Please Help Zebra Tipapia Cichlid
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black ghost
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@Cassie, HITH is worth treating 
but you’ll have a much better chance with low nitrates. High nitrates are a suspect in HITH. My own theory is that along with a dodgy diet they’re just general stressors that lower the efficiency of the fish’s immune system, which allows the various organisms involved in HITH to take over.
I’ve had more successes than failures in the past with Waterlife Octozin.
But you need the nitrates down. You can lower them (with water changes) as fast as the fish can tolerate, so it might help to know how much he’s used to...?
but you’ll have a much better chance with low nitrates. High nitrates are a suspect in HITH. My own theory is that along with a dodgy diet they’re just general stressors that lower the efficiency of the fish’s immune system, which allows the various organisms involved in HITH to take over. I’ve had more successes than failures in the past with Waterlife Octozin.
But you need the nitrates down. You can lower them (with water changes) as fast as the fish can tolerate, so it might help to know how much he’s used to...?
Thank you Black Ghost. Without going into my personal life the truth is I don't know actually know how often the tank has been changed, so I can't answer that. He is now my responsibility and I need to try and sort this out. I had a friend help me yesterday and we did a 25% water change. I've brought some Waterlife hole in the head treatment today as you suggested, and I've been advised to do a 75% water change (because he is a hardy fish). This may well be the case but he is not well as I've found out from all your advise, so I am loath to stress him out even more. I need to put in 15 tabs (crushed) for his water volume after the water change and cannot do a water change afterwards for 8 days. Now personally I'm freaking out here, and I really don't know what to do for the best, but clearly I need to do something. I'm not even knowledgeable on fish and I am having to wake up fast to help him. I guess I'm just looking for some more advise before I bite the bullet and take whatever action/treatment seems best for him. I've just rechecked the Nitrates and they haven't come down at all, so clearly need to do a bigger water change, I am just so nervous at the prospect of 75% and then medication. I just feel so sorry for him. Any advise appreciated.
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LookoutTrout
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A 75% water change could be a huge drop in nitrates and cause problems.
A way to test nitrates that are way above what the test can measure is to dilute your tank water with distilled water for the test, so a 50/50 mix would give a result and you double it to know what is in your tank. That could also be off the scale and you could end up trying several different dilutions to get a reading. If you know the nitrates in your tap water (some can be very high) and prepared to do some maths you can use tap water instead of distilled.
The fish has adapted somewhat to living in high nitrate so without the dilution testing above I'd carry on with 25% daily changes as they haven't killed it yet and each day the water will be a bit healthier.
Someone more experienced may have a better idea.
I don't know how the water changes will affect the medication dose, some more maths and reading the medication instructions will be required.
A way to test nitrates that are way above what the test can measure is to dilute your tank water with distilled water for the test, so a 50/50 mix would give a result and you double it to know what is in your tank. That could also be off the scale and you could end up trying several different dilutions to get a reading. If you know the nitrates in your tap water (some can be very high) and prepared to do some maths you can use tap water instead of distilled.
The fish has adapted somewhat to living in high nitrate so without the dilution testing above I'd carry on with 25% daily changes as they haven't killed it yet and each day the water will be a bit healthier.
Someone more experienced may have a better idea.
I don't know how the water changes will affect the medication dose, some more maths and reading the medication instructions will be required.
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plankton
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Agreed, do the 25% for 4 or 5 days before using the medication.
Just seen your reply's. A friend came around earlier and helped me with the water change. I've done about a 70% water change. Figured no point in asking for advise if I'm not going to take it, (I hadn't seen your reply's at that point) and the man at the fish shop said he had kept these fish before and although he wouldn't like it he would tolerate it. I had to take the opportunity of help while I had it as I can't even get the lid off the tank on my own. I recall when we had the nightmare move a year ago he practically had to have most of the water replaced (about 70% then) and no he didn't like it, but there was no other choice. I'll medicate tomorrow as advised 15tabs over 3 days and then on day 8 advised to do a 50% water change. I just hope I have done the right thing. I will let you know in due course. I really do appreciate the advise and I know it does look like I haven't taken it. Maybe I should have waited. Time will tell now. Very anxious wait.
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LookoutTrout
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There's a fair bit of guesswork involved in keeping fish so you haven't done anything wrong, when you get through this just keep on top of your water changes and things will be easier.
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black ghost
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I think the big change was probably necessary. You needed to start the treatment asap.
You need to add 15 tablets on days 1,2 and 3...? So 45 tablets in total.
You need to add 15 tablets on days 1,2 and 3...? So 45 tablets in total.
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plankton
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Fingers crossed for him.
Try a more mixed diet with some fresh garlic crushed into it (about a quarter of a clove - NOT bulb
), that will help boost the immune system.
Try a more mixed diet with some fresh garlic crushed into it (about a quarter of a clove - NOT bulb
), that will help boost the immune system.Thank you all once more for your continued help and support. He 'appears' back to his usual self this morning and has eaten his pellets. Insofar as his diet, I have tried everything, the frozen fish food he will not touch and various forms of veg he just plays foot ball with. All he will eat is pond pellets so any suggestions there would be greatly received. The nitrate last night was reading 20. This morning it is reading 100! How on earth can it go up that much overnight! The nitrate from the tap reads 0. The water was treated before it went into the tank with Fluval Aqua plus water conditioner. I tuned off his lights after the water change and did not feed him until his usual time this morning. I am by no means at all experienced with fish and this is a very steep learning curve for me. How can the water change that much and that quickly after a 70% water change??? I checked it twice. What do I need to do? Truly appreciate your advise as I have not got a clue.