Just was watching my last remaning hoplo and he is swimming around looking happy. However I noticed several spots and one large missing scale patch on his head. Is this ICK.
Nope doesn't look like ich. Looks like he's missing a couple of dermal bony plates. Not too sure if these will grow back, but you have to be careful the areas don't get infected.
I don't really think it's the slate. I've seen small Hoplos lose their plates this way when kept in unsanitary conditions in an LFS, so this may be something they are prone to.
looks like a very aggressive strand of bacterial disease from here; I've had a disease like that on my Hoplo's years ago; they all died (not good news, I know)
you have to get all other medications out -use activated carbon- change 1/3 of thew water, and start dosing with a fish-antibiotic.
I could suggest some, but you probably have different brands over there.
One that kills off even the most hardy strains, and is harmless to catfish however, is C-porex. I do not know what's in it; but the vet can have it, as it is used to kill off bacterial intestine diseases in big German Shepherd dogs !!this is NOT a joke!!)
dose= 250 milligrams per 100 liters of tankwater.
repeating after two days with 1/2 that dose.
Plan B should not automatically be twice as much explosives as Plan A
I initially thought that the Hoplo seemed to be getting better, but now it looks like he is losing more scales. I got a product called Aquaria-Sol with the active ingrediant Zycosin. I am going to give it a shot. Is this bacterial disease contagious to the other cats?? Currently he is the only Hoplo in the tank. However I will be getting 6 more next week.
Well the little guy has now been quarintened in my 25 gallon. Giving him 1/3 of the medication as laid out on the bottle (thanks Silirus for the info).
We will see how long it takes for him to get better!
Sir Helm; diseases like this are EXTREMELY contagious, and at one point, made me -almost!- quit the hobby.
I've seen tanks -including mine- dying out in one or two days; fish literally falling apart etc.
After a few of those experiences and a house-move; I've been using Quarantaine tanks mostly, for new wildcaughts.
When my Hops died of this; I lost (within 24 hours!!!)
-pair adult Megalechis thoracata
-three adult Callichthys
-two Opsodoras sp
-1 Opsodoras stubeli
-11 Poptella orbicularis
-5 Arnoldichthys spilopterus
-3 Panaquolus maccus
-3 Chaetostoma sp
-pair Pelvicachromis taeniatus and a few I can't remember anymore.....
So keep that beastie Quarantained for at least THREE weeks and between feeding and maintenance WASH YOUR HANDS!!!
not to mention use separate nets, algae-cleaners etc etc; don't dip the net with the freezefood in it, in the water etc.
And, just for the peace of mind: always feed/maintenance the "sick-bay" as last one.
Plan B should not automatically be twice as much explosives as Plan A
I am following your instructions. He is quarintined in a 25 gal at 85F with a bio wheel filter (minius the carbon filter ). Also scrounged up an old air pump and have it working to areate that tank.
It is getting worse tho.. He has far more spots on him than he had in the past. He seems content, and is still eating the blood worms I am feeding him.
BTW 85F is really warm. I know that usually hoplos like 65-80 but will 85 hurt him at all?
(prob no worse than whatever disease he currently has)
SirHelm; you have to translate that; I can't do wahooni with fahrenheit....
But I'd say; anything between 23-26'C would be OK, as long as you don't go beyond 28'C, he'll do fine (they can handle beyond that, because of their accessory breathing adaptations, but I wouldn't risk a sick Hop with such high temperatures)
Plan B should not automatically be twice as much explosives as Plan A
Hey SG 85 F = 29.44 C. I have an air pump going as well to assist the other guy. I examined him closely last night and he looks like he has pretty much lost all of his scales on his head. It is all pretty much greyish. the rest of his body looks fine. Some of the smaller dots have disappeared. And he is still moving activley around the tank. He is also still eating as far as I can tell.
Is there any literature on the web that outlines common diseases and pics for catfish?
Well a little update on the hoplo. He has survived and is now back in the main tank. Color has returned and whitespots are gone. He is eating and swimming fine. He is missing one of his longer barbels tho. Just happy that he is okay.
BTW he was in quarintine for about 10 days with daily 1/2 doses of aquisol and temp of 85.
