Bala Shark is Twitching & lower fins are fraying!!

[WILDER]

If you do have to preform a water change just add the correct amount of med back to the gallons removed, good luck.

 

[seanus]

Well, I am at the end of the second day of treatment. The Ick Cure (malchite green) is in to kill any parasitic infections. The bala shark is still twitching & at times seems nervous & itchy. Also, the cichlid isn't really eating agressively. He used to attack the food & now casually crunches a minute after it has settled.

Any suggestions?

 

[WILDER]

This is the problem finding out which parasite it is, as the treatment you are using may not kill certain parasites, it could be body flukes or gill flukes which you will need an different med, no visable worms on the body or gills or fins is there.

 

[seanus]

Thanks Wilder.

You must be right. Now the cichlid is eating and seems to be healed. The bala however is still twitching and nervous -- he also will not eat. He really does look okay, there are no visible signs disease/worms or spots. (Just one little body ulcer type thing, but the gills are healthy looking).

Thank you.

 

[Dwarfs]

How often do you change the water in this tank?

I would recommend doing twice as many water changes and cutting down on feeding

29 gallon hex:

1 South-American Cichlid 4-5" -Should get to be ten inches
1 Bala Shark 4-5" - Gets over 12 inches
1 Silver-Tip Shark 3"
1 Dalmation Molly 1.5"
1 Red Wag Platy 1"
1 Glass Fish 2"
2 Guppies 1"

I think you should get a much bigger tank if you can (55g minimum for Surinam geo, 125g minimum for bala), or get rid of the bala and the geo. Overstocking is probably the root of your problems, and if you had less fish in the tank, they would probably be much healthier


If you increase water changes, the fish should get better (Being that no parasites are visible), but please keep in mind how bbig some of those fish get

 

[seanus]

Thank you also, very much, Dwarfs.

I love this guy - looks exactly like your photo as well. He has so much personality & really is a special fish....would change the water every hour if it meant saving him.

I change the water twice a week currently. I do a 15% water change every Wednesday and then a 20% water change every Sunday. On Sundays, I gravel up all the gunk on the bottom & in the rocks.

I just changed my signature - realized it was from two months ago when I had a lot more life By introducing the tadpole last week, I lost half of my tank

Now, I only have the three fish & was planning on keeping it that way. I just put the filter back in (after two days of IckCure). There is a lot of floating food on the bottom (moldy ) so I think it's time for a gravel vac.

I will start feeding less until Bala starts eating again,...he hasn't really eaten in two days. Any recommendations for that?

I agree with you -- I was planning on getting rid of bala once he reaches 7 inches.

Any further suggestions are much appreciated. Thank you!

 

[WILDER]

Which fish has the ulcer as you will need to treat that with anti internal bacteria med.

 

[seanus]

The Bala has the missing scale (could be an ulcer). How could I be sure?

Thanks, S

 

[WILDER]

http/www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/pfk/...?article_id=193
http/www.fbas.co.uk/Ulcers.html

 

[seanus]

Thanks again Wilder. You are a good fish!

It definitely is not an ulcer. It's the smallest little scale that is a shade darker than the rest of his body - more of a missing scale than anything - it's about this size ---> O (pretty small). I guess it could be a scratch since he frequently darts around the tank these days & could have brushed up against a rock.

Despite the fact that he's twitching, his fins are fraying a little & that he's not eating, he LOOks okay...

Any ideas? I guess I will keep the water changes up as there is some moldy food near the rock surface...Bala will only eat frozen blood worms but nothing else...

 

[Blue Lobster]

I had the exact same problem with one of my balas. I put him in a quarantine tank and gave him a full dose of Maracyn and Maracyn II at the same time. This will cover both gram negative and gram positive parasites (whatever that means) plus a host of other diseases.

It worked, he's looking better a few weeks later.




Do his scales look uneven or wavy?

 

[seanus]

Oh, no.

This morning he is breathing really rapidly & staying near the surface. Poor guy

I don't have another tank to put him in...is it better to administer medicine in a fish bowl? I could transfer the airstone to that...

Thanks

 

[WILDER]

You could do, but with the heavy breathing the med might kill him off, it's not sounding good i'm afraid good luck anyway.

 

[seanus]

I think you are right, Wilder...he is not sounding good at all This is day #4 of no eating & everytime I've seen the rapid breathing, it ends in death within a couple days.

I also agree the med might kill him...I guess I will let him be and hope he can somehow pull through (unless you suggest something else).

Thanks again for your assistance

 

[WILDER]

Sounds like the parasite has invaded the gills causing severe damage don't let him die in the tank, the host will leave the body, i would issolate him even if it's in a bucket, do you have anymore parasite med, but i think he's to far gone now, sorry.