Fishlover Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 My GBR is sick and I don’t know what she has. I think something was carried in on a plant I bought out of an aquarium at a LFS. Not realizing I should quarantine the plant (I feel like an idiot) I’ve treated her with a quarantine trio… ick-x, Maracyn, paracleanse. She has lost her color. I’ve given her salt baths, stress guard, testing her water daily and everything is zero, ammonia, nitrates and nitrates. She hasn’t eaten for about five days. I even tried live black worms last night she’s having no part of anything. I have a couple of pictures they’re not real good I will try to get a video and post later. I have had her for about eight months and I just recently realized a I am over cleaning my tank which means my tank is not cycled. I know that’s awful, I have a 55. Running now cycling trying to get it right. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guppysnail Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 German blue rams are prone to stressing over changing water parameters. All the medications combined with the salt baths could be making things worse. I do see spots on her head but they do not look like ich. @Colu? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishlover Posted March 8 Author Share Posted March 8 Suggestions? Stop all medication’s and work on getting water parameters back to normal? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guppysnail Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 On 3/8/2024 at 8:00 AM, Fishlover said: Suggestions? Stop all medication’s and work on getting water parameters back to normal? If she is getting worse with those meds yes. And definitely work on parameters. Please list your parameter numbers not just fine or good folks can help you ammonia nitrite nitrate ph kh gh @Colu will be able to guide you on next steps much better than I can 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colu Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 (edited) That looks like the start of hole in the head disease that can be linked nutritional deficiency poor water quality and Hexamita parasite and active carbon is link to it the most effective treatment is metronidazole in food that the active ingredient in metroplex or Fritz metrocleanse feeding a small amount twice a day for upto 3 weeks I would look at what your feeding just in case anything lacking in it diet if your food is more than 3 months old that can lose a lot of nutritional value if your using active carbon i would stop using it check if anything off with your water parameters @Fishlover Edited March 8 by Colu Stupid autocorrect 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishlover Posted March 9 Author Share Posted March 9 I don’t use carbon. I just checked her water parameters and I have .25 in ammonia, nitrites are 0, nitrates are 0. Hopefully my tank is starting to cycle, I have some water conditioner that detoxifies ammonia, but I read that .25 is not bad… There is so much miss information out there, is this true or false? She has a little bit more color than she has had in the past few days. I took a video and she has a white stringy poop and I do believe it was there this morning so it’s not coming off and it looks like there might be something in it. I know my camera on my phone is awful. I don’t know whether I should treat her for constipation with peas or treat for parasites, but somehow someway I Have got to get this girl eating something. Does anyone have any thoughts? video was too long. I will try again and post in a minute. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colu Posted March 9 Share Posted March 9 (edited) I would treat hole in head the first with metroplex ammonia harmful even at low levels if your seeing any ammonia I would do a water change and add a double dose of prime to help detoxify any ammonia till it constantly read zero with white stringy poop it's doesn't mean there's parasite it can be poop with no food in it just the mucus lining @Fishlover Edited March 9 by Colu 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishlover Posted March 9 Author Share Posted March 9 Everyone has been so helpful, especially you @Colu! I went to the local pet store. All they had was a API General Cure but it does have 250 mg of Metronidazole and 75 mg of Praziquantel per packet. I will use that tonight and go to the aquarium store when they open in the morning and get the Metroplex, anything else with that? I did a 1/3 water change last night. Should I do about the same amount tonight? I will definitely detoxify the ammonia until it is zero. Her diet before was mostly Cobalt Aquatics Cichlid flakes with probiotics, her favorite. Omega one Cichlid flakes with omega 3 & 6, frozen blood worms, and freeze dried brine shrimp. Will it be OK to use the medicine I got tonight in her water tonight since she’s not eating and then try the Metroplex with her food tomorrow? If she won’t eat the Metroplex in the food then I would just add it to the water, correct? There is so much to learn about fish. I wish I knew it all but I really feel like I’m doing all I can and I want to give whatever fish I have the best possible life. I am beyond grateful for all of your advice, and taking the time to help! - Kimberly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guppysnail Posted March 9 Share Posted March 9 On 3/8/2024 at 7:13 PM, Fishlover said: video was too long. I will try again and post in a minute. You need to upload to YouTube and post links. Videos do not directly upload 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishlover Posted March 9 Author Share Posted March 9 When I got back from the store, the white stringy thing was gone… Yay! Here is a short link to a video I just took. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colu Posted March 9 Share Posted March 9 (edited) On 3/9/2024 at 2:18 AM, Fishlover said: Everyone has been so helpful, especially you @Colu! I went to the local pet store. All they had was a API General Cure but it does have 250 mg of Metronidazole and 75 mg of Praziquantel per packet. I will use that tonight and go to the aquarium store when they open in the morning and get the Metroplex, anything else with that? I did a 1/3 water change last night. Should I do about the same amount tonight? I will definitely detoxify the ammonia until it is zero. Her diet before was mostly Cobalt Aquatics Cichlid flakes with probiotics, her favorite. Omega one Cichlid flakes with omega 3 & 6, frozen blood worms, and freeze dried brine shrimp. Will it be OK to use the medicine I got tonight in her water tonight since she’s not eating and then try the Metroplex with her food tomorrow? If she won’t eat the Metroplex in the food then I would just add it to the water, correct? There is so much to learn about fish. I wish I knew it all but I really feel like I’m doing all I can and I want to give whatever fish I have the best possible life. I am beyond grateful for all of your advice, and taking the time to help! - Kimberly If she's not eating dose the tank you can use general cure in food he's a recipe you can add a small amount of aquarium salt 1 table spoon for 10 gallons that will aid Gill function and add essential electrolytes and add an extra air stone during treatment Edited March 9 by Colu Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishlover Posted March 9 Author Share Posted March 9 Thank you so much for all of the information! I will give an update soon! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishlover Posted March 12 Author Share Posted March 12 I don’t think my sweet little girl is going to survive. I can’t get her to eat any medicated food so I’ve just been medicating her water. But this morning she was floating kind of slanted on her side. I want so badly to help her I wish there was something I could do. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colu Posted March 12 Share Posted March 12 On 3/12/2024 at 5:10 PM, Fishlover said: I don’t think my sweet little girl is going to survive. I can’t get her to eat any medicated food so I’ve just been medicating her water. But this morning she was floating kind of slanted on her side. I want so badly to help her I wish there was something I could do. Sorry to hear she not doing well If she not eating keep dosing the tank if she not eating and becoming weak it's difficult one you could add some garlic guard to her food to help stimulate her appetite other than that it's a case of wait and see at this point hope she turns a corner 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishlover Posted March 13 Author Share Posted March 13 I had been trying the Metroplex, focus, mixed with garlic guard, mixed with pellets and some of her favorite flakes, to no avail. I tried live black worms, not interested. I found her this morning laying on her side. I picked her up and got her closer to the bubbler for some good oxygen hoping it would help,but it didn’t do any good… So I just held her lightly in my hand for about 15 minutes until she passed. I’m so upset but glad for her that she isn’t suffering anymore. I just want to say thank you to everyone for their advice. Even if it was too late for it to help her… It really helped me. I learned some good information and didn’t feel like I was in it alone, and that is much appreciated. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colu Posted March 13 Share Posted March 13 Sorry for your loss 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishlover Posted March 16 Author Share Posted March 16 Thanks Colu. She was my BFF… Best Fish Friend! She would swim up to the glass and put her nose to my nose…. She even did it the morning she passed (barely) 🥹 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now