What The Heck Is Going On With My Bichirs?

[invader]

Hey everyone, haven't been on here in a while. I came home to a dead Polypterus retropinnis the other night, so thinking it was just a freak accident, I changed the water and went on my way.

The next morning, I wake up to see multiple bichirs covered in what looks like bites marks from a pleco, trying to suck the slime coat off. I move my plec and even my Synodontis brichardii, just in case. I dose the tank with Melafix and Pemafix. The next morning, I had one dead P. senegalus that had the worst "bite" which covered his face. Now, the ones that are affected are getting worse and it looks like other fish are clamping up and getting affected by it, too. The datnoid has turned black and is hiding, the Geophagus are not active and clamping a bit and the silver dollars are shoaling tightly. It's weird, I have never seen my fish act nervous like this... it's almost like my tank is empty.

Anyway, I wanted to know if you all had any ideas... I have some pics of the sores. I did the best I could. The ones I have the best pics of aren't even the worst of them. Any advice is appreciated, as I don't want to lose fish out of my prize tank.

Thanks in advance.

The bright white patch on the last pic is one of those patches.

PS: It's a 125gl. I can get my water tested tmw, don't have a kit now.

 

[invader]

Tested water:

Ammonia: 0ppm
pH: 7.5
Nitrite: 0ppm
Nitrate: 40ppm (I'm overstocked atm, they didn't eat their food last night, and dead fish)

Going to do a water change tmw to clear up the nitrates. Looking into getting metronidazole for broad spectrum antibiotic, etc. Any other clues would definitely help.

 

[WILDER]

I would dilute the meds down with a water change. Not all fish tolerate the full dose of melafix.

What test kit are you using.

Any bleaching beneath the skin, or fluffy cotton wool on the fish.
Any white edging to the sores on the fish.

Any signs of flicking and rubbing, excess mucas, darting, erratic swimming, laboured breathing.

 

[invader]

I would dilute the meds down with a water change. Not all fish tolerate the full dose of melafix.

What test kit are you using.

Any bleaching beneath the skin, or fluffy cotton wool on the fish.
Any white edging to the sores on the fish.

Any signs of flicking and rubbing, excess mucas, darting, erratic swimming, laboured breathing.

Doing a water change now, to dilute it. I can tell the Melafix is affecting the others.

I'm using the freshwater master test kit, by API. The liquid tester.

It's like the top layer of skin has been eaten off and all that's underneath are the bichirs' rough armor plating, so I guess you could say that there is bleaching under the skin. Around the sores, the skin is kinda hanging there, stringy. No cotton wool, no flicking, etc. The fish act normal except that they have sores.

 

[WILDER]

If there no parasites symtoms I would take the bacterial route.
It sounds abit like columnaris.

What's your location.
Keep doing water changes to get the melafix and pimafix out of the tank.
Any lumps or cysts beneath the skin.

 

[invader]

If there no parasites symtoms I would take the bacterial route.
It sounds abit like columnaris.

What's your location.
Keep doing water changes to get the melafix and pimafix out of the tank.
Any lumps or cysts beneath the skin.

No lumps or cysts. Filling up the tank now with fresh water.

I'm in Orlando, FL, USA, like it says in my profile. I have access to metronidazole from my work (LFS) so probably going with that stuff, since it works wonders.

 

[WILDER]

Never hardly take a look at profiles.

Or you could use maracyn one and two, or maracyn plus.

If the fish are still eating medicated food always a good choice.
But you will be using metronidazole in there food so that's fine.

 

[invader]

Never hardly take a look at profiles.

Or you could use maracyn one and two, or maracyn plus.

If the fish are still eating medicated food always a good choice.
But you will be using metronidazole in there food so that's fine.

Oh sorry, I didn't realize that they don't display your location on the topic anymore. I haven't been on this forum in ages.

Thanks for everything. I'll keep you up to date.

 

[WILDER]

Are the sores red as I can only see white on the fish.

 

[invader]

Are the sores red as I can only see white on the fish.

Pretty much all white, just a tiny bit of red in the areas the sores are new and spreading to. Where the skin is tender, I guess.

 

[invader]

Checked my Nitrates after the water change, and they are down to 10ppm. Going to get the meds this afternoon.

 

[WILDER]

Let me know how you get on if you don't mind.
Good Luck.