Need help - sick geophagus

**fishmommie** · 02-01-2013, 03:09 PM

Would appreciate some help. Attached is a video and a still photo of my geophagus, clearly ill.
I've had her since Sept. 7 days ago I noticed I hadn't seen as much of her as usual and she had staked out a spot in a small rock cave. She did come out to eat every day. but I finally got a good look at her and saw 2 pin head sized white spots on her back near her dorsal. Also noticed a larger, milkier spot on her other side near her tail. Same time I noticed her abdomen was swollen.
So I netted her and put her in a hospital tank, did some reading and decided I must be dealing with parasites. She has gone through 2 ick treatments in this 90 gallon in 4 months. I used salt and heat as ick treatment. The heat was well out of her comforzones (per her profile) so I made the decision I was dealing with a stressed induced parasite.
Treated her for the past 7 days with prazi-pro and metro +. did every other day water changes. She has not eaten since I put her in the QT.
The larger spot on her side near her tail is gone. I had thought the other two were gone until today when I put her in a bucket to do a thorough tank cleaning and noticed a larger spot right next to her dorsal. It's milky and looks a bit like a pus sack. About the size of a grain of sand.
Her abdomen is still swollen.

I'm suspecting what I really need are some antibiotics but would really appreciate some of your valued opinions. the only other medications I have on hand are Copper Safe, Pimafix and Melafix.
My regular tank maintenance where she normally lives is weekly 50 - 70% W/C and gravel vac. The tank had been wormed with Prazi and Metro as a precaution a couple months ago. Water Perims: Ammonia - 0, Nitrites - 0, Nitrates - 10 - 15.
I've seen 0 aggression in the tank toward her. She's a sweet, quiet fish, which is probably why I didn't notice she was in trouble sooner and makes me wonder if this hasn't been going on for a long time.

Again, any help is appreciated and if you have more questions I didn't think to address, please let me know.

http://s614.beta.photobucket.com/use...2ce5e.mp4.html

Notice that in the video I took yesterday, she did not have the larger bump on her dorsal. That seems to have swollen over night.

**Lady Hobbs** · 02-01-2013, 04:08 PM

Don't know. The spot on her dorsal appears to just be a spot of fungus. Often some daily water changes will cure that. I wouldn't use the Melafix or Pimafix myself. I don't like either of them and find they do nothing but make the water stink. LOL

I would keep her in the quarantine tank and not feed her anything but pea's for a few days, do the water changes and just keep an eye on her. She has already been dewormed and given antibiotics so not sure what more you can do. Sometimes things are just beyond our control.

**fishmommie** · 02-01-2013, 04:12 PM

Originally Posted by Lady Hobbs

Don't know. The spot on her dorsal appears to just be a spot of fungus. Often some daily water changes will cure that. I wouldn't use the Melafix or Pimafix myself. I don't like either of them and find they do nothing but make the water stink. LOL

I would keep her in the quarantine tank and not feed her anything but pea's for a few days, do the water changes and just keep an eye on her. She has already been dewormed and given antibiotics so not sure what more you can do. Sometimes things are just beyond our control.

Thanks for replying. I may not have been clear. I have NOT given her antibiotics. I don't have any on hand (unless the metro + counts) I have an opportunity to have someone pick up some antibiotics at my LFS today if you think it would help.
I've also tried peas. She won't touch them. Won't eat anything now.

**Cliff** · 02-01-2013, 05:35 PM

+1 to Lady Hobb's advice

Lots of large water changes in QT for a little while so you can observe her and help her recover.

**fishmommie** · 02-01-2013, 05:43 PM

Originally Posted by Cliff

+1 to Lady Hobb's advice

Lots of large water changes in QT for a little while so you can observe her and help her recover.

Thanks Cliff. that's pretty much what I've been doing. 75% W/C and vac every other day but I'll change that to daily.
Should I keep trying to feed her or let her be? It's been 7 days since she's eaten.
I'm so puzzled by this. I keep my 90 spotless. never have nitrates above 15. Of course, I'm still stymied by the 2 ich outbreaks so who knows.
After I removed her from the tank I had a leak so I did a complete teardown in the 90. UGF's are gone (in case they might have been a haven for bacteria) so IF she recovers that potential hazard is gone.

So - no antibiotics is the suggestion? Just water changes?
No epsom salt for bloating? No salt at all?
As you can see, I've been reading a lot LOL Most articles point to poor water conditions as the culprit with fungus and infections but that is simply not the case with my tanks. very discouraging and I feel so bad for her.

**Taurus** · 02-01-2013, 05:46 PM

Metro is an antibiotic, but I don't know if it's the right antibiotic for what ails her. Wish I had more to offer.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metronidazole