Stella Posted September 27, 2008 Report Share Posted September 27, 2008 I am having a few problems and trying to figure out what is going on. A couple of my kokopu have gone a little cloudy, like the mucus coating has got thicker. It is most obvious on the eyes. Generally the fish seem ok, maybe a bit more stationary than usual. No one has died and no one is looking horribly ill but I am not happy about it. I have been trying to control the black algae with Flourish Excel recently. This may or may not have anything to do with it, but is the only change. So far the algae is looking as happy and robust as ever :roll: But from everything I read the Flourish should have no effect on fish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted September 27, 2008 Report Share Posted September 27, 2008 If something is stressing the fish they will produce more mucus, causing the "cloudy" effect. Sorry I don't know what is the cause of the stress though . Who knows? What doesn't affect aquarium fish may cause problems with natives :-? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted September 27, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 27, 2008 I can't work out what would be stressing them. The water quality is fine, the temps are fine, they have *never* had any disease in the nearly-two-years that I have had them. They are getting much bigger, but I don't think they are overstocked yet. There are no oxygen issues. They are getting quite stroppy at feeding time (partly it is simply more obvious because they are bigger and can chuck more water at me!) and always leave shallow teeth marks in each other, but they heal immediately (it is just their skin, scaled fish wouldn't show it). A few weeks ago the first cloudy one was put in a hospital tank with some malachite and formalin and he was fine after four days. Thing is I can't move all of them into a hospital tank as they are too big, and treating the 200lt tank they are in would take a huge amount of chemicals which may affect the filter and I would need to find a place to put the crayfish.... I am wondering about salting it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yeh_buddy Posted September 27, 2008 Report Share Posted September 27, 2008 I find that Stress Coat with Aloe Vera, helped with my Pictus Cats when they had it, so maybe if its the same thing give it a go? Doesn't make the water discoloured and you can still treat with other medication if you want/have to. Just a thought :bounce: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted September 27, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 27, 2008 well most of the kokopu have been hiding today (normal) but one has been out a lot and been VERY stroppy. They do go through moods of this. Ironically the ones being picked on are only lightly bitten but the stroppy ones is a MESS with bits of skin hanging off and teeth marks all over the show! (the gold spots are the normal markings, the whitish bits are trailing skin and small cuts) Normally they get a lot of bite marks at feeding time. They have thick skin not scales, so the marks show up really well. They have never bit through, it is more like a delicate membrane that gets ripped and the marks are usually gone within one or two days. Amazingly no one has ever lost a piece of fin. But of course now I am more stressed about them that there is something not right and now there is potential entry points for infection. I think I might have to salt the tank. I hate this, I get so worried! :evil: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jc360 Posted September 27, 2008 Report Share Posted September 27, 2008 have you checked ph? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted September 28, 2008 Report Share Posted September 28, 2008 Could it be spwaning time and they are getting more stressed as a result? More biting etc? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted September 28, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 28, 2008 pH is pretty stable in there and quite within their 'normal' zone (which is surprisingly vast though soft is more common) Spawning issues (or at least sexual maturation issues) are a definite possibility for the fighting. Though the most stroppy/injured fish was mostly picking on a fish well below sexual maturity and the one that inflicted the injuries was a different species of kokopu (but hey, if someone was biting without letting up I would sure bite back!). Maybe it was just having a bad day? :roll: As predicted, today there is little sign of the shreds of skin hanging off it, but a few teeth-marks remain. I poured a whole lot of salt in the tank last night (yes, yes I know, but they can deal with a lot more) and the stroppy fish is looking a little less cloudy. Haven't seen the other fish yet, they are still hiding in the rocks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snorkel Posted September 28, 2008 Report Share Posted September 28, 2008 That decomposing ponga frond won't be doing any good? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted September 28, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 28, 2008 The ponga is not decomposing, it is browning off but they can stay structurally intact in a aquarium for months if not years if you treat it kindly. I think they are all looking a bit better since I added the salt last night. Might do an extra waterchange soon. (they usually get weekly 30% w/c) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snorkel Posted September 29, 2008 Report Share Posted September 29, 2008 Pongas are very "scratchy" things thou eh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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