Jack Dempsey Wasting Away

[Eloise]

This summer I purchased a new tank. It's doing well now, but when I introduced two young (1 inch long, a couple, I was told) jack dempseys, an outbreak of ich quickly followed and attacked the fish that were already there. The water parameters were very good. I tried curing the ich (salt bath and medication), but another disease popped out very fast: chilodonella, I believe. I lost many fish, mostly clowns and corys. The two jacks and a severum prevailed, but they had been severely affected.

I quickly bought a small tank to use as an hospital tank (less water to treat, easier to see the fish...). My large severum and the male jack convalesced rapidly. After it had been a while since they had gotten better, I transfered them back to their larger tank, where they are doing quite well. I had treated the tank to make sure I had gotten rid of the ich and the chilodonella (3 weeks without any fish, water at 90F, salt and an overdose of medication, followed by huge water changes).

However, my female jack dempsey doesn't seem to be back in good shape at all. She does not show any sign of disease anymore, but she has not fully recovered. The male jack grew a lot, he eats a lot, he is very active and his colours became very vivid (they had dulled during the disease). The female, who is still in the small tank along with some corys and loaches, looks emaciated, her scales are discoloured and her eyes are so cloudy she appears almost blind. She often patrolls the fish tank, searching for food, but I have trouble feeding her because she can't see much. Thankfully, the bottom feeders are glad to eat what she's leaving behind, but she does not eat enough. The water parameters are perfect. I'm at loss: she's been through so much and it's painful to see her become weaker and weaker, as she can't find food to eat.

I have been treating her tank with paraguard regularly for quite a long time, hoping to treat her cloudy eyes.

So, is there a way to treat the cloud eye or at least to help her find her food? I was hoping clipping a piece of cumcumber would help, as she wouldn't have to search for it, but she ignores it. My male jack doesn't like cumcumbers either, so maybe that's just normal.


Thank you all a lot.

 

[jollysue]

I cannot speak to Dempseys, but most fish use or can use smell to find food. Fish with barbells also use them to find food. Does she go to the top to find the food? Are you using floating or sinking pellets? What feeding behavior does she show? Is she having to compete for the food? If so, you may have to isolate her.

If she is not dispaying any feeding behavior, she may be too sick to eat. Sometimes liquid garlic can be used to stimulate appitite.

I have a half blind serpae Tetra, that 6 months after I hospitalized has still not starved although I never see him eat. He is having a hard time of it as I got him some mates and they are nipping him up pretty badly. I may have to isolate him again as he is at such a disadvantage in the pecking order. But he does get food.

 

[Eloise]

I cannot speak to Dempseys, but most fish use or can use smell to find food. Fish with barbells also use them to find food. Does she go to the top to find the food? Are you using floating or sinking pellets? What feeding behavior does she show? Is she having to compete for the food? If so, you may have to isolate her.

If she is not dispaying any feeding behavior, she may be too sick to eat. Sometimes liquid garlic can be used to stimulate appitite.

I have a half blind serpae Tetra, that 6 months after I hospitalized has still not starved although I never see him eat. He is having a hard time of it as I got him some mates and they are nipping him up pretty badly. I may have to isolate him again as he is at such a disadvantage in the pecking order. But he does get food.

She's with a couple of very peaceful fish (two small pleco, 6 small loaches, a bunch of corydoras). There has never been any problem with them. I give her mostly colour bits, as they were her favourite food before she got sick. She can't find loating pellets.

How should I use liquid garlic? Where can I buy it? Will it harm the other fish? I've never heard of it before...



Thanks!

 

[Eloise]

I checked her more closely today. Over the last two months, her vision has declined a lot. She seems to be blind (or almost blind). One of her eyes pops out a lot. They're not as milky as they used to be though, but this doesn't seem to help her.

Is there hope for recovery? Will she stay blind? And if she does, is there a way to keep her healthy? She doesn't seem sick, just weak. I don't care that much if she's blind for good, I'll keep her safe in her small tank, but I just want her to live well

How can I care for her?

 

[jollysue]

I have not had a totally blind fish, but I have often seen posts from mods and other experienced hobbyists that blind fish can find food and do fine with care. So the real issue is why is she not interested in food?

Aquarium liquid garlic should be available in any good pet or fish store. You just drop a few drops in the water or mix it in the food. The instructions are on the labels. If you can't locate it locally, you can find it on line from suppliers.

If an eye is bulging then there is an infection called popeye. What meds have you been using?

The National Fish Pharmacy is getting great reviews on their meds and advice.

Meds for pop eye are indicated on the labels. API has very effective meds. Also I use Mardel Products often.

Do you have a picture of the fish's eye?

I am really assuming that the tank is in good order with good water conditions and clean substrate, etc. Keep the water very clean.

My mention of tank mates is about competition for food. All fish will compete for the food and that puts the JD at a disadvantage, unless you overfeed which is a whole new problem. Will she let you hand feed her until she feels better?

Diagnosis like this is a hit and miss affair. There is a condition called cloudy eye and one called pop eye. Both are bacterial infections and must be treated. If it has gone beyond the MelaFix stage, then you must go to the next level of medication. Does Canada sell over the counter antibiotics for fish, such as API and Mardel?

 

[Eloise]

I have not had a totally blind fish, but I have often seen posts from mods and other experienced hobbyists that blind fish can find food and do fine with care. So the real issue is why is she not interested in food?

Aquarium liquid garlic should be available in any good pet or fish store. You just drop a few drops in the water or mix it in the food. The instructions are on the labels. If you can't locate it locally, you can find it on line from suppliers.

If an eye is bulging then there is an infection called popeye. What meds have you been using?

The National Fish Pharmacy is getting great reviews on their meds and advice.

Meds for pop eye are indicated on the labels. API has very effective meds. Also I use Mardel Products often.

Do you have a picture of the fish's eye?

I am really assuming that the tank is in good order with good water conditions and clean substrate, etc. Keep the water very clean.

My mention of tank mates is about competition for food. All fish will compete for the food and that puts the JD at a disadvantage, unless you overfeed which is a whole new problem. Will she let you hand feed her until she feels better?

Diagnosis like this is a hit and miss affair. There is a condition called cloudy eye and one called pop eye. Both are bacterial infections and must be treated. If it has gone beyond the MelaFix stage, then you must go to the next level of medication. Does Canada sell over the counter antibiotics for fish, such as API and Mardel?

I've been using paraguard. It's supposed to treat pop eye and cloud eye (or so it's written on the bottle). I'll try the liquid garlic to entice her to eat, but I think her problem is finding the food... but it's worth a try...

I don't think I can hand feed her. I've never tried to hand feed my fish, so she's not used to it. She doesn't swim close to the surface either. I've left her overnight a piece of cumcumber. It's gone, but I suspect it's the work of the plecos and corys

Maybe the corydoras and loaches compete for the food, but I don't really think so, as they've always eaten what she's ignoring. Even now, they don't go close to her and will only eat what she obviously hasn't noticed (that is, everything).

I'll head to the pet shop store and see if they have the medications you mentionned. Thanks for the advices.