help, sick convict cichlids!

[kimbo3311]

perhaps they were just stressed and you were seeing things. My convict actually has some white spots on his tail that seem like fungus, but are actually just part of his coloration. It gets me every time. it's hard to diagnose fish when they are alive, they move around so much.

 

[moonstream]

I def. saw some fungus, I wasnt imagining it. sigh. why must fish torture me so? LOL. Ill just have to keep an eye on them and keep the water quality normal. I am going to test again now.

 

[moonstream]

I checked them just before I left yesterday (am coming home early tomorrow) and they looked good, I think it was a reaction to the ammonia. will be doing another 50% WC when I get home.

 

[terror spawnin]

so other than the fungus, exposure to ammonia and nitrite, clamped fins, possible ich, and hiding in a corner, they're "fine"? that's like saying a guy with a broken leg, trouble breathing, and bleeding from the head is "fine", because he's just not dead yet.

salt is the opposite of soothing, it works by irritating the fish's skin so that it develops a thicker slime coat. it's the thicker layer of slime coating that initially protects against disease. it's the equivalent of you getting a callous on your finger - it eventually protects you from constant irritation, but it's irritation that put it there in the first place.

Salt does NOT irritate fish when you use recommended amount for healthy water.
All natural bodies of water have a salinity percentage.

You are neglecting your fish by not adding proper amount of salt to water when changed.

This site is for helping people out...not blasting them with hateful opinions

 

[wataugachicken]

i'm sorry, but that's how salt works.

any water you use for your tank is going to have some mineral content in it, whether tap water or well water. even if you use RO you need to replace the mineral content with an additive. the wide range of minerals found in a fish's natural habitat can not be replicated by simply tossing some sodium chloride into the tank.