×
Retirement and forum shutdown (17 Jan 2022)

Hi,

John Howell who has managed the forum for years is getting on and wishes to retire from the role of managing it.
Over the years, he has managed the forum through good days and bad days and he has always been fair.
He has managed to bring his passion for fish keeping to the forum and keep it going for so long.

I wish to thank John for his hard work in keeping the forum going.

With John wishing to "retire" from the role of managing the forum and the forum receiving very little traffic, I think we must agree that forum has come to a natural conclusion and it's time to put it to rest.

I am proposing that the forum be made read-only from March 2022 onwards and that no new users or content be created. The website is still registered for several more years, so the content will still be accessible but no new topics or replies will be allowed.

If there is interest from the ITFS or other fish keeping clubs, we may redirect traffic to them or to a Facebook group but will not actively manage it.

I'd like to thank everyone over the years who helped with forum, posted a reply, started a new topic, ask a question and helped a newbie in fish keeping. And thank you to the sponsors who helped us along the away. Hopefully it made the hobby stronger.

I'd especially like to thank John Howell and Valerie Rousseau for all of their contributions, without them the forum would have never been has successful.

Thank you
Darragh Sherwin

Sick Fish - Help needed

More
21 Dec 2008 15:59 - 21 Dec 2008 16:01 #1 by Fishowner (Gavin fishowner)
Hi,
Was having a look at one of my tanks while ago and Ive discovered that my male golden ram has developed some whitish / perhaps fungus / cysts on his head. He appears to be acting normal enough and is eating. All other fish appear alright however one of the angels has some slight fin damage. I did a large water change on Friday so the tank is clean (admit that there was a week missed of water change before that so the tank may have been dirtier than normal.It was missed due to my tap water being bad for a week). Also the 2 other female rams are beginning to get aggressive towards one another,doubt that has anything to do with the sick male male. Here is a pic. Any know what i need to do here. I can do a partial water change this evening,however what should I be adding to the tank now. I dont want to lose this guy as he has fab colours.





Gavin
Last edit: 21 Dec 2008 16:01 by Fishowner (Gavin fishowner).

Please Log in to join the conversation.

More
21 Dec 2008 17:42 #2 by platty252 (Darren Dalton)
Gavin can you get a closeup of the infected area?
If it is just fungus i would isolate the fish and treat with eSHa-2000.
If the "ulcer" is red i would treat with Nifurpirinol 0.1-0.2mg/L. Treat for 5 days and if symptoms persist repeat treatment.
You could also try Interpet antiulcer (Formaldehyde), i think the dosage is 1ml/18L. After 4 days do a 50% water change and repeat treatment.
If the "ulcer" is white and not an open wound Methylene blue can be used in a bare heated/aerated tank. No filter. Treat for several days.

Please Log in to join the conversation.

More
21 Dec 2008 17:55 #3 by Fishowner (Gavin fishowner)
Im thinking it not a fungus. It looks more like a bubble that isnt pierced.What could the cause of this be ?

Gavin

Please Log in to join the conversation.

More
21 Dec 2008 18:11 #4 by platty252 (Darren Dalton)
It could be Nodular disease. A similar parasite to neon tetra disease. Although it doesnt look like it in the picture but sounds like it by your description.
I dont think there is a successful treatment for this. Isolate fish and if it gets worse you will have to destroy him.
A closeup picture is needed.

Please Log in to join the conversation.

More
21 Dec 2008 19:05 #5 by derek (Derek Doyle)
gavin
this is common in rams and is not really curable (possibly tumours, like on hamsters). it's probably the immune system breaking down and is not contagious. rams are extremely short lived and become delicate and easily stressed as they get older. (less than a year) I have had ram parents die off while raising their first brood and the young thrived. i have never managed to get a second brood off a pair as parenthood seems to drain the life from even youngish adults. the only way to buy rams is very young european bred ones. rams need high temp, good filtration and although feisty need to be the dominant fish in the tank. even then they only live a few months as the ones normally sold in shops are already old. rams grow quickly, breed young and die young from stress related illness.

30 tanks specialise in african cichlids, angelfish and various catfish

Please Log in to join the conversation.

More
21 Dec 2008 19:14 #6 by Fishowner (Gavin fishowner)
Gesh Derek,thats not the news I wanted Im afraid.
Is there anything I can do for the poor guy? I certainly dont want to lose him as he is v colourful (as you can see). He has been through alot of changes over the months in the tank and has thrived everytime which is unusual for the Rams to be so strong.Which is why it miffs me now to think he has this problem when the tank is fine now.

The Rams have spawned a few times however not actually managed to keep the eggs for more than a day or two before they are all gone.

Gavin

Please Log in to join the conversation.

More
21 Dec 2008 19:29 #7 by derek (Derek Doyle)
yes he's a nice little fish. but there is no point in adding chemicals or cures. i'd just keep an eye on him for now and if his condition worsens quarantine or cull.

30 tanks specialise in african cichlids, angelfish and various catfish

Please Log in to join the conversation.

More
21 Dec 2008 20:31 #8 by platty252 (Darren Dalton)
Derek is this common with other dwarf cichlids or is it just rams?

Please Log in to join the conversation.

More
21 Dec 2008 21:00 #9 by derek (Derek Doyle)
hi darren
just rams. apistos, west africans and the bolivian ram are hardy enough and live for a few years without much bother. crenicara filamentosa can be a bit delicate though. i absolutely adore rams but they are without doubt the shortest lived fish i know of. even killies or guppys usually live longer.

30 tanks specialise in african cichlids, angelfish and various catfish

Please Log in to join the conversation.

More
21 Dec 2008 21:12 #10 by Fishowner (Gavin fishowner)
I really hope this guy get through it. I may add some Melafix just for the angels fins and perhaps it will calm the Ram although he isnt really displaying any unusual behaviour. Fingers crossed he will make it. I'll do a 20% water change tomorrow night and will also get some NLS food,which might help also.

Gavin

Please Log in to join the conversation.

More
21 Dec 2008 21:35 #11 by platty252 (Darren Dalton)
Cheers for that Derek. I kept a pair of rams when i started keeping fish and these only lasted a couple of months. They were big when i got them so i can now put it down to quick old age.
It's funny you mention the checkerboards (crenicara filamentosa). I was thinking of getting some soon enough. Well that's if i can get some decent ones.

Gavin what is NSL food?

Please Log in to join the conversation.

More
21 Dec 2008 21:47 #12 by Fishowner (Gavin fishowner)
New Life Spectrum food. Meant to read NLS!

Please Log in to join the conversation.

Time to create page: 0.056 seconds
Powered by Kunena Forum