"Dehane" Pelvicachromis taeniatus advice

[Mongbean]

Hey guys,

My pair of Dehanes in my tank have both come down with an unknown disease/parasite.
I have had them for 5 months now and have never had an issue with them.
Recently the male started having fits and has stopped eating and is breathing rapidly.
I cranked the tank to 28 deg c and added aquarium salt while I worked out what the affliction was.

I narrowed it down to ick or velvet and purchased multi cure which covered both those diseases in one treatment.

I removed the pair from the main tank and put them in the hospital tank.
I attempted to treat the main tank but incountered a mountain of issues as the medicine was clearing within a half hour and I have no carbon in my filter so I am a little baffled.

I treated the Dehanes in the hospital tank and with about 5 hours the female started to fade and fast.
I was concerned it was the treatment as she was so small and put her back in the main tank (I was able to scoop her with my hand with no fuss)
She she came alive in the main tank again but her tail is very squared off so something is effecting here badly.

I am at a loss becuase if it's an internal parasite and she is not eating I am not sure on how to treat her and if it's external and it's ick or velvet I can't medicate her as she is responding badly to the medication.

No other fish is effected but the dehanes.

I am now at a dead end and also at the limit of my knowledge and treatments that I can do.

Can anyone shed some light?

 

[Mongbean]

My female dehane died :-(

 

[Mike Wise]

I'm sorry for your loss. I know how hard it is to get exotic species in Oz. Both Ich and Velvet are external parasitic problems. Neither should cause the symptoms that you described until in an advanced and highly visible state. My guess is that they had something internal. I don't know why they would come down with something after 5 months. This occurs mostly when water values deteriorate and weaken the fish, or an infected fish is introduced to the tank (not quarantined). Keep an eye out for problems in your larger tank now. The female may have introduced her problem to it. This is a prime reason to have a small dedicated hospital/quarantine tank.

 

[Mongbean]

As soon as I seen the infection I moved them to the smaller HT. The female did not respond well to the multi cure treatment.
Strange that only effected the dehanes. My water chemistry has not changed and I have a full planted tank. I change my water twice weekly. As you say now I am convinced that it was internal. I inspected the female after she passed away and she had no signs of infection and her gills looked normal.
I will now treat the whole tank. All my fish are eating at the moment so it is a good time to medicate them.
I was thinking of soaking my spectrum pellets in aquarium salt. Also adding some garlic to the food I feed them as well.
I have no idea what they have and these two things I can do with little to no impact on the fish that medication would other wise cause. After I see what the multi cure can do to the fish (which is the fist time I have seen it have a bad reaction on fish) I will be very cautions before I jump in and use it.

 

[Rod]

My bet...
Your water has high TDS....I live in Brisbane too
This kills soft water fish.....

 

[Mongbean]

Rod i completely agree with you...
This is my thought as well....
Lesson hard learnt..really loved those guys.

 

[Rod]

Lovely fish...easy in right water
Heart break in Brisbane tap water