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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

help please a.s.a.p!

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17 Feb 2009 10:12 #1 by mrsFishpatrick (Astrid Fitzpatrick)
I am having serious trouble here, last week (thursday)I started to see my fish itching and thought I seen a little spot on my barbs, so before it got any worse I treated the tank with 'eSHa EXIT' for the prescribed amount of time with the stated dose. The last dose went in on saturday, All went well up untill this morning (tuesday)one of my barbs has a strange mark on the top of his head and I found one of my kribensis fry dead, Is there any way I can find out what happened to this fry, I havent thrown him out yet, he is in a separate container on top of my tank.
please help a.s.a.p.

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17 Feb 2009 11:02 #2 by JohnH (John)
Not good news...

Does the dead Krib fry show any 'untoward' signs, like extreme redness around the gill or vent area?

My first thought is that you take the corpse into Drew and he will be able to do a bit of a post-mortem for you, he might have a small charge for doing this, but it should help to identify the cause and then would be money well spent. You might give him a ring in advance of going though, just in case he's not in today.

So far as the strange spot on your Barb's head...it could be one of all manner of maladies, or none. Keep a close eye on it though.

Let us know your results, and hopefully it can be 'nipped in the bud' if it's anything sinister...I don't think it was brought about by the treatment, though.

John

Location:
N. Tipp

We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl - year after year.


ITFS member.



It's a long way to Tipperary.

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17 Feb 2009 14:26 #3 by mrsFishpatrick (Astrid Fitzpatrick)
Thanks JohnH
I was up in AV before on a tuesday and I believe it is his day off,
the krib had no redness around the gills the only thing I did notice was a bloated belly and that he was really coloured up.
I tested the water again and it was 0 ammo 0 trItes and 10 trAtes
so it couldn't have been ammonia or nitrIte poisoning.

I brought the barb up to the fish bowl here in Lucan and the guy said he propably bumped his head on something and that I should keep an eye on him.

I will just keep everything crossed that these are just unrelated incidents

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17 Feb 2009 14:52 - 17 Feb 2009 14:53 #4 by JohnH (John)
Hmm,

Have you recently changed your fish food? - (This is with regard to the dead Krib)...although not as prone to 'Bloat' as many other African Cichlids they will suffer similarly with higher protein foods if given them too often. Likewise, actually, with a lot of Apistos too. And Krib youngsters don't be at the back of the queue at feeding time...not that the adults are that far behind actually. I would also be very dubious - in the light of recent experience - about feeding Frozen Bloodworms too often as well.

This selective feeding can be hard to control in a community tank as you have to give food for all your fish and - sadly - your different fish cannot know what is and isn't good for them to be eating, they just eat whatever's given them!!!

You might want to look at the protein value of your fish food - but if the others are all fine and you have no further losses perhaps it wasn't food related anyway, I felt it worth mentioning though as all avenues have to be explored where mystery deaths occur.

Although I don't use it myself (too expensive) I am assured that the New Life Spectrum range of food is a good reliable fish food, I use much of the Tetra range of foods myself (from readily available ones, anyway).

Keep watching, good advice there.

John

Location:
N. Tipp

We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl - year after year.


ITFS member.



It's a long way to Tipperary.
Last edit: 17 Feb 2009 14:53 by JohnH (John). Reason: spelling

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17 Feb 2009 15:22 #5 by mrsFishpatrick (Astrid Fitzpatrick)
I actually use NLS flakes, and over the weekend I picked up some tetra pro crisps for them, as for other foods,frozen bloodworm maybe once a week, sometimes, krill, artemia, mysis or daphnia the last one in the dried as wel as frozen variety and the odd feeding of courgette and other veggies.
The cory's get Hikari algae wafers and I have the JMC catfish pellets (but I am not gone on them)after lights go out

