Cichlid remedies/multiple symptoms

[carmexx]

I have a 90 gallon cichlid tank with an acrylic wet/dry. The fish are demasoni, kenyi, and johnnai. I am seeing popeye in the kenyi which has come and gone for some time now, over prob period of a year or less. On one of my johnnai's there is a growth on one of his pectoral fins. It just looks like a small white/red mass about the size of a ball point on a pen. I believe most of this is due to my neglect. The wet/dry was a big nitrate factory since the bioballs were "gooped" up. I removed them and put in filter floss for the time being. I was running carbon for a few days after thoroughly cleaning the tank and the substrate.
Now i took the carbon out to treat the tank....i used maracyn 2 for a few days(not the recommended dose of 5 days continuous)since I did not get enough to complete the process. I am going out tomorrow to get some treatment and could use a little help in treating my tank right, aside from the water changes and mechanical media maintenance. anyone?

 

[DaveK]

Since the tank's been neglected, I'd clean it up as much as possible, especially any substrata your using. Of course, do large partial water changes also.

Your treatment sounds ok, except you need to use enough to run the full course. I believe you can also use maracyn 2 with regular maracyn in FW, and this is what I would do.

Antibiotics will almost always wipe out the bacteria population of your tank. Be sure to test for ammonia and nitrite and make water changes as needed to keep this under control.

Once your done treatment, continue the water changes to remove any residual medications. You'll need to clean and replace the bioballs and use new carbon. You'll need a place for bacteria to grow. The tank will recyle, so you'll need to keep watching ammonia and nitrite.

 

[carmexx]

Thanks Dave. I went out and picked up maracyn and am on the 2nd day of treatment. I will follow the course. I did lose 1 kenyi which had popeye. I am now concerned for a few johanni. This is a pic of the small mass on the pectoral fin.





The mass is actually on the fin, not the body.

 

[DaveK]

Since the mass is just on the fin, you can catch the fish and carefully remove as much of the mass as possible.

Fish can even regenerate fins, and I have heard of people cutting off the bad part, and letting it regrow, but I've not done that myself, and I don't know if I'd recommend that.