Hey guys, I've never seen this before, in fact I registered specifically to ask questions about this. I have 3 Raphael catfish (all ~2.5 years old and fairly large). On Friday I did a normal water change, no change from what I have been doing for years, and then this morning (Sunday), I woke up to find one of them in a very bad state.
His scales are all enlarged or swollen and look like some kind of exoskeleton. Also his belly appears fuzzy and there is a very large lesion on his backside.
None of this was there on Friday as I sat and watched the fish feed after changing the water.
No other fish in the tank are showing any signs of trouble.
1. Size of tank?
80 gallons
2. a. Ammonia?
b. Nitrite?
c. Nitrate?
d. pH, KH and GH?
Haven't tested in a while, I realize I should but I would expect more than one fish is upset if the water quality is poor. Will get on that though, I promise.
3. Temperature?
78 farenheit pretty much constant, fluctuated +- 2 degrees or so during water change.
4. FW (fresh water) or BW (brackish)?
FW
5. How long the aquarium has been set up?
2 years 10 months
6. What fish do you have? How many are in your tank? How big are they? How long have you had them?
2 spotted pleco (6-7', 2.5 years old)
3 raphael catfish (4-7', 2.5 years old) (now 2 catfish)
3 mini spotted corys (1-2', 2 years old)
4 small cichlid, yellow lab (1-2', parents were rescued from a friends tank in poor shape recently (~4 mos), they made babies and subsequently died and now only the youngs remain)
1 weird loach thing (4', looks like a pink eel)
2 small upside down catfish (1-2', rescued from same tank as cichlids, 4mos in my tank)
1 siamese algae eater (~4', 2.5 years)
1 small bushynose pleco (~3', rescued from same tank as cichlids and upside downs, 4mos)
7. Were the fish placed under quarantine period (minus the first batch from the point wherein the tank is ready to accommodate the inhabitants)?
Probably, but it has been a long time
8. a. Any live plants? Fake plants?
both
b. Sand, gravel, barebottom?
gravel
c. Rocks, woods, fancy decors? Any hollow decors?
huge multi level cavern rock, looks like a cinder block made of volcanic rock
big roman colosseum piece
9. a. Filtration?
fluval 405
b. Heater?
some fluval brand water heater, nothing special
10. a. Lighting schedule? What lights are used?
2x t5 phillips fluorescent one sun color one moon color
9am-11pm ON
11pm-9am OFF
b. Any sunlight exposure? How long?
very, very little if any
11. a. Water change schedule?
2 weeks
b. Volume of water changed?
20% approx (eyeballed)
c. Frequency of gravel/sand (if any) vacuumed?
6 mos, lots of plants though
12. Foods?
bloodworm, flakes, pellets
How often are they fed?
3-5 times / week
13. a. Any abnormal signs/symptoms?
not until this morning, though I thought he was behaving strangely yesterday
b. Appearance of poop?
n/a
c. Appearance of gills?
...skeletal
14. a. Have you treated your fish ahead of diagnosis?
no
b. What meds were used?
none
15. Insert photos of fish in question and full tank shot if necessary.
Pictures are terrible, i realize, used my camera phone.
His scales are all enlarged or swollen and look like some kind of exoskeleton. Also his belly appears fuzzy and there is a very large lesion on his backside.
None of this was there on Friday as I sat and watched the fish feed after changing the water.
No other fish in the tank are showing any signs of trouble.
1. Size of tank?
80 gallons
2. a. Ammonia?
b. Nitrite?
c. Nitrate?
d. pH, KH and GH?
Haven't tested in a while, I realize I should but I would expect more than one fish is upset if the water quality is poor. Will get on that though, I promise.
3. Temperature?
78 farenheit pretty much constant, fluctuated +- 2 degrees or so during water change.
4. FW (fresh water) or BW (brackish)?
FW
5. How long the aquarium has been set up?
2 years 10 months
6. What fish do you have? How many are in your tank? How big are they? How long have you had them?
2 spotted pleco (6-7', 2.5 years old)
3 raphael catfish (4-7', 2.5 years old) (now 2 catfish)
3 mini spotted corys (1-2', 2 years old)
4 small cichlid, yellow lab (1-2', parents were rescued from a friends tank in poor shape recently (~4 mos), they made babies and subsequently died and now only the youngs remain)
1 weird loach thing (4', looks like a pink eel)
2 small upside down catfish (1-2', rescued from same tank as cichlids, 4mos in my tank)
1 siamese algae eater (~4', 2.5 years)
1 small bushynose pleco (~3', rescued from same tank as cichlids and upside downs, 4mos)
7. Were the fish placed under quarantine period (minus the first batch from the point wherein the tank is ready to accommodate the inhabitants)?
Probably, but it has been a long time
8. a. Any live plants? Fake plants?
both
b. Sand, gravel, barebottom?
gravel
c. Rocks, woods, fancy decors? Any hollow decors?
huge multi level cavern rock, looks like a cinder block made of volcanic rock
big roman colosseum piece
9. a. Filtration?
fluval 405
b. Heater?
some fluval brand water heater, nothing special
10. a. Lighting schedule? What lights are used?
2x t5 phillips fluorescent one sun color one moon color
9am-11pm ON
11pm-9am OFF
b. Any sunlight exposure? How long?
very, very little if any
11. a. Water change schedule?
2 weeks
b. Volume of water changed?
20% approx (eyeballed)
c. Frequency of gravel/sand (if any) vacuumed?
6 mos, lots of plants though
12. Foods?
bloodworm, flakes, pellets
How often are they fed?
3-5 times / week
13. a. Any abnormal signs/symptoms?
not until this morning, though I thought he was behaving strangely yesterday
b. Appearance of poop?
n/a
c. Appearance of gills?
...skeletal
14. a. Have you treated your fish ahead of diagnosis?
no
b. What meds were used?
none
15. Insert photos of fish in question and full tank shot if necessary.
Pictures are terrible, i realize, used my camera phone.