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17 Feb 2009 16:06 #6 by Fishowner (Gavin fishowner)
Keep an eye on the barb and see how it behaves over the coming few days. Make sure the spot on his head doesnt open up or show redness. Re the Krib fry dying, was there any unusual signs such as curveature of the spine? fry are very much the first to die if there is a problems in the tank either water or bullying etc. Indeed Ive had fry just drop off on occassions for no known reason when all water parameters etc were fine. Fry's are hard to gauge,Ive had them die after a few weeks right up to a few months for no reason. Often as a result of overbreeding in the industry and poor immune systems,but enough of the science part!
I think there is the possibilty that the fry dying and the barb is unrelated. As for the Ich, regular water changes could improve it going forward as you have treated the tank already,in saying that I know you do regular water changes as it is anyhow so you wont need to really improve anything on that front. Also ensure the carbon filter is put back into your filter for the next week to rid the tank of the Esha.
In terms of the food you are using, nothing wrong with them at all. Seems varied and thats important. I find the NLS food good also, particularly for colouring up the fish. I tend to use the pellet form.

Hope the problem clears up, it could be totally unrelated I feel but the next few days will tell alot Id imagine.

Gavin

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17 Feb 2009 17:46 - 17 Feb 2009 22:42 #7 by mrsFishpatrick (Astrid Fitzpatrick)
I will propably get the pellets next as the reason I got the flakes was because the fry was only very small when I bought the tub because it was to feed them that instead of the pellets.
since we are on this subject, where in Dublin other than wackers sells NLS?
Last edit: 17 Feb 2009 22:42 by Administrator (Admin). Reason: Corrected an unfortunate spelling error

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17 Feb 2009 18:59 - 17 Feb 2009 22:41 #8 by JohnH (John)

since we are on this subject, where in Dublin other than wackers sells NLS?



OOps,
You might want to edit you Freudian slip there...

I think they also sell it in Petstop Blanchardstown too.

John

Location:
N. Tipp

We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl - year after year.


ITFS member.



It's a long way to Tipperary.
Last edit: 17 Feb 2009 22:41 by Administrator (Admin). Reason: Corrected an unfortunate spelling error.

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17 Feb 2009 20:04 #9 by gerryberry (Jeff Daly)
Bang on John seen some NLS in Blanchardstown at the weekend.

GB

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17 Feb 2009 20:05 - 17 Feb 2009 20:06 #10 by mrsFishpatrick (Astrid Fitzpatrick)
Last edit: 17 Feb 2009 20:06 by mrsFishpatrick (Astrid Fitzpatrick).

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18 Feb 2009 12:28 #11 by mrsFishpatrick (Astrid Fitzpatrick)
It look like my dead krib from yesterday was not an unfortunate incident, I am after scooping another one out that was swimming on his side trying to make its way to the top and breathing fast, I have him in a shallow container floating on the top of my tank.
I am after dropping a tiny bit of meth blue in the container, did I do right? how long should I leave him in the meth blue.
Please help (again)

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18 Feb 2009 13:47 #12 by JohnH (John)
This doesn't sound good,
It could be that Methylene Blue will not help, but by the same token it shouldn't harm either.

I really do think you need a 'post mortem' assistance here. Like as not this one will pass on, it certainly sounds like it anyway.

If it does you should seek advice from Drew (assuming he has the time to do the deed.

It does sound ominous and the sooner the malady can be identified the sooner work can be started to rectify it.

Sorry to sound very negative here, but it really would be difficult to try to isolate a problem like this, very obvious ones can be identified almost immediately and advice can be given to act upon...but this isn't immediately one of those.

John

Location:
N. Tipp

We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl - year after year.


ITFS member.



It's a long way to Tipperary.

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18 Feb 2009 14:06 #13 by mrsFishpatrick (Astrid Fitzpatrick)
yes I'll pm drew see can he help me out.
thanks

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18 Feb 2009 15:57 #14 by Fishowner (Gavin fishowner)
I wonder could it be an internal parasite / worms ?
Gavin

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18 Feb 2009 20:32 #15 by JohnH (John)
Did you get through to him?

Any more losses?

John

Location:
N. Tipp

We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl - year after year.


ITFS member.



It's a long way to Tipperary.

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18 Feb 2009 20:47 #16 by mrsFishpatrick (Astrid Fitzpatrick)
No I had no reply yet, the fish is actually still alive so far
I was out and am just back in the door and very surprised to still see him breathing in there, keep fingers crossed he might make it for another while.

