Always on my Mind.
I lost another female on July 21st.
There are two other females I pulled out of the big tank and isolated in a hospital tank. For over a month they were in the same tank, separated by a divider made out of egg crate (or the diffuser used for fluorescent lights).
As advised by a fellow I've dubbed "Fish Whisperer", I raised the temperature in their tank to 86°, treated them with metranidazole and used a measurement of Epsom Salt (magnesium sulfate) to assist with expelling the parasite, hexamita. After two days, one of the female's kidneys started to shut down (as noted by her scales sticking out), causing me to have constant concern (COCO), so we performed a 50% water change and switched to a course of tetracycline. After that course, I did water changes every two days and kept the temperature at 86°.
I went out of town for a week in August, Fish Whisperer generously came by and kept up with the water changes and called me with the status of their health.
When I came back, I noted that one of the females (Mischevous One or "MOE") was slipping past the barrier into the other side of the tank and harassing COCO. I reinforced the barrier, and then came home to discover what appeared to be a sore on MOE's lips. Frustrated, and scared of a secondary infection, I moved COCO into her own 10 gallon tank, which I'd had cycling for over a month.
All seemed to be going well, they both started eating again, exhibiting normal behavior and I was preparing to move COCO back into the big tank. Fish Whisperer believed they were well enough and that the constant activity in the main tank, as well as seeing their sisters eating, would improve their appetite.
Then, on September 28th, I came home to discover that the heater I'd borrowed from my fish store friend and had been on COCO's tank, had been bumped and set to nearly 100°. I had noticed COCO acting lethargic, but just thought she was being her normal, weird self. I was horrified. I used another tank's water that was heated to 85° and gradually lowered the temperature of her tank by changing it out.
Since then, she bloated up, her breathing was rapid and labored, and started pooping white strings again. Oddly, MOE started bloating up, too, and pooping white strings. Again with the parasites, then. So I just finished last night a 5 day course of the metranidazole. COCO is still lethargic, but her breathing is less labored. MOE is perkier and active, although still a bit bloated.
(sigh)
In the midst of the sickness plaguing the two in the hospital tank, in the big tank one of the albino females bruised herself. To the point that I thought that she'd somehow found another weird parasite or fungus. In the five years that I've kept fish, I've never seen the like. But, I guess fish actually can bruise. It looked terrible for about five days, a great big purplish/red spot above her lateral line. It finally faded, and I tried not to worry too much, as she kept up with her vigorous eating an activities.
So, it appears I have four healthy females, one healthy albino male and two females that may or may not make it.
If COCO and MOE don't make it, I will be back to four females and one male. Which, ironically, given that I've had over 300 cichlids in this house, five is the number of fish this whole journey started with -- four females and one male.
The two sick females are two of the original five. So, I'm hoping and praying that I don't lose them.
There are two other females I pulled out of the big tank and isolated in a hospital tank. For over a month they were in the same tank, separated by a divider made out of egg crate (or the diffuser used for fluorescent lights).
As advised by a fellow I've dubbed "Fish Whisperer", I raised the temperature in their tank to 86°, treated them with metranidazole and used a measurement of Epsom Salt (magnesium sulfate) to assist with expelling the parasite, hexamita. After two days, one of the female's kidneys started to shut down (as noted by her scales sticking out), causing me to have constant concern (COCO), so we performed a 50% water change and switched to a course of tetracycline. After that course, I did water changes every two days and kept the temperature at 86°.
I went out of town for a week in August, Fish Whisperer generously came by and kept up with the water changes and called me with the status of their health.
When I came back, I noted that one of the females (Mischevous One or "MOE") was slipping past the barrier into the other side of the tank and harassing COCO. I reinforced the barrier, and then came home to discover what appeared to be a sore on MOE's lips. Frustrated, and scared of a secondary infection, I moved COCO into her own 10 gallon tank, which I'd had cycling for over a month.
All seemed to be going well, they both started eating again, exhibiting normal behavior and I was preparing to move COCO back into the big tank. Fish Whisperer believed they were well enough and that the constant activity in the main tank, as well as seeing their sisters eating, would improve their appetite.
Then, on September 28th, I came home to discover that the heater I'd borrowed from my fish store friend and had been on COCO's tank, had been bumped and set to nearly 100°. I had noticed COCO acting lethargic, but just thought she was being her normal, weird self. I was horrified. I used another tank's water that was heated to 85° and gradually lowered the temperature of her tank by changing it out.
Since then, she bloated up, her breathing was rapid and labored, and started pooping white strings again. Oddly, MOE started bloating up, too, and pooping white strings. Again with the parasites, then. So I just finished last night a 5 day course of the metranidazole. COCO is still lethargic, but her breathing is less labored. MOE is perkier and active, although still a bit bloated.
(sigh)
In the midst of the sickness plaguing the two in the hospital tank, in the big tank one of the albino females bruised herself. To the point that I thought that she'd somehow found another weird parasite or fungus. In the five years that I've kept fish, I've never seen the like. But, I guess fish actually can bruise. It looked terrible for about five days, a great big purplish/red spot above her lateral line. It finally faded, and I tried not to worry too much, as she kept up with her vigorous eating an activities.
So, it appears I have four healthy females, one healthy albino male and two females that may or may not make it.
If COCO and MOE don't make it, I will be back to four females and one male. Which, ironically, given that I've had over 300 cichlids in this house, five is the number of fish this whole journey started with -- four females and one male.
The two sick females are two of the original five. So, I'm hoping and praying that I don't lose them.
Labels: update
posted by Jammie J. at
10/10/2008 08:18:00 PM
