Cichlid with bulging eye :(

What about filtration...what are you using? Maybe add an airstone or something so more oxygen is getting to the water? What all did you add from you established tank?

Personally, I wouldn't add the salt. Have you been using any meds at all or just doing water changes? The water changes are what I would recomend. Unless you know for sure what the problem is I wouldn't use any meds. I knew I should of said what I thought from the start and I am really, really sorry I didn't.

Here is what I would do if it were me. Set up the tank (which you did) use filter media from established tank, add decor..rock, or anything I could from the established tank. Up the temp a few degrees, do not add salt, do not add meds (the only time I have used melifex was for sores on the body or fin damage and it worked wonderful). Feed very lightly like once a day. Do 30-40% water changes daily for a few days and go from there. OMG, I am soooooo sorry I didn't voice my opinion sooner, but everyone seemed to be (and was btw) giving you such good advice and I am still somewhat new at fish care (as far as meds goes) I was worried I'd tell you something wrong.

As far as the salt goes, I wouldn't add it to the tank as a normal thing. Cichlids are not salt water fish and really do not need it. I know many ppl and many LFS will tell you to add it...but it is really not needed.
 
Levels are good. I am adding salt. (should I stop?) I have temp at 80. Funny thing is his eye is getting better day-to-day but hes acting wierd- not eating now. I have media from the other filter in the new one which is a crap tetra filter that I set up like w/ bio wheels and sponge. (Actually works great) Took some bio from my canister filter in the 55 and placed them in the hospital filter. Also put gravel in a mesh bag in corner of tank and large rock from 55. No medication is being used and his eye is healing so I dont think we need any. Just worried- its a mystery... maybe he just likes swimming sideways by the filter????? I dont know... I'll see if he eats later tonight. Dont want too much food in the water.
 
Maybe this is a silly question, but are you using a chlorine and chloramines remover on each water change?
 
Stop using the salt. Constant salty water is not good for African Cichlids. Do a water change and dilute it out of the tank. It's not good for your fish. If you must add something, add Epsom salt at the rate of one cup per 100 gallons of water. It will aid in helping your fishes digestive system pass waste materials.
Continue a water change of 25% per day after you get the salt out of your water by initial larger water changes. This tank is not a cycled tank and you don't want to take any chances on ammonia/nitrite buildup.
Your fish looks fairly heavy in the pictures that you show of him. If that is still true, stop feeding him for 2 to 3 days. This will give his system a chance to clean out a bit. Pregnant females go for 3 weeks or more without eating, so this will not harm your fish. If he is fat, this is not good for his health in general.
Good luck in bringing him back to health. I hope that he makes out well.
 
You should be pass the salt stage at this point so no more salt is required hmm sorry i should have said that in the beginning truly sorry about that, at any rate salt treatment should have been like 3 to 4 days once he starts to heal just keep up on the water changes 50 to 70% daily water changes are in order for a small quarantine / hospital tank and i would add stress coat to dechlor water and to add slime restoration..
 
Bulging Eye

My brother's 20 year old shark (don't know how he has lived this long or grown so big) had this about a year ago and after about a month, it receded and went back to normal. They did nothing special except water and filter change. We know it wasn't an attack because his only tank mate, at the time was an albino pleco. Strange but; true:confused:
Janvt
 
I add salt to all my cichlid tanks... is this a myth? Is salt not needed for the africans?

I'll dilute the salt for him for now and let him fast for a couple days. He isnt eating anyway so maybe he knows he shouldnt be. (Thinking that at least makes me feel better.)

And no on chlorine removers... I've been keeping fish for about a year now- a year at the end of this month and I started with Cichlids so I've been picking things up as I go. Is this something that should be happening? I know I filter my tap water but I dont filter it for them... I figure the carbon in the canister filter takes care of it and I dont like to use chemicals so I dont use any type of water stabilizer-

So he still kicking and his eye looks great- no cloud what-so-ever. I can still see a bit of a rise in it but its looking wonderful.

I'd like more info on the chlorine and salt for cichlids... I use "Cichlid Lake Salt" and follow the directions for Malwai and Vicoria. (I have a tank of Malawi and a tank w/ Vicoria Cichlids.) More knowledge on these two things would be great. Thank you guys for all your advice and sharing your experience with me.

It's really been a huge help!!! I'm addicted to fish-keeping and I want to keep these fish to the best standards- learning is the only way that can happen. Thank you! :)
 
Salt is one of the more controversial issues when it comes to the hobby, aquarium salt and that cichlid salt is not regular marine salt more of a remedy than anything..

Salt either aquarium or non iodized salt is good for ailments like ich, body issues and slime regeneration.. most pet stores and hobbyist will say use it as a preventative medicine but isn't needed..

Cichlid lake salts are more of a added trace elements type of remedy really not needed if water changes are kept up on routine if it makes you feel better you can use the cichlid lake salts but in my opinion not needed i don't use them and i think its a waste of money..

As for stress coat it has the aloa vera added for slime regeneration plus promotes healing of fish tissue also it detoxifies heavy metals, ammonia, chloramines and chlorine.. i dont trust just any dechlor 's but i have used stress coat faithfull with every water change and if i have a fish in medical i use it as a healing aid for fish tissue injuries..
 
Good to know! The last owner used Stress Coat and when I adopted the tank and I ran out I went to buy more at my LFS and they said it isnt needed. I like Aloe Vera for me- so it had a soft spot in my heart for the fishes. I think I'll pick it up again. My 55 gallon is doing really well with the salt added every water change- its clear and the fish are healthy but if I dont need to use it then I wont.

I have another question... I have coral in my tank... this might make me seem evil- but I dont maintain the high Ph levels Cichlids require- I test for Ph and make sure it stays the same (8.0) but I dont add a buffer to increase it. I have a buffer but never started using it. Should my Cichlids have higher Ph or is it good enough to just make sure it stays the same. (Which is what I have been doing- I test all levels, Nitrite, Nitrate, Ammonia, & Ph once a week.) I'm learning a lot here an just thought I should ask. :)
 
PH isn't as important as hardness when it comes to Africans.. sure you don't want the PH to be like 6.0 and i would say your PH of 8.0 is great and would be ideal for most farmed raised Africans ideally it should be 7.6 to 8.5 and a hardness value of 200 to 400ppm higher being better..

The thing about those conditioners that raise PH and hardness wether it be a liquid or powder form is that once you start you usually have to continue and just the smallest of mistakes usually proves lethal for them, many of a hobbyist have wiped their whole tank of fish out with these common mistakes when adding buffers..

Substrates and decor should be what you want to help you raise your hardness levels like aragonite, texas holey rock aka limestone and crushed coral..
 
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