Hole in the head.....the never ending battle.....
- Thread starter Gulp
- Start date
Once you get the nitrate tester, a couple of things to know. One is follow those directions perfectly, I learned this the hard way, and the first couple of times you test, do it twice and make sure you get the same results each time. Lastly, Assuming you have no plants, nitrate is a great test to determine maintenance effectiveness. I would reccomend trying to get the level down to 5-10 ppm untill Gulp gets better and then keep it steady under 20 ppm from there on out ( this is my personal standard for Oscars in particular due to hith). This is not an easy feat with an O but with your nice big tank, and you low bio-load, once you get the numbers down maintaining them will be pretty easy. Another thing to bear in mind is that your filter cartridges trap the waste, but it is still part of the system so more frequent rinsing will help immensely in the reduction of nitrates. Just remember to be nice to your bacteria so they don't all die at once.
Very strongly agree with Cearbhaill and with daveedka's excellent summary post. Most folks do not realize that clear water does not mean good water. Frequent rinsing of the mechanical filter media and large-volume partials are an absolute requirement for good water, and unplanted tanks can use nitrate as an indicator. Nitrate is not necessarily the culprit by itself, but it is an excellent indicator of general pollution.
in that article, the author says that if you dont have liquid vitamins then you can crush multivitamins. is he talking about PEOPLE vitamins?!
I believe so.
BTW, I just got a nitrate tester and the first 2 test showed the water at around 20 ppm. I did a 50% water change, and of course this dropped it to 10 ppm (I tested my tap water and it has close to 0 ppm). I will do another water change tomorrow and try to keep it at less than 5 ppm for a while, but I don't think nitrate levels were my problem.
I am beginning to believe we haven't been feeding Gulp enough lately (we were just feeding him a small amount of dry staple foods each night). After 1 1/2 weeks of feeding him 2 shrimp every other day (soaked in vitamins), with staple food between the shrimp days........the hole looks like its starting to heal. It is not as deep and the color no longer looks as bad. He is also much more active (he was very active before......but he is once again jumping out of the water for food.
) I will keep up the heavy feedings for a little while longer, and will keep an eye on the nitrates. If the cause was malnutrition from underfeeding.....I'm going to be pissed at myself. Definitely more water changes. I've had to go to 3X per week to keep ahead of the game. Ditto with frequent filter cleaning. Diet-wise, I had good luck with the vitamins. Also tried garic (Kent Marine). Seems to have helped. The water quality really seems to be the most important. Ph is also useful to keep an eye on. If it sinks to a full point lower than your tap water you need to be concerned. More water changes, gravel vacuuming, etc.
Thats the way I understood it, he even mentions that he avoids the vitamins sold in the pet stores, but doesn't clearly say why, only that they are a waste of money. The liquid vitamins he mentions are for people as well. My wife works for CVS, and She is supposed to be getting me some liquid vitamins for my little guys as well. I figured I'd start them on a twice a week vitamin dose while they're young.
While it is possible to underfeed these big fish, I doubt it was as much a matter of malnutrition as it is the increase in vitamins and food recently are helping. As long as your nitrates don't get high I'd keep up the heavy feeding, and the vitamins. hopefully all will work out. Keep us posted.
Dave
You be the judge. It looks like the hole is healing a bit......finally. Look at the first picture I posted, then take a look at these taken a few minutes ago (about a week after the first pics):
I will post another few pics next week if I remember, just to keep a record of how slow/fast this kind of hole takes to heal.
Look at the first picture I posted, then take a look at these taken a few minutes ago (about a week after the first pics):
I will post another few pics next week if I remember, just to keep a record of how slow/fast this kind of hole takes to heal.
I have lost the battle...... That f'n disease has taken over Gulps body. Half the skin on his back is gone and the flesh is exposed. The hole in the middle of his head is so deep it has to be close to his skull. Several large holes formed on his gill covers and more on his nose. I woke up this morning and he was openly bleeding from the holes in his back.... He hasn't eaten in almost 4 weeks and he just lays in a corner of the tank struggling to breathe. Any time we walk near the aquarium he flares his gills and trys to attack us through the tank wall. He is obviously in a lot of pain if he is reacting this way.....
This really sucks..... As much as I hate to do it, I think I am going to have to put him down today.
I hope that anyone else that ever has to deal with this disease has better luck than I did.....
That f'n disease has taken over Gulps body. Half the skin on his back is gone and the flesh is exposed. The hole in the middle of his head is so deep it has to be close to his skull. Several large holes formed on his gill covers and more on his nose. I woke up this morning and he was openly bleeding from the holes in his back.... He hasn't eaten in almost 4 weeks and he just lays in a corner of the tank struggling to breathe. Any time we walk near the aquarium he flares his gills and trys to attack us through the tank wall. He is obviously in a lot of pain if he is reacting this way.....This really sucks.....
As much as I hate to do it, I think I am going to have to put him down today. I hope that anyone else that ever has to deal with this disease has better luck than I did.....
