What's wrong with my new fish?

[M@]

He barely swims around and just floats there.. basically just barely moves, and has this white film over his eyes. I think it's about to die... I just added him to the tank last week. 50 ga (I think? It's about that big), and 4 other African Cichlids of which all are doing just fine, and have been since I've owned them for about 6 months or so now. Not sure wtf happened to him.

http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n67/eyeheartboost/cichlid_eye.jpg

[Ashton]

I would remove him from your tank and put in him a quarantine asap before his sickness spreads to your other fish. Looks like a fungus or rot or some kind...

See if he gets better in a tank of his own? At least that way he wont kill the rest of your fish.

[M@]

I don't have another tank, though. :\

[Kwando]

There is a disease in the take. Test the water ASAP. And like ashton says, remove him from the tank before the other fish get sick also.

[Ashton]

I don't have another tank, though. :\

Just goto petco and buy a small 10 gallon tank for 10 bucks and a 10 dollar filter for it. Then take water from your other tank and put it into that tank and do water changes until the guy gets better or his eyes finally rot out and he dies. I would be willing to bet he dies though.

[bo0stedk2o]

melafix FTW

[Ashton]

Also, you may not have enough filtration on your current tank or you didn't allow it to cycle properly if that is the case you will probably lose all the fish in your tank or a few will die and then the cycle will be complete and the others will live. Buy Quick Dip strips from the petstore to test your nitrate/nitrite levels and PH. Make adjustments as needed. Also you may wish to raise the probability of that fish living... Add some stress coat when you put him into the smaller tank and he might get his eye back.

[M@]

Shit... both Petco and Petsmart are closed for the night. Any other suggestions guys?

[M@]

Also, it's been cycled. I bought the setup used from Mario about 6 months ago, and all the fish have been fine except for this one.

[bo0stedk2o]

wal mart might have melafix or something simliar. works really well

[M@]

I never even thought about that! Walmart will have tanks too. Thanks man, great suggestion.

[bo0stedk2o]

if not, buy aquarium salt at least

[M@]

To put into the separate tank or the main tank?

[kio]

Have you checked your pH yet? I bet it's too low. Try using Melafix or Pimafix - or even both together. My fish had this too, and it's called "Eye Cloud" I guess, I think it's a fungus caused by bad water. After I changed the water, it took a little over a week for it to go away. Call me if you have any other questions Matt, goodluck.

[bo0stedk2o]

both, i'd just leave the fish in there, dont really have to quarantine him

[M@]

Should I do a water change before or after adding those products?

[kio]

Just change and check the water quality, I don't think you need to move the guy around.

[bo0stedk2o]

Should I do a water change before or after adding those products?

when was last time you did a water change? if it was recent i would just dose your tank without water change, than do the water change after the whole treatment

[kio]

Change water first, at least a partial to get the tetracycline out of the water.

[M@]

I do about 30% water changes every 1-2 weeks. Thanks guys, I'll grab that product first thing tomorrow. Hope the guy makes it that long.

[kio]

When did you notice his eyes?

[M@]

I think like Thursday night. I've been dealing with my brother's wedding stuff and didn't have time to address the issue until tonight.

[sirtef9]

Call the Vet!

[kio]

He'll be good till tommorow. I would change some water tonight at least bro.

[Ashton]

I would still take my advice. QT that bitch before he kills the rest of your fish. But what do I know I only have 5 fishtanks *rollseyes*

[kio]

Ashton, you hungry for Sushi yet? I'm in the mood for Sushi Den

[M@]

He's barely moving. I'm pulling him out and killing him.

[M@]

I wonder if Walmart sells MelaFix... hmm.

I just noticed the other fish poke him every once in a while and he swims around fine when he does that but then goes and sits when they leave him alone.... so I don't think he's quite on his death bed yet.

[kio]

Don't kill him man, He'll be alright.

[Loud_Scott]

HAI fuckin save-the-fishes club? shit... i dont think a thread has gone this long without some highschool bullshit in forever...

so i'll start it..... m@'s fish is a thief!!!

[kio]

I haven't seen MelaFix at Wal-Mart, I got mine from a friend - who got it at a aquarium store. Petsmart might have it though. If you can't find it by tommorow let me know and you can have mine

[M@]

I just looked and it already looks like his eyes are clearing up by themselves. I'll leave him for now, and get the water tested tomorrow morning. If the fish die, then they die... oh well. I hope they don't, though.

[kio]

At least clean the water

[M@]

I talked to my local fish guru (Mario ;)) and I've decided to protect the fish from the other fish by keeping him secluded inside of my net so the other fish can't pick on him/bite him. I will treat the water tomorrow. I would clean the water, but I got to thinking... it's probably pretty stressful on the fish as it is, I don't want to risk stressing out this guy while he's already in a bad situation, ya know?

[Ashton]

Ashton, you hungry for Sushi yet? I'm in the mood for Sushi Den

i would never eat something that swims in its own poop and ours.

[M@]

Amen to that. I will never eat sushi. Ever.

[Bedlam]

i would never eat something that swims in its own poop and ours.

Eat cows and pigs that literally LIVE in their own poop all day and sometimes eat it? How about plants? We fertilize them with poop...where do you think those nutrients go?

OMG THERE IS NOTHING SAFE TO EAT IN THE ENTIRE WORLD!!! PANIC!!!!

Get over it..sushi is great. :)

[kio]

Sushi FTW

[M@]

Update:

Went in and talked to the Petco fish guy. He suggested I do a salt shock for about 5 minutes, then put him back in the tank and let him sit in a breeding box for a couple days that I bought to hold him in so the other fish stop nipping at him, and if no improvement, to treat the tank with the MelaFix, which I also picked up. So, after the salt shock, I'm already noticing improvement in his eyes and behavior. So far, so good! :)

[Ashton]

Eat cows and pigs that literally LIVE in their own poop all day and sometimes eat it? How about plants? We fertilize them with poop...where do you think those nutrients go?

OMG THERE IS NOTHING SAFE TO EAT IN THE ENTIRE WORLD!!! PANIC!!!!

Get over it..sushi is great. :)

Cows and pigs have skin in them selves. It's not like they're mostly comprised of well poop. Where as fish are mostly water and they swim in contaminated water. Pass. As for plants. It's not like you're eating poop when you eat plants I don't eat veggies or fruits though other then potatoes or corn.

[bo0stedk2o]

petco and petsmart employees knows nothing about fish

[M@]

He seemed pretty knowledgeable and suggested just about everything that Mario would have suggested to me... and Mario is very knowledgeable with aquatics.

[Mario]

petco and petsmart employees knows nothing about fish

That's like saying every shop knows nothing about cars. You'll always have the typical guys who don't know things, but there's always that oddball who does know their shit, and I think Matt got lucky.

[M@]

Word... he really seemed to know what he was doing. Who knows, maybe it's just a job for him and he really does know a lot. Good analogy, Mario. (Hehe, I said anal)

The fish is DEFINITELY showing improvement, though... so that's good. His eyes are really clearing up so far.

[integra18]

poor fish

[Terry]

Eat it.