Help!! Brand new mbuna have cottony growths.

[echoofformless]

So I finally get up the funds to fill my mbuna tank and lo and behold - I have purchased fish that are carrying something!

I first suspected something wrong when one of my female kenyiis was flashing on rocks and clamping her fins. She died yesterday and now one of the other fish has these cottony patches and rotting fins.

My water is 100% fine. Tank is fully cycled and has less than 20ppm of nitrate. pH is 8-8.2 give or take. Temp is 80 F.

What does this look like and what are the best courses of action to take? I stand to lose a chunk of money if these fishes pass on. Not to mention I've really taken a liking to these people - they're amazing to watch!

 

[big54bob]

is the growths cotton like?
if not it looks like u got ich.
im sure some one else will chime in

 

[echoofformless]

I didn't see anything ich-like...those smaller spots are the same cottony stuff as the larger patches.

 

[big54bob]

well it must be a fungus. can be treated.

The Treatment stuff can be found at any lfs or waltmart supercenter.
just follow the dirrections it says and it should clear up.*thumbsups

 

[Big Vine]

echo,

I recently successfully treated some fungus that appeared on my angelfish. It didn't affect all fish, and the fungusy part wasn't nearly as extensive on my angels as it appears to be on your cichlids.

I used a product by API called "Pimafix" (found in a blue bottle). It says it treats "fungus or cottony growth, mouth and body fungus, and reddening of fins and body." It is purportedly all-natural and will not disturb your biological filter.

Sadly, the accompanying 'fin rot' that your fish seem to be exhibiting may require something a tad stronger---I'm thinking in the way of antibiotics.

I'd try Pimafix first and see whether or not things improve.

Big Vine

 

[echoofformless]

Thanks everyone.

Well I always have Pimafix on hand, so I dropped some in. I also added some Melafix and aquarium salt as well.

The only thing is, I am concerned that these are too mild so I'm wondering if anyone knows of any "hard" meds to recommend?

 

[SinisterKisses]

Its PRimafix

I'd give the combo of Primafix, Melafix, and salt a chance to see how it does. I wouldn't call it a 'soft' medication by any means, the stuff is a godsend to fishkeepers. Personally, I'd rather use something all-natural than chemicals, so I'd leave it and see if you start seeing an improvement in the fish.

 

[echoofformless]

Update - one of the other cichlids is now on the bottom of the tank, gasping. This one was showing no outward symptoms. The one with the visual symptoms is gone from my sight....probably in a cave either dead or alive.

I'm really upset about this...being as though it's always thought to be good to add all mbuna at once - I'm about to lose my entire investment.

 

[Big Vine]

I'm sorry Echo. I don't know what I would have done differently, if anything. You've tried the Pimafix, which is the first thing I would have tried. Salt doesn't seem like a bad idea either.

You'd think these two measures, in combination, would get the fish a bit more comfortable. I'm sorry to hear that it hasn't.

As much as I'd be reluctant to add anything else in the way of meds, about the only other thing I might attempt is treating with some sort of broad-spectrum antibiotic medication. But unfortunately, at this stage in the game, it would probably be futile.

BV

 

[echoofformless]

Is there "R" invisible?

Well I have lost another socolofi. Another is missing in action. The other fish look healthy for now...so what I will do is remove the corpses, keep up with the melapimasalt treatment and water changes...wait a few weeks and then maybe replace the dead.

My only concern is adding new cichlids to a somewhat established tank. What I have are juveniles - 3 labs, 2 lombardoi (female) and now one socolofi (not sex-able just yet.) Does it sound safe to add more later in this case?

 

[JoluvsGuppies]

Aww Im so sorry to hear about your fish Looks from the pictures like it is a bad case of Ich and fungus...Did you quarantine the fish before adding to your tank? I agree with the rest. Pima fix and melafix..salt may help cure the ich.

 

[Katie217]

LOL i thought it was pRima fix too but i just looked at my bottle, and its pimafix! wow.
anyways
sorry about the mbuna...how large is this tank again?

 

[echoofformless]

Thank you everyone for your help and kind words.

I'm sure it's not ich. I think maybe the pics kind of look like that perhaps, but the smaller spots were just more of the cottony patch stuff. I've suffered through enough ich from new fish over the years to at least happily rule it out this time.

Katie - the tank is a 40g breeder.



And now the update: I lost both of socolofi that were showing these symptoms. However the remaining fish - three yellow labs, two female kenyii and the last socolofi (suspected to be a male) are looking wonderful. Lively, colorful, erect in the fins, and eating like classic little piggy mbuna should. I'm going to continue treatment with Maroxy, Pimafix/Melafix, aquarium salt and daily water changes of about 30%. Water parameters are about as perfect as I can get - no ammonia or nitrite, pH of around 8, and no measurable nitrate. I figure if in about a week I don't see anymore symptoms or lose any fish, that I came through this relatively unscathed.


So my question remains - when I want to replace the two socolofi, will it be safe to put them in the tank? I have heard about Africans being mean to newcomers and sometimes killing them. Then again I have relatively docile juvenile specimens so I'm thinking it will be safe.

All I know is, I am seriously going to quarantine!