Labeotropheus Fuelliborni Dying

dn392

New member
I had some Labeos shipped to me that got some bad ammonia poisoning during shipment and acclimation. Weeks later, they started dying off one by one. Out of 12 individuals, I currently have 8 left and I just found another that appears to be sick with similar symptoms - bloating that seems worse on one side, not eating much, hanging near the bottom of the tank (I noticed these symptoms in the last fish that died before it died - and it appeared to get much better i.e. quick reduction in swelling before dying later that day). I'm not seeing much of the pineconing supposedly typical with dropsy, but given the other factors here I'm thinking that's the culprit. Anyone have any advice on treatment & prevention? I've currently got the UV filter off and I've dosed with a combination of pimafix and melafix. I isolated the sick fish in the communal tank (large breeder basket close to the surface & an airstone). I have other species in other tanks that seem to be doing well with no issue. It appears to be isolated to the fish that got burned during shipment and specifically those animals that are weaker & taking the brunt of the social aggression. I've got some additional animals (some Labeotropheus trawavasae females of similar sizes) in quarantine to eventually put in with them & even out some of the aggression. I just don't want to keep losing animals if I can help it. Pics of the fish currently sick and the most recently dead one.
 

Attachments

  • 20210528_104250.jpg
    20210528_104250.jpg
    97.8 KB · Views: 2
  • received_523237015515600.jpeg
    received_523237015515600.jpeg
    79.6 KB · Views: 2
  • 20210526_094810.jpg
    20210526_094810.jpg
    41.8 KB · Views: 2

OB Guy

Administrator
It's hard to say from looking at the pictures but I'd probably stop the Pimafix and Melafix and treat the sick fish with Seachem Paraguard.
 

dn392

New member
Hey OB Guy - thanks for the response! Is there a particular reason you prefer Paraguard over Pimafix and Melafix?

The male that died seemed to improve overnight (reduction in swelling, with a small lesion on his flank that looks like something burst out) and then died later that afternoon.

The female in the breeder basket had a similar response - quick reduction in swelling coupled with that red lesion - a few days ago but she's still holding out. She's not eating much but I keep giving her some pellets that do disappear, and I don't think there's a way for the pellets to escape the basket - they're too big to fall through the mesh or even be sucked out by other fish, I have to assume she's eating them although she won't feed in front of me right now.

Pictures of the lesion and her profile before and after the swelling went down.
 

Attachments

  • 20210528_154704 (1).jpg
    20210528_154704 (1).jpg
    30.5 KB · Views: 2
  • 20210530_121554.jpg
    20210530_121554.jpg
    19.7 KB · Views: 2
  • received_764621110889105.jpeg
    received_764621110889105.jpeg
    120.6 KB · Views: 2
Top