is 26 alkalinity is 180 ph is 7.8 it seems like a lot of bubbles coming from air stone too ???

 

[Ndefil]

And never had problems with the tank before

 

[TheCommunityCichlid]

Your main problem is your tank has way to many fish in it. This is causing you to have spikes in at least nitrates if not all your levels which is probably killing your fish.

 

[HUKIT]

The fish that are dying are not suffering from Sprionucleus vortens but more than likely as states deteriorating water quality, as this is specific to certain cichlids.

HITH is a parasitic disease found in angelfish and discus. It is caused by Hexamita spp. and/or Sprionucleus vortens and is treated with metronidazole.

HLLE is a nonparasitic condition usually caused by less than ideal food and water quality. This is common in oscars (and many other species). It does NOT respond to any meds, but is treated by improving food and water quality. In some very rare cases it has been demonstrated that the cause in those cases was carbon use in the filter.

Large new world cichlids rarely get HITH, they get HLLE. They key to prevention and or curing is keeping the nitrate concentration below 20ppm(10ppm is better) and feeding a high quality and easily digestable pellet such as New Life Spectrum. Depending on how severe the deterioration of the sensory pits is there may be some permanent scarring but follow the above directions and there will be improvement.

The treatment of Hexamita is the following:

Ingestion of Epsom salt cures a variety of digestive and parasitic issues such as Hexamita, spironucleus vortens sp, and other flagellated protozoan without any medications required, simply soak in a 3% Epsom salt solution and feed exclusively for 2 weeks.

 

[Ndefil]

New update bristle nose pleco and one clown loach is still alive another water change tonight