Gavin, how would I find out if it is an internal parasite?

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18 Feb 2009 21:58 #17 by mrsFishpatrick (Astrid Fitzpatrick)
Just found another one dead in my tank, the one that was on his way out this morning is stil hanging in there.
I am going mad

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18 Feb 2009 22:13 #18 by cardinal (Lar Savage)
Mrs F
Sorry to hear your troubles,Follow the link below there may be something to help you identify whats going on

Lar


www.nationalfishpharm.com/diseases.html

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19 Feb 2009 10:44 #19 by mrsFishpatrick (Astrid Fitzpatrick)
This morning I found one of my female adults dead too,
this seems to affect my cichlids only as the cory's and barbs don't seem to be bothered by it much (yet?):unsure:

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19 Feb 2009 10:59 #20 by PetCoLongMileRoad (Drew Latimer)
hey sorry to hear about your loss


you said one krib had a bloated belly did the other 2 you've found have bloated bellys?


this may seem a stupid guess and maybe someone can clear it up for me but can kribs suffer from malawi bloat?

only a guess:blush:

If you're going to be crazy, you have to get paid for it or else you're going to be locked up.

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19 Feb 2009 15:50 - 19 Feb 2009 15:52 #21 by mrsFishpatrick (Astrid Fitzpatrick)
Been to AV and was told it wasn't anything external, I am treating the tank now with hexamita.
I sure hope this works.
Another fry was dead this afternoon:dry:
Last edit: 19 Feb 2009 15:52 by mrsFishpatrick (Astrid Fitzpatrick).

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19 Feb 2009 18:47 #22 by mrsFishpatrick (Astrid Fitzpatrick)
And another one just now (i am losing hope)

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20 Feb 2009 17:54 - 20 Feb 2009 18:05 #23 by mrsFishpatrick (Astrid Fitzpatrick)
It has been nearly 24 hours since my last fish death, I am hoping the meds are working, still 2 fry sick they are in a breeder net for now untill he starts swimming again.
I am starting to get hope again phew:)
Last edit: 20 Feb 2009 18:05 by mrsFishpatrick (Astrid Fitzpatrick).

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20 Feb 2009 22:41 #24 by gerryberry (Jeff Daly)
Best of luck, know you had a bad run lately but hopeful this is the end of it for you.

GB

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21 Feb 2009 18:17 #25 by mrsFishpatrick (Astrid Fitzpatrick)
The 2 that were still sick were dead this morning, the rest look good and are all eating lets hope it stys that way, had more cory eggs this morning(theyre happy obviously) but left them and they got eaten.
still keeping everything crossed:dry:

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22 Feb 2009 17:52 #26 by mrsFishpatrick (Astrid Fitzpatrick)
Looks like the meds did the job, everybody is alive, swimming and eating, wich is a great relief. Finally this dark episode has come to an end, I still have 12 of my fry and 2 of my adult kribs left.
Going to do a waterchange and put the charcoal back in my filters tonight unless someone reading this tells me otherwise:laugh:
I am happy again, and I even convinced my hubbie of the need for a quarantine tank (4 tanks now yeah!!!):laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

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22 Feb 2009 20:29 #27 by Fishowner (Gavin fishowner)
Well done, was in London over the wekeend and checking to see if you overcame the problems. Not sure which youve succeeded most in, the curing of the fish or the fact you have convinced the hubby of another tank in the house! lol

Gavin

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22 Feb 2009 23:11 #28 by mrsFishpatrick (Astrid Fitzpatrick)
LOL:laugh:
I am happy about both, now I just have to be really good and really not set it up as a project ( it's tempting)

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23 Feb 2009 03:02 #29 by sheag35 (Seamus Gillespie)
well done delighted it worked out for you and hey new tank as well brilliant..... are you sure you didn't plan this... women and their wiley ways etc ;)

Fishkeeping the Only way to get wet and wild

currently 25 tanks, and breeding is the aim of everything i keep
location:Limerick

